1. Forgiveness

At the end of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was asked how he

would treat the rebels now that they had returned to the Union. "Like they had never been away" was the reply.

2. The Need for Forgiveness

A young Mexican by the name of Peco had a violent argument with his father. The young man left home vowing never to return. The father said he would not be welcome if he did return. Some months later the father regretted his attitude and wanted to contact his son. He placed the following ad in a major newspaper. “Peco, please forgive me. You are welcome to come home. Please meet me at noon this Friday, outside the central railway station” By noon that Friday 600 Pecos had turned up to meet their father!

3. Lessons from Geese

As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for others behind him. There is seventy-one per cent more flying range in V-formation than flying alone. Lesson: People who share a common direction and a sense of common purpose can get there quicker.

Whenever a goose flies out of formation, it quickly feels the drag and tries to get back into position. Lesson: It's harder to do something alone than together.

When the lead goose gets tired it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the head. Lesson: Shared leadership and interdependence gives us each a chance to lead as well as opportunities to rest.

Geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep their speed. Lesson: Make sure our honking is encouraging and not discouraging.

When a goose gets sick or wounded and falls, two geese fall out and stay with it until it revives or dies. Then they catch up or join another flock. Lesson: Stand by your colleagues in difficult times as well as in good.

4. Faith is Trust

Faith is more than mental assent, it is personal trust, commitment, reliance. Charles Blondin was a famous tightrope walker who lived around one hundred years ago. He would amaze people with his feats, fixing wires between tall buildings and then walking the wire.

On one occasion he stretched a wire across Niagara Falls. A large crowd gathered who were staggered to see Blondin walk the thin wire, knowing that one slip would bring certain death. Not only did he walk across, Blondin rode a bicycle across, then took a chair, balanced it in the centre of the wire and sat on it! He approached the large crowd and asked, “Do you believe I could carry a man on my shoulders and cross the wire?” The crowd shouted a positive response for there was seemingly nothing this man could not do. “Then who will allow me to carry them?” Despite their acknowledgement, no one was willing to trust him with their life. Faith is more than mental assent, it is action.

5. Anywhere, As Long As It Is Forward

The Australian Coat of Arms pictures two animals that are peculiar to Australia, the emu and kangaroo. Both animals share a characteristic that typifies many aspects of Australian life. Both the emu and kangaroo can move only forward, not back. The emu's three-toed foot causes it to stumble if it tries to go backward. The kangaroo's strong tail prevents it from moving in reverse.

6. Never be Satisfied

Sir Joshua Reynolds was one of the greatest English painters of the 18^th century. He specialised in portraits and had an incredible skill in capturing the likeness of his subjects. One of the keys to Reynolds skill was that he could never look at any picture in his studio without wishing to re-touch it here and there. He was always dissatisfied with his work, always striving for something better. The pictures on the canvas were not as accurate as the visions in his mind. Such dissatisfaction always gives ground for the hope that “the best is yet to be”. The outlook is ominous where there is not a profound self-dissatisfaction. Be thankful for yesterday, but always believe for more.

7. The Prison Door is Open

Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist of some years ago, would issue this challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail and in a short time be free. He always met the challenges except on one occasion. Placed in a cell with the heavy door clanging shut behind him, Houdini took a thin piece of metal hidden in his belt. He began to pick the lock, but without success. Something seemed quite unusual about this lock. He worked for thirty minutes, then an hour, but without success. He was bathed in sweat but still inside the cell. After two hours he collapsed in frustration and failure against the door of the cell which he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all. But in his mind it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door.

8. Don't Quit, Keep on Playing

To encourage her eight-year-old son to persevere with his piano lessons, a mother took him to a piano recital by the great pianist Paderewski. The concert hall was filled, and meeting an old friend the mother failed to notice her young son slip away. When the lights dimmed and the curtains parted, the audience was amazed to see the little boy sitting at the grand piano picking out the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. Before the mother could retrieve her son, Paderewski himself appeared on stage and quickly moved to the keyboard. He whispered to the boy, “Don't quit, keep on playing” and leaning over his shoulder added the bass part. Then slipping his arm around him began to play a variation on the tune with his right hand. For several minutes the crowd were mesmerised as the boy did what he could and the master surrounded him with his brilliance.

9. Forgiveness

During the time when Leonardo da Vinci was painting “The Last Supper,” he had a serious conflict with a man and lashed out at him. He then thought of a way to get even. Returning to the unfinished fresco, da Vinci began to work on the face of Christ. But the painter was upset, the conflict with the man had disturbed him, and he could not concentrate. The more he tried to paint the face of Christ, the more evil and hatred stirred within him. For days he wrestled with the picture unable to finish the face of the Master. Finally, he laid aside his brushes, went and found the man and asked his forgiveness. Only then did da Vinci find the inner calm to paint the face of Christ

10. We All Start Somewhere

A group of tourists were visiting a picturesque village in Switzerland. Sitting beside a fence was an old man. In a rather patronising way, one tourist asked, “Were any great men born in this village?” The man replied, “No, only babies”. There are no instant heroes, no one is born with greatness.

11. The Myth of the Green Grass and the Golden Windows

A small boy was envious of the people in the house across the valley from where he lived. “Mummy, they must be very rich, they have windows made of gold. Every morning when I open my curtains I can see the golden windows.” One afternoon the boy decided to ride his bike across the valley and see the house with golden windows. When he arrived there he was amazed. The windows were glass, there was no gold! As he looked back across the valley to his home, the sun was reflecting on his windows, now they were made of gold! The other man's grass is not greener and there are no houses with windows of gold.

12. The Greatest Last-Place Finish of All Time

It was Mexico City 1968. Out of the cold darkness he came. John Stephen Akhwari of Tanzania, entered at the far end of the stadium with pain hobbling his every step with his leg bloody and bandaged from a fall. The winner of the Olympic marathon had been declared over an hour earlier and the medals presented. The great stadium was almost empty, only a few spectators remained. But the lone runner pressed on.

As he crossed the finishing line, the small crowd roared out its appreciation. Afterward, a reporter asked the runner why he had not retired from the race, since he had no chance of winning. The athlete seemed confused by the question. Finally, he answered: “My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me to finish.”

13. Halfway House

One of the great climbs of the Swiss Alps requires more than a full day to climb to the summit and return. Located towards the top of the climb is `Halfway House', a log cabin providing overnight shelter on the return journey. Climbers set out early in the morning and reach Halfway House after a five hour ascent. The cabin offers shelter from the biting winds, facilities to make warm food and drink and beds for rest. The view from Halfway House is excellent with a full panorama of Alpine peaks.

Ahead of the climbers is still another two hours of climbing and then at least another two to return to Halfway House for the overnight camp. The temptation for the mountaineer is to remain at `Halfway House' and not complete the climb. The thoughts invade the mind, “rest those tired muscles, enjoy the warm soup, take in the magnificent view. Why leave the warmth and refuge of the cabin? You've done your part, you've nearly made it to the top. Take it easy.”

For the climbers who yield to those tantalising thoughts, for about an hour they enjoy the rest and the ease to their aching body. But as they watch their colleagues struggling towards the summit, a great sense of regret and loss comes over them. This is a greater pain than from aching limbs. The truth that they came so far and stopped at Halfway House.

14. Check How You're Building.

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the building business and live a more leisurely lifestyle with his wife and family. He would miss the pay cheque but they needed to retire, they'd get by. The man had worked for the same builder for many years and the employer was sorry to learn he would be losing a valued worker. He asked the carpenter if he would build just one more house for him as a personal favour.

The carpenter reluctantly agreed, but his heart was not in it. He resorted to short cuts, inferior work and materials. He wanted to finish and get it over with. Some of the workmanship was second quality, shoddy. It was an unfortunate way to finish his career. He left the other tradesmen to finish the house.

A few weeks later, the builder called on the carpenter who had started his retirement. “Oh no” he thought, “not another house to build. I won't do it!” But the builder wanted to take him for a car ride. They drove to the house, the last house he built. “Oh no” thought the carpenter, “He's going to have a go at me for the poor job I've done.”

They went to the front door and the builder handed the carpenter the keys. “This is my gift for you, you've worked hard for many years and this is my retirement gift to you.” The man was shocked, if only he'd known, he'd have done things so differently.

15. Giving When it Counts

A little girl named Liz was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I'll do it if it will save her.” As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the colour returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?” Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

16. Beauty out of Brokenness

In Teheran's Royal Palace is one of the most beautiful mosaics in the world. The ceilings and the walls flash like diamonds in multifaceted reflections. Originally, when the palace was designed, the architect specified huge sheets of mirrors on the walls. But when the first shipment arrived from Paris, they found to their horror that the mirrors were shattered. The contractor threw them in the trash and told the architect. Amazingly, the architect ordered all the broken pieces to be collected, then smashed them into tinier pieces and glued them onto the walls to become a shimmering mosaic of broken bits of mirror. Broken to become beautiful. It's possible to turn your scars into stars. It is possible to be better because of the brokenness.

17. Love is an Action

Newspaper columnist George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. “I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me.”

Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.”

With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Perfect. Will he be surprised!” And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting “as if,” for two months she showered him with love and, kindness, listening, giving, caring, sharing. When the wife didn't return, Crane called her. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?” “Divorce?” she exclaimed. “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by a fervent promise but by repeated actions.

18. Team

A sea captain and his chief engineer were arguing over who was most important to the ship. To prove their point to each other, they decided to swap places. The chief engineer ascended to the bridge, and the captain went to the engine room. Several hours later, the captain suddenly appeared on deck covered with oil and dirt. “Chief!” he yelled, waving aloft a monkey wrench. “You have to get down there, I can't make her go!” “Of course you can't,” replied the chief. “She's aground!”

19. She Needed to Know!

In the Pacific Islands young men are required to pay a bride price to the family of their prospective bride. This price is often offered in pigs that are highly prized. The girl's family will negotiate the number of pigs according to the level of her education, her role in the society, her willingness to work hard and strength to carry heavy loads. The custom was to offer 5 or 6 pigs for the bride price.

A young islander was attracted to a beautiful but extremely timid young lady. She was so shy, should would never talk or even mix with any of the girls from the village. Her father despaired of her ever marrying and thought if she did marry she would be worth only one or two pigs. The young man went to the girl's father and declared his desire to marry the timid girl. “I am willing to offer 12 pigs as the bride price!” The announcement stunned the father. It was a value for only the very best daughters. “But there is one condition,” the young man added, “you must go to her and tell her how much I value her. She needs to know how valuable she is.”

20. Say that again

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

21. Saved

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions. Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened, everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and angry. “God, how could you do this to me?” Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.

22. The Only Way is up

One day a farmer's donkey fell into a dry well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up; it just wasn't worth the effort to retrieve the donkey. He invited his neighbours to come and help him. They each grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quietened down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, to everyone's amazement the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! Life may shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt; the trick to getting out of the well is to shake the dirt off and take a step up. Troubles can become a stepping stone.

23. The power of a dream

Never underestimate the power of an idea, especially when it is connected to a plan. Albert Schweitzer, the great doctor who gave his life to the people of Africa, observed, “We see now power in a drop of water, but just let it get into a crack in the rock and be turned to ice, and it splits the rock. When it is turned into steam, it drives the pistons of the most powerful engines.” Your dream can have that same power.

24. Never give up

Wilma Rudolph was the 20th of 22 children. She was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last.

For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl, who was told she would never walk again, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.

25. The Last shall be First

Steven Bradbury was Australia's first gold medal winner at a Winter Olympic Games. But he hasn't always been known for his prowess on ice. In fact, you might say he is an accident waiting for a televised event to happen. In 1994, Bradbury cut his leg in a World Cup skating competition and almost bled to death, losing four litres of blood and receiving 111 stitches. In 2000, he crashed headfirst into the boards while training and broke his neck. He chose to defy doctors, who told him that if he skated again he risked permanent paralysis. He staged a comeback in time for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

Steven Bradbury was, in many commentators' opinions, the least likely skater to win a medal, any medal, at the games. And yet he won gold. Bradbury's victory is remarkable not only because he had encountered so many setbacks and defeats, but because he won it after the other four skaters in the event fell down just before the finish. You could almost see Bradbury thinking, “I'm still standing up. I'm crossing the finish line. I just won the race!” He skated from last to first in a split second.

26. Carrots, Eggs and Coffee

A daughter complained to her father about how hard life seemed. “As soon as I solve one problem,” she said, “another one comes up. I'm tired of struggling.” Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen where he filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second, eggs, and in the last, ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

The daughter impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After a while, he went over and turned off the burners. He fished out the carrots and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He poured the coffee into a bowl. Turning to her he asked, “Darling, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled, as she tasted its rich flavour.

She asked, “What are you saying, Father?” He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity, boiling water, but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, the thin outer shell protecting the liquid interior. But after sitting in the boiling water, its inside hardened. However, the ground coffee beans were unique for they changed the water. The father asked, “When adversity knocks on your door, which are you?”

27. Never give up

Walt Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he did not give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.

Shelly Mann was paralyzed by polio when she was five years old, but she would not give up. She eventually claimed eight different swimming records for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

Woodrow Wilson could not read until he was ten years old. But he was a committed person. He became the twenty-eighth President of the United States.

28. They said you'd never make it

Creative people are often not recognised by their contemporaries. More often, they're not recognised in school by their teachers. History is full of examples.

Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read. Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school. Beethoven's music teacher once said of him, “As a composer he is hopeless.” When a boy, Thomas Edison's teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. F.W. Woolworth got a job in a dry goods store when he was 21, but his employers would not let him wait on a customer because he “didn't have enough sense.” A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had “no good ideas.” Enrico Caruso's music teacher told him, “You can't sing. You have no voice at all.” Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college. Werner von Braun flunked ninth-grade algebra. Louis Pasteur was rated “mediocre” in chemistry when he attended the Royal College. Abraham Lincoln entered the Black Hawk War as a captain and came out as a private. Louisa May Alcott was told by an editor that she could never write anything that had popular appeal.

29. Mothers

Somebody said a mother is an unskilled labourer.

Somebody never gave a squirmy infant a bath.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.

Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, “normal” is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct.

Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring.

Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother

Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first

Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home

Somebody never had grandchildren.

30. Chickens and Eagles

Ted Engstrom tells the story of an American Indian brave who found an eagle's egg and placed it in the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life the eagle, thinking he was a prairie chicken, did what chickens do. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects. He flew just a few feet off the ground in a brief thrashing of wings and feathers. After some years he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky soaring with graceful majesty on the wind currents. “What a beautiful bird” said the eagle to his neighbour, “What is it?” “That's an eagle, the chief of the birds” the neighbour replied, “but don't give it a second thought, you could never be like him.” And the eagle never gave it another thought and lived out its life as a prairie chicken

31. Kissing Power

Husbands who kiss their wives every morning before leaving for work usually live 5 years longer than those who do not. A kissing husband has fewer car accidents, loses up to 50% less time from work because of illness, and earns 20-30% more than a non-kissing husband. No statistics are available for benefits to kissing wives.

32. The Power of Encouragement

Eric Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea was an unlikely hero at the Sydney Olympic Games. The 22-year-old African had only learned to swim in January of that year, had only practised in a 20 metre pool, and had never raced more than 50 metres. By special invitation of the International Olympic Committee under a program that permits poorer countries to participate even though their athletes don't meet customary standards, Eric had been entered in the 100-metre men's freestyle.

When the other two swimmers in his heat were disqualified because of false starts, Eric was forced to swim alone. He had an unusual swimming style, never putting his head under the water and flailing wildly to stay afloat. With ten metres left to the wall, he virtually came to a stop. Some spectators thought he might drown! Even though his time was over a minute slower than what qualified for the next level of competition, the capacity crowd at the Olympic Aquatic Centre stood to their feet and cheered the swimmer on. After what seemed like an eternity, the African reached the wall and hung on for dear life.

When he had caught his breath and regained his composure Eric said through an interpreter, “I want to send hugs and kisses to the crowd. It was their cheering that kept me going.”

33. Investment

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up at the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved. “I want to repay you,” said the nobleman. “You saved my son's life.” “No, I can't accept payment for what I did,” the farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. “Is that your son?” the nobleman asked. “Yes,” the farmer replied proudly.

“I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.” And that he did. Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, he graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin. Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin. The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

34. The Most Important Things in Life
The most destructive habit. Worry
The greatest Joy. Giving
The greatest loss. Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work. Helping others
The ugliest personality trait. Selfishness
The most endangered species. Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource. Our youth
The greatest “shot in the arm”. Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome. Fear
The most effective sleeping pill. Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease. Excuses
The most powerful force in life. Love
The most incredible computer. The brain
The worst thing to be without. Hope
The deadliest weapon. The tongue
The two most power-filled words. “I Can”
The greatest asset. Faith
The most worthless emotion. Self-pity
The most beautiful attire. Smile
The most prized possession. Integrity
The most powerful communication. Prayer
The most contagious spirit. Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life. God

35. Actual sentences found in patient's hospital charts

1. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.

2. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

3. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

5. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

6. Discharge status: Alive but without my permission.

7. Healthy-appearing, decrepit 69-year-old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

8. The patient refused an autopsy.

9. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

10. Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.

11. Patient's medical history has been remarkably insignificant with only a 40-pound weight gain in the past three days.

12. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

13. Between you and me, we ought to be able to get this lady pregnant.

14. Since she can't get pregnant with her husband, I thought you might like to try.

15. She is numb from her toes down.

16. While in ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.

17. The skin was moist and dry.

18. Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.

19. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

20. Rectal examination revealed a normal-sized thyroid.

21. She stated she'd been constipated for most of her life until she got a divorce.
22. I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

24. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

25. In consultation with Dr. Blank, we felt we should sit on the abdomen.

26. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

36. Michael's Song

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.
They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.

Then the labour pains come. Every five minutes, every minute. But complications arise during delivery. Hours of labour. Would a C-section be required? Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inch by. The little girl gets worse. The paediatric specialist tells the parents, “There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.” Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby, now they plan a funeral.

Michael, keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, “I want to sing to her,” he says. Week two in intensive care and it looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over. Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they like it or not. If he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive. She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and takes him into ICU.

Karen brings Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live and begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sings: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine,

You make me happy when skies are grey.”

Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady; Michael keeps singing. “You never know, dear, how much I love you,

Please don't take my sunshine away'

The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr, Michael keeps on singing. “The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping,

I dreamed I held you in my arms”

Michael's little sister relaxes in rest, healing rest. Tears streak the faces of the nursing staff, the mother's face glows.

“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

Please don't, take my sunshine away.”

Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day, the very next day, the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it “the miracle of a brother's song.” Never give up on the people you love.

37. There's always room for more!

A philosophy professor stood before his class with several items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 5 centimetres in diameter. 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, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes.

The professor then produced two cans of Pepsi from under the table and proceeded to pour their entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognise that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things, your family, your health, your children, things that if everything else was 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 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 rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for things of real importance. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical check-ups. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the rocks first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Pepsi represented. The professor smiled. “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a Pepsi.”

38. Take Care

My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage.

Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We'd better throw this one out too, then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago."

39. Her side of your fence

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed: “Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen.”

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish. The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman. He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast and packed their lunches. Then he drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balanced the check book. He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog.

By now it was 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, sweep and mop the kitchen floor. He ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and organized the kids to do their homework; then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing. At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes, washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper. After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed. By 9 P.M. he was exhausted and though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, this he managed without much complaint.

The next morning, he awoke, immediately knelt by the bed and said, “Lord, I don't know what I was thinking, I was wrong to envy my wife being able to stay home all day. Please, let us trade back.” The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied,
“My son, I feel you have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll have to wait nine months, though, you got pregnant last night.”

40. Ask the Experts

Charles H. Duell, Office of Patents, 1899: “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that carried ten people: “There will never be a bigger plane built.”

Lt. Joseph Ives after visiting the Grand Canyon in 1861: “Ours has been the first, and doubtless to be the last, to visit this profitless locality.”

Albert Einstein, 1932: “There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.”

Recording company executive, 1962, after turning down the Beatles: “We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out.”

Margaret Thatcher, 1974: “It will be years, not in my time, before a woman will become Prime Minister.”

Business Week, August 2, 1968: “With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the US market.”

Western Union memo, 1876: “This telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication.”

David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urging investment in the radio in the 1920's: “No imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?”

H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927: “Who wants to hear actors talk?”

41. Why parents go grey

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem. He dialled the employees home phone number and was greeted with a child's whispered, “hullo”. Feeling put out by the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster the boss asked, “Is your daddy home?” “Yes” whispered the small voice. “May I talk to him?” the man asked. To the surprise of the boss, the small voice whispered, “no”.

Wanting to talk to an adult the boss asked, “Is you mummy there?” “Yes” came the answer. “May I talk to her?” Again the small voice answered. “No”. Knowing it was not likely the young child would be left home alone he decided he would leave a message with the person who would be looking after the child, he asked. “Is there any one there besides you?” “Yes” whispered the child, “a Policeman”.

Wondering what a policeman would be doing there he asked, “May I speak to the policeman?” “No he's busy”, whispered the child. “Busy doing what?” asked the boss. “Talking to Mummy and the Fireman”, came the whispered answer. Growing concerned and even worried as he heard what sounded like a helicopter through the phone, the boss asked, “what is that noise?” “A hello-copper,” answered the whispering voice. “What is going on there?” asked the boss, now alarmed.

In an awed whispering voice the child answered, “the search team has just landed the hello-copper.” Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little bit frustrated the boss asked. “Why are they there?” Still whispering, the young voice replied along with a muffled giggle, “They're looking for me.”

42. You're Never Too Old

Cervantes completed Don Quixote when he was nearing 70. Clara Barton, at 59, founded the American Red Cross. Goethe finished the dramatic poem `Faust' at 82. Verdi composed `Othello'' at 73, `Falstaff' in his late seventies. Benjamin Disraeli became Prime Minister of England for the second time at 70. Pablo Picasso was still painting at age 91. Arturo Toscanini gave his last performance at 87. Konrad Adenauer was chancellor of West Germany at 87.

43. What Happens When you Listen to Other People

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding. The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions. Later, they passed some people that remarked, “What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.”

They then decided they both would walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey. Now they passed some people that shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.

The boy and man said they were probably right, so they decided to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story? If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your “donkey” good-bye.

44. Pass It On

A young doctor working in the Emergency Department was asked if he had ever resuscitated a patient. He replied that this had happened on a number of occasions. When asked how this affected him, he replied, “It made me feel humble, that I was able to help someone. It made me feel grateful to the person who taught me CPR. And it made me determined to teach the same skill to as many people as I can.”

45. It is Worth It!

Between 1996 and 2004, the young woman underwent reconstructive surgery four times. Once on her ankles and three times on her shoulders. She visited her surgeon, sports psychologist and rehabilitation physiotherapist so many times that they have all become her best friends. She married the weights coach who trained her to overcome the problem-prone shoulder joints. For most of her career she lived in the shadow of a swimmer who was a national icon. She recently admitted, “I don't think there was one day in training when I didn't wonder whether it was all worthwhile.”

Was it worth it? At the Athens Olympics, Petria Thomas climbed the winner's dais three times. Twice to receive the gold medal for her part in the 4x100 metres freestyle and medley relays and then to stand alone as the new Madame Butterfly, Olympic champion and gold medal winner in the 100 metres butterfly. She now has the same number of Olympic medals as the great Dawn Fraser and her previous rival. And Petria discovered, it was worth it!

46. There's a time to shout!

It is said that a rhino has very poor eye sight that is compensated by exceptional hearing. If you should ever face a rampaging rhino you are advised to stand your ground, for though he can hear you he cannot see you. Wait until the charging beast is 20-30 metres away and shout your loudest. It is claimed that the rhino will stop dead in his tracks, then turn and run. On your way home this evening, should you be faced with a rampaging rhino, please test this method and email the results to …….

47. The Sum of all Wisdom

A great king summoned all his wise men to his court and instructed them to compile all the wisdom and knowledge of life. Some months later they invited him to open a new library where the many thousands of books containing all the wisdom and knowledge about life was located. “This is too much,” declared the monarch, “you must reduce it.”

Some weeks later, they invited the monarch to return to the library and showed him one shelf of books. “This is too much,” declared the monarch, “you must reduce it.” Some weeks later they presented the king with a compendium of five books of knowledge. “This is too much,” declared the monarch, “you must reduce it.” The scholars reduced the five books to one book but still the king was dissatisfied. Even one chapter, one page and one paragraph were considered too lengthy.

Finally they announced they had reduced the sum of all wisdom to one sentence. Anxiously the king read the words, “There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.”

48. Together we can!

The tourist town of Victor Harbor in South Australia boasts a horse drawn tram that pulls tourists across the causeway to Granite Island. One of these Clydesdale horses can pull 17 tonnes, yet two can pull 45 tonnes. This demonstrates the power of synergy. The light from two separate candles is not so great as the light from two candles whose flames join together. Two men can lift a great weight together than what two men can raise lifting independently of each other.

49. When I'm 64!

A 64 year old woman recently gave birth to a baby. When the TV interviewer visited the lady and her new offspring, they asked to see the infant. “In a few moments,” was the reply. Over the next 30 minutes the interviewer repeatedly asked to see the baby but each time the aged mother deferred the question. The frustrated reported finally demanded to see the baby. “Not until I hear her crying,” was the reply, “then I will remember where I put her.”

50. Before you jump to conclusions

When John. D. Rockefeller ran the Standard Oil Company, one of his senior executives made a mistake that cost them over two million dollars. Most of the other executive's thought Rockefeller would come down on him like a ton of bricks. They were wrong! Before he called the man in, he sat down, took out a notepad and wrote across it, points in favour of the man! The he listed the man's virtues, including how he had helped the company make the right decision on other occasions and earned them millions in profits.

One of the senior executives who witnessed it, later said, “whenever I'm tempted to rip into someone, I force myself to sit down to compile a list of the good qualities they have. By the time I'm finished I have the right perspective and best of all my anger is under control. I can't tell you how many times this habit has prevented me from committing one of life's costliest mistakes - losing my temper! I recommend it to anyone who deals with people.”

51. He Stole from Himself

Arthur Berry was a charming man who loved only the finest things life had to offer. During the Roaring '20s he was a master thief who stole from only the wealthiest people. Berry was eventually caught and spent the next 18 years in prison. After serving his sentence he moved to a small New England town where he led a quite life.

 

Some years later word got out who he was and his true identity was revealed and a horde of reporters came to interview the notorious thief. One reporter asked him, “Do you remember who it was that you stole the most from?” Berry replied, “The person that I stole the most from was Arthur Berry. I could have made a contribution to society. I could have been a teacher. I could have been a businessman. I could have done anything worthwhile, but instead I spent two-thirds of my adult life in prison. I have spent a lifetime robbing myself.”

52. Bob Hope (29.5.1903 - 27.7.2003)

ON TURNING 70 

“You still chase women, but only downhill.”

ON TURNING 80

“That's the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing.”

ON TURNING 90

“You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.”

ON TURNING 100 

“I don't feel old.  In fact I don't feel anything until noon.  Then it's time for my nap.”

ON GIVING UP HIS EARLY CAREER, BOXING 

“I ruined my hands in  the ring, the referee kept stepping on them.”

ON GOLF 

“Golf is my profession.  Show business is just to pay the green fees.”

ON HIS FAMILY'S EARLY POVERTY 

“Four of us slept in the one bed.  When it got cold, mother threw on another brother.”

ON HIS SIX BROTHERS 

“That's how I learned to dance. Waiting for the bathroom.”

ON HIS EARLY FAILURES 

“I would have had nothing to eat if it wasn't for the stuff the audience threw at me.”

53. If I Had My Life to Live Over

By Erma Bombeck, written after she found out she was dying from cancer.
If I had my life over…

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner more often even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the `good' living room and worried much
less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never and bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more “I love yous”, more “I'm sorrys” but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute; look at it and really see it; live it, and never give it back.

54. Reading between the lines

Actual telephone enquiries at libraries:
Do you have books here?
Do you have a list of all the books written in the English language?
Do you have a list of all the books I've ever read?
Which outlets in the library are appropriate for my hair dryer?
Do you have any books with photographs of dinosaurs?

I need a colour photograph of Noah

I'm looking for information on carpal tunnel syndrome. I think I'm having trouble with it in my neck.

55. Diets

Can't eat beef... mad cow.

Can't eat chicken... bird flu

Can't eat eggs... again, bird flu

Can't eat pork...fears that bird flu will infect the piggies

Can't eat fish...heavy metals in the water has poisoned their meat

Can't eat fruits and veggies.......insecticides and herbicides

Hmmmm! I believe that leaves chocolate!

56. Team

I asked my friend George Harland to reflect on his years as an executive with the Cadillac division of General Motors. “It certainly wasn't about cars," he smiled, "it was about the people.”

 
Once, when Harland was running the company's operation in Chicago, he received a phone call from his superiors in Detroit. “George, you've exceeded the sales targets for this year and we're anxious for you to come to headquarters so that we can honour you.” ”No,” replied George. “I'd like you to fly to Chicago and thank the people who made it happen. I'm not the one who should be lauded.”

 
A few weeks later, at a lavish catered banquet, Harland's team was applauded by the top brass from Cadillac. “It was a night they will never forget,” beamed Harland.

 
Remember, winning is never about yourself. It's about others.

57. Team 2

Two bone weary office workers were working their little hearts out. Their department was just too busy for staff to be able to take flex. But there had to be a way. One of the two suddenly lifted his head. “I know how to get some time off work” the man whispered. “How?” hissed the co-worker at the next workstation.

 
Instead of answering, the man quickly looked around. No sign of his Director. He jumped up on his desk, kicked out a couple of ceiling tiles and hoisted himself up. “Look!” he replied, then swinging his legs over a metal pipe, hung upside down.

 
Within seconds, the Director emerged from the Branch Head's office at the
far end of the floor. He saw the worker hanging from the ceiling, and asked him what on earth he thought he was doing. “I'm a light bulb' he answered.

 
”I think you need some time off,” barked the Director. “Get out of here, that's an order, and I don't want to see you back here for at least another week! You understand me?”

”Yes sir” the he answered meekly, then jumped down, logged off his computer and left. The other worker was hot on his heels. “Where do you think you're going?” the boss asked. “Home,” he said lightly. “I can't work in the dark.”

58. Peace

Two artists were invited to portray the idea of peace. One painted a beautiful mountain scene, with a tranquil lake reflecting the pines and mountain peaks. The other artist painted a turbulent scene, ocean waves hurtling against a rugged cliff face with dark clouds filling the sky. There perched on a high ledge was a gull sitting on her nest. Peace is not the absence of problems in the Game of Life; peace is the contentment of the mind that all is well.

59. It's all in the mind.

A Russian weight lifter struggled to break the 500lbs barrier. One day in training he easily lifted 505lbs. His trainer had told him the bar weighed only 497.5lbs.

60. What is in your possession?

William Randolph Hearst was an eccentric billionaire. He constructed three European castles on his vast estate on the Californian coast, and stored his large art collection there. Browsing through an art catalogue, he summoned his buyer and showed him a famous painting from the catalogue. “I must have that piece,” he announced. “Search the galleries and art houses of Europe and do not return until you have acquired it. You have a blank cheque, I will pay any price.” But the dealer returned empty handed, “Mr Hearst, I couldn't buy it, you already own it, it's part of your collection.” Your answer is already within you!

61. That's Life

Another eccentric millionaire who lived in New York City left an unusual request in his will. Following his death, he instructed to be dressed in his finest clothes and taken to the cemetery in his Cadillac driven by his chauffeur. The rich man died and his instructions were obeyed. They dressed him in his finest suit, propped him up on the back seat with lighted cigar between his fingers. En route to the cemetery, the car passed two street kids sitting in the gutter. The boys saw the car, the chauffeur and the rich man in all his finery, and one said to the other, “Now that's living!”

62. Bananas Grow in Iceland

Can you believe it? Engineers have built greenhouses warmed by heat from Iceland's hot springs and sulphur steam areas. In those greenhouses grow flowers, tomatoes, grapes and even bananas. Use what you have and amazing things can happen.

63. Golf Balls Fly Higher

When golf balls were first manufactured, the covers were smooth. Then it was discovered that after a ball was roughed up, one could get more distance from it. So golf balls were manufactured with dimpled covers. The rough spots in life make make you fly higher ands travel further.

64. The Power of a Seed

When Tutankhamen's tomb was opened it was discovered he'd been buried with all kinds of things needed for his “journey” including several bags of corn seed. Some of the seeds were planted and grew! Over 3,000 years sealed in a tomb, but when planted in soil, given light and water, they grew! The seed of your idea is just as powerful.

65. The Power of a Seed

The watermelon seed has the power to draw from the ground and grow to more than 200,000 times its own weight. It has the power to colour an outside surface, each melon different to all the others. It has the power to form within the green shell, a white rind with a brilliant red heart thickly laid with black seeds each capable of drawing through itself 200,000 times its own weight.

66. The Need of a Firm Foundation

When the Hilton Hotel opened in Baguio City, the Philippines it was considered the finest hotel in Northern Luzon. Situated high on a ridge it boasted fine views of the mountains. But the owners didn't know the builders hadn't followed the engineer's specifications. To save money and increase profits, the builders deliberately reduced the amount of steel in the footings and the quality of the concrete. And they had failed to secure the superstructure to the foundations. In the first wet season the building moved off its foundations and slid down the hillside. Choose faith as your foundation.

67. Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
GEORGE W BUSH “We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either
against us or for us. There is no middle ground here.”

COLIN POWELL “Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.”

JOHN KERRY “Although I voted to let the chicken cross, I'm now against it!”

DR SEUSS “Did the chicken cross the road?

Did he cross it with a toad?

Yes, the chicken crossed the road,

But why it crossed I've not been told.”

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR “I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.”

GRANDPA “In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.”

JOHN LENNON “Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together - in peace.”

ARISTOTLE “It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.”

CAPTAIN KIRK “To boldly go where no chicken has ever gone before.”

ALBERT EINSTEIN “Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?”

COLONEL SANDERS “Did I miss one?”

68. Home

A Navy flyer was shot down over the hostile jungles of Vietnam. He spent several years in a prisoner of war camp. The long days were often filled with thoughts of home. When finally he was released and repatriated, he longed for the day when he would be home. As the bus approached his town he thought of yellow ribbons and old oak trees. The house was there, but when he knocked on the door it wasn't his parents who answered. To his dismay he learned that two years earlier his mother had died, his father had sold the family home and moved away. It was the same house, but it wasn't home. Home isn't geography; it's in your heart.

69. One Day at a Time

The following page is worth using as a handout.

One Day at a Time

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

I will live through the next 24 hours and not try to tackle all of life's problems at once.

Today I will grow.

I will improve my mind. I will learn something that is useful. I will learn something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Today I will be agreeable.

I will look my best, speak in a pleasant voice and with a gentle tone. I will be courteous and considerate.

Today I will not criticise.

I will not find fault with relatives, friends or colleagues. I will not try to change or improve anyone but myself.

Today I will follow a plan.

I will begin with reviewing my “Do it Now” schedule. I might not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from some great enemies; hurry, procrastination and indecision.

Today I will play it forward.

I will advantage someone else today and endeavour to keep it a secret, for if anyone finds out it will not count.

Today I will take control of my life.

I will even do two things I don't want to do, just because I can.

Today I will believe in myself.

I will give my best to life and feel confident that life will give its best to me.

Today I will be happy.

There is enough sadness in the world already, I will not add to it. I choose to walk on the sunny side of the street; I will count my blessings; and I will smile.

70. Investment

Her name was Martha Berry. This thoughtful woman founded the Berry School in Rome, Georgia. She scraped together funds from every source possible. One day she approached Henry Ford, of Ford automotive fame and asked for a contribution. Patronizingly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out 10 cents.

Rather than being insulted or discouraged by the “gift”, Martha Berry bought a tray of peanut seedlings. She planted them in her garden, tended them, and they eventually produced a large crop of nuts that she later sold.

Again she called on Mr Ford. “Here's the dime you gave me last year”, handing him a coin. Then she told him of the return she had gained from his token investment. Ford was so impressed that over the next few years donated millions of dollars to the school. It is not how much you have but what you do with what you have.

71. Kids - Before and After

The 3 words you most want to hear from your husband are:

Before kids:  "I love you"

After 1st child:  "Let me help"

After 2nd child:  "I'll change her"

The best toys are:

Before kids:  wooden and educational

After 1st child:  plastic and educational

After 2nd child:  plastic and silent

The last restaurant you visited had:

Before kids:  elegant tables, an innovative menu, impeccable service

After 1st child:  clean tables, a children's menu, quick service

After 2nd child:  an available table, the menu on the wall, self-service

You see a child having a tantrum in a store and you feel sorry for...:

Before kids:  yourself

After 1st child:  the child

After 2nd child:  the mom

A home-cooked meal is...:

Before kids:  5 courses, plus wine

After 1st child:  main dish, vegetables and potatoes

After 2nd child:  frozen macaroni and cheese

Children should be potty trained...:

Before kids:  as soon as possible

After 1st child:  when the are developmentally ready

After 2nd child:  sometime before they leave for college

You choose your grocery store based on...:

Before kids:  selection

After 1st child:  price

After 2nd child:  a candy-free checkout lane

You call your mom on Mother's Day to say...:

Before kids:  "I love you"

After 1st child:  "Thanks, Mom"

After 2nd child:  "Please forgive me for my childhood"

"Sesame Street" characters you can name are...:

Before kids:  Big Bird, Grover, Oscar the Grouch

After 1st child:  Elmo, Zoe, and Slimey the worm

After 2nd child:  All of them

You spot your neighbours' child wearing striped tights, a flowered dress, combat shoes, and a tiara and you think...:

Before kids:  her mom needs some fashion tips

After 1st child:  her dad needs some fashion tips

After 2nd child:  won't she get too hot in tights?

You're waiting in line for a rest room when a mom dragging a toddler "in need"  enters. You….

Before kids:  wonder if the kid will make it

After 1st child:  give up your place in line

After 2nd child:  shout "let's move it, ladies, we have an emergency here!"

72. Pass it On

Bob Butler lost his legs in a 1965 land mine explosion in Vietnam. He returned home a war hero. Twenty years later, he proved once again that heroism comes from the heart. Butler was working in his garage in a small town in Arizona on a hot summer day; when he heard a woman's screams coming from a nearby house. He began rolling his wheelchair toward the house but the dense shrubbery wouldn't allow him access to the back door. So he got out of his chair and started to crawl through the dirt and bushes.

“I had to get there”, he says. “It didn't matter how much it hurt”. When Butler arrived at the pool there was a three-year-old girl named Stephanie Hanes lying at the bottom. She had been born without arms and had fallen in the water and couldn't swim. Her mother stood over her baby screaming frantically. Butler dove to the bottom of the pool and brought little Stephanie up to the deck. Her face was blue, she had no pulse and was not breathing.

Butler immediately went to work performing CPR to revive her while Stephanie's mother telephoned the fire department. She was told the paramedics were already out on a call. Helplessly, she sobbed and hugged Butler's shoulder. As Butler continued with his CPR, he calmly reassured her. “Don't worry”, he said. “I was her arms to get out of the pool. It'll be okay. I am now her lungs. Together we can make it”.

Seconds later the little girl coughed, regained consciousness, and began to cry. As they hugged and rejoiced together the mother asked Butler how he knew it would be okay. “The truth is, I didn't know”, he told her. “But when my legs were blown off in the war, I was all alone in a field. No one was there to help except a little Vietnamese girl. As she struggled to drag me into her village, she whispered in broken English, “It okay. You can live. I be your legs. Together we make it' Her words brought hope to my soul and I knew that one day I could do the same for someone else.”

73. The Ten “Other” Commandments

1. You shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all activities.

2. You shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

3. You shall not carry grudges, for they are the heaviest of all life's burdens.

4. You shall face each problem as it comes for you can only handle one at a time.

5. You shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.

6. You shall not borrow other people's problems. 

7. You shall not try to relive yesterday for it is gone forever.

8. You shall be a good listener.

 9. You shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.

 10. You shall count your blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

74. Questions only men could ask

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?

A: No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?

A: With any luck, right after he finishes college.

Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?

A: Childbirth.

Q: The midwife says it's not pain I'll feel during labour, but pressure. Is she right?

A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.

Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?

A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labour?
A: Not unless the word "divorce” means anything to you.

Q: Is there anything I should avoid while recovering from childbirth?

A: Yes, pregnancy.

Q: Do I have to have a baby shower?

A: Not if you change the baby's nappy very quickly.

Q: Our baby was born last week, when will my wife begin to feel & act normal again?
A: When the kids are in college.

75. It will come back to you

A little boy in a fit of anger shouted at his mother that he hated her. Then, perhaps fearing punishment, he ran to a steep cliff near their house and shouted into the valley, “I hate you, I hate you!” Back from the valley came an echo, “I hate you, I hate you!” Startled at this, the boy ran into the house and told his mother that there was a mean little boy who lived in the valley who shouted at him, “I hate you, I hate you!”

 

His mother took him back to the hillside and told him to shout, “I love you, I love you!” When the little boy did this, back came the reply, “I love you, I love you!” What we project is what we get back; we reap what we sow, even if it is eventually.

76. You never know what might happen

One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night. “Could you possibly give us a room here?” the husband asked.

The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained there were three conventions in town. “All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can't send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.” When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. “Don't worry about me; I'll make out just fine,” the clerk told them. So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I'll build one for you.” The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh. As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed the helpful clerk was exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn't easy.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit. The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building in with reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky. “That,” said the older man, "is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.”

“You must be joking,” the young man said. “I assure you I'm not,” said the older man, with a sly smile. The older man's name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. The young clerk's name was George C. Boldt, who became the first manager of that hotel.

77. Ten Rules for a Happy Relationship

1. Never be angry at the same time.

2. Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire.

3. If one of you has to win an argument, let it be your partner.

4. If you must criticize, do it lovingly.

5. Never bring up the mistakes of the past.

6. Neglect the whole world before you neglect each other.

7. Never go to bed with a conflict unresolved.

8. At least once each day say a kind word to your partner.

9. When you make a mistake, admit it and ask for forgiveness.

10. It takes two to quarrel, and the one in the wrong usually does the most talking.

78. Twins!

An Irish woman was expecting twins. Her husband was away overseas when she was due to give birth and there were complications in the delivery room. She lapsed into a coma and regained consciousness 7 days later.

“My babies, my babies, where are my babies?” she asked the nurse. “They're doing well” was the reply, “you gave birth to a bouncing baby boy and a delightful girl.”

“The poor mites,” replied the mother, “they haven't even been held by their parents, and they are nameless.” “Not quite” said the nurse, “your brother came to see them, and he gave them names.”

“My brother, my brother is an idiot! What names did he give them?” asked the mother. “He called the little girl Denise” replied the nurse. “Denise, there's no one in our family called Denise, but it's a pretty name. What did he call the boy?” “De nephew.”

79. Going out with a bang!

A tough old cowboy once counselled his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life the secret was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every morning. The grandson did this religiously and lived to the ripe old age of 103. When he finally died he left 14 children, 37 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren and a fifteen foot whole in the wall of the crematorium.

80. “Up” is a fascinating word

This two-lettered word has probably more meaning than any other two-letter word in our language. We wake UP and wash UP. When the topic comes UP we speak Up and the secretary writes UP a report. We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers, clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the car. People stir UP trouble, queue UP for tickets, work UP an appetite and think UP excuses. A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP the shop in the morning and close UP at night. When rain is threatening we say it is clouding UP, when the sun comes out it is brightening UP. If it doesn't rain things dry UP. But if you are not UP for this, I'll wind UP, wrap it UP because my time is UP, so I'll shut UP.

81. Never Give Up

A German gold miner in South Africa faced a dilemma. The mine had proved to be quite unproductive and was eroding his financial resources. His accountant advised that the miner had sufficient funds for either one more week's wages for his labourers, or, to close the mine and return to Germany. He chose the latter, boarded up the entrance to the mine and returned to his homeland.

Following his death, the deeds of the mine were inherited by his nephew who decided to travel to South Africa and re-open the mine. Within one metre of where his uncle had stopped digging, the young man struck a vein of gold that proved to be one of the richest gold deposits in the world. Never give up!

82. Friends!

A very wealthy Texan invited his friends to one of his many properties to show to them his Olympic-sized swimming pool. As the crowd gathered around the impressive pool the Texan announced, “There's something else.” Pressing a switch the music from Jaws began to play and from the deep end of the pool a triangular fin broke the surface and a large shark appeared. “For any man who can swim one length of this pool I make the following offer. For swimming just one length I will offer you three choices; $10 million dollars, or this house and property, or my daughter's hand in marriage.”

No one moved, the air was heavy with silence. Suddenly a splash was heard as the far end of the pool and to everyone's amazement a man started to swim frantically to the other end of the pool. It took several seconds for the shark to catch the scent of the man and then he began to circle as if toying with its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. But the swimmer was doing well, amazingly well. The shark had left it's run too late, and in a mad flurry of arms and legs the swimmer reached the end of the pool and clambered out just as the jaws of the shark reached for him.

The Texan was stunned. “I never thought anyone would attempt it. But I am a man of my word, do you want the money or the house or my daughter?” “Neither,” was the reply, “I want to know the name of the guy who pushed me in!”

83. Let there be light

The telephone rang in an outback doctor's surgery. The caller was a young farmer several hundred kilometres away. “Doctor, my wife is about to give birth, it's her first child, come quick!” The doctor drove for several hours and arrived just on sundown. He was amazed to discover the remote farmhouse had no electric power. He was even more amazed to discover it was a multiple birth.

“Son, I am going to need you to help me. First of all we will need light, plenty of light.” The young farmer returned with a kerosene lamp. “Stand at the foot of the bed and hold the lamp as close to your wife as possible,” were the doctor's instructions.

A few minutes later the doctor safely delivered a boy. “Congratulations, but hold that lamp steady, there's another!” Minutes later a baby girl was born, “You have twins, but hold that lamp steady, there's another!” Triplets! Both the doctor and the farmer were stunned. “This is almost unbelievable” said the doctor, “but there may be a fourth, hold that lamp closer.” “No way doc,” came the reply, “I think it's the light that's drawing them out!”

84. The Power of Vision

In the early 1950s two friends, Walt and Art drove south of Los Angeles to Orange County. “What do you see?” asked Walt. “I see fields and trees and blue sky” replied Art Linkletter, the famous newspaper columnist. “I can see a theme park, resort hotels, restaurants, condominiums, and tourists coming from all over the world” responded Walt Disney. “Do you want to invest in the project?” Walt added. “You're crazy” was Linkletter's reply, but Disney had the power of vision.

85. The Power of Vision II

Walt Disney passed away not long after the first stage of Disneyland was opened. On one occasion when the theme park was being expanded, a journalist asked his widow, “Are you sad that Walt is not here to see this day?” She replied, “Walt did see this day, and that's why we are here.”

86. Behind every good man

During his second term as President, Bill took Hilary for a drive through their home state of Arkansas. When they stopped at a gas station, Hilary was delighted to discover the pump attendant was an old flame from her high school days. They spent some time reminiscing. As they drove away Bill put his arm around Hilary and said, “Well honey, if you had stayed with him, you would be the wife of a service station attendant today.” She smiled and replied, “No, if I had stayed with him, that man would be the President of the United States today.”

87. Success Page 30 may be valuable as a handout.

88. The Winner Page 31 may be valuable as a handout.

89. Making a Difference Page 32 may be valuable as a handout

90. I hope you're still dancing Page 33 may be valuable as a handout

91. Why is English as hard to learn? Page 34 may be valuable as a handout

92. The Race Page 35 may be valuable as a handout

S	Success is being and doing the best you can in as many ways as you can. It is being just and honest and true not in a few things but in everything you do.
U	Always look ahead and never look back. Believe you can make all your dreams come true. Always believe in the best you can be and have faith in all things that you do.
C	Forget about yesterday's mistakes, the lessons you learn will prove valuable today. Never give up and think that you're through, there's always tomorrow and a chance to begin brand new.
C	It is in dreaming the greatest dreams and seeking the highest goals that we build the brightest tomorrows.
E	There is no limit to the goals you can attain, or the success you can achieve, your possibilities are as endless as your dreams.
S	Whatever it is that you seek in life, whatever your dreams, whatever you hope to achieve, whatever you try to reach, whatever you plan, can be all yours if you only believe you can!
S	The greatest journey begins with the smallest step. The pathway to greatness is merely a continuation of small steps. Determine to do the little things right, start today, do it now!

THE WINNER

If you think you're beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you daren't.

If you would like to win but think you can't

It's almost a cinch you won't.

If you think you'll lose, you've lost,

For out in the world you'll find

Success begins with a person's will

It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are;

You've got to think high to rise;

You've got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win the prize.

For many a game is lost,

before ever a whistle is blown

And many a coward fails,

before ever the work is begun.

Think big and your deeds will grow,

Think small and you'll fall behind.

Think that you can and you will,

It's all in the state of mind.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster one;

But sooner or later, the ones who win are

The ones who think they can.

Making a Difference

A tourist walked a desolate beach one cold, grey morning. It was a blustery day and there was only one other person on the beach, far in the distance. Slowly the two approached each other, and the tourist noticed the man was a local who kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he hurled things into the ocean. As the distance narrowed, the tourist could see that the local was picking starfish that had been washed upon the beach and one at a time was throwing them back into the water.

Puzzled, the man approached the local and asked what he was doing throwing the starfish back into the ocean. The man answered, “You see, this prevailing wind has blown the starfish onto the beach and at low tide there is no way they can get back into the water. If I don't throw them back they'll die from lack of oxygen.”

“But there most be thousands of starfish on this beach,” the tourist replied. “You can't possibly get them all. There are just too many, and this scene is probably being repeated on scores of beaches up and down this coast. What difference can you make?”

The local smiled, bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it back into the sea and said, “Made a difference to that one!”

Each of us is but one person, limited and restricted by our responsibilities and challenges. We may feel that there is so much to be done and we have so little to give. We often seem short of everything, especially time and money. Maybe we can't change the world, but every one of us can help to change another person's world. One at a time, we can make a difference! Choose today that…..

My life will make a difference.

I Hope You're Still Dancing

Dear Bertha,

A few things have happened to me over recent weeks that have changed my life. I guess I've been to too many funerals recently. I thought I would write to you and let you know about some of my newfound values.

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the garden and enjoying the view without fussing about the weeds. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working. Whenever possible, life should be a series of experiences to be enjoyed not endured. I am trying to recognise these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not saving anything. I'm using our good china and crystal for every special event like losing a kilo, unstopping the sink, or the first rose of spring. I wear my good clothes to the supermarket. I have decided to look prosperous. Since I started using my best perfume everyday, the guy at the hardware store looks at me kind of different.

I have deleted “some day” and “one of those days” from my vocabulary. If it is worth seeing or hearing or doing I might as well see and hear and do it now.

I'm not sure what others would have done had they known they wouldn't have been here for tomorrow. I think they would have called their family and friends more often. They might have apologised more and mended a few fences from past squabbles. I think they would gone out more for Chinese food and Lattes made with real milk. I'm only guessing, I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would disappoint me if I knew my days we limited. Disappointed I didn't write certain letters I always intended for write; disappointed and sorry that I didn't tell my parents and my kids often enough how much I truly love them. Now I am trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter to my life and colour to my world. And now every morning, when I open my eyes, I tell myself, “This day is special!”

Every day, every minute, every breath is truly a gift from God. Life may not be the party we had hoped it would be, but while we are here, we might as well keep dancing.

Why is English so hard to learn?

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there's no time like the present, it is time to present the present.

8) I did not object to the object.

9) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

10) They were too close to the door to close it.

11) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

12) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

13) I shed my clothes in the shed.

14)A duck grows up before it grows down.

15)You chop a tree down before you chop it up.

Let's face it, English is a ridiculous language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in a hamburger; neither apple nor pine in a pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England, nor French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that bakers bake, but grocers don't groce? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?

If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat? In what language can you recite at a play and play at a recital? We ship by truck and send cargo by ship. Noses run and feet smell. How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, yet wise man and wise guy are opposites?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of our language as a house can burn up as it burns down, or you fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm goes off by going on. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And finally, how about when you want to shut down your computer you have to hit "START"

THE RACE

Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.

“There's no sense running anymore - three strikes, I'm out - why try?”

The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away,

So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way.

“I've lost, so what's the use,” he thought, “I'll live with my disgrace.”

But then he thought about his Dad who soon he'd have to face.

“Get up,” an echo sounded low, “Get up and take your place.

You were not meant for failure here, so get up and win the race.”

With borrowed will, “Get up,” it said, “You haven't lost at all,

For winning is no more than this - to rise each time you fall.”

So up he rose to win once more, and with a new commit,

He resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit.

So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been,

Still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win.

Three times he'd fallen stumbling, three times he rose again,

Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered the winner as he crossed, first place,

Head high and proud and happy; no falling, no disgrace.

But when the fallen youngster crossed the line, last place,

The crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud;

You would have thought he won the race, to listen to the crowd.

And to his Dad he sadly said, “I didn't do so well.”

“To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”

And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,

The memory of that little boy helps me in my race.

For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all,

And all you have to do to win - is rise each time you fall.

“Quit! Give up, you're beaten,” they still shout in my face.

But another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race.”

92. 21 Ways to Reduce Stress

1. Go to bed on time.

2. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

3. Learn to say no.

4. Learn to delegate.

5. Unclutter your life.

6. Allow yourself more time when travelling.

7. Take one day at a time.

8. Differentiate between worry & concern; address the concerns; abandon the worries.

9. Live within your budget.

10. Keep Mouth Shut.

11. Exercise more.

12. Eat right.

13. Write your thoughts and inspirations down.

14. Laugh.

15. Laugh some more!

16. Develop an attitude of forgiveness.

17. Be kind to unkind people, they need it the most.

18. Talk less; listen more.

19. Slow down.

20. Every night before bed, think of one thing you can be thankful for.

21. Pray.

93. Gift Ideas

Top Ten Gifts Your Husband Doesn't Want For Christmas

10. Anne of Green Gables Collectors Edition with 74 minutes of extra footage 

9. Any knick-knack 

8. Tickets to the ballet

7. Another new tie

6. A Bath and Body Works Soap Basket

5. New teddy bear pyjamas

4. Vacuum cleaner

3. A weekend seminar on “Getting in Touch With Your Feelings”

2. Pair of fuzzy bunny slippers

1. A nose and ear hair trimmer (OK, well maybe.)

Top Ten Gifts Your Wife Doesn't Want For Christmas

10. A car wash kit

9. A table saw

8. Two all-day passes to Circuit City's Home Theatre Installation Seminar

7. A case of oil

6. Five-year subscription to Sports Illustrated

5. Custom engraved bowling ball

• New outboard motor for fishing boat

3. Rambo Trilogy on DVD

2. New satellite dish with sports package

1.  Three-year membership to Weight-Watchers Clinic

94. The Lonely Ember

A member of a certain church, who previously had attended services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for the visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.

After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone, then sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination. As the lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”

95. Go the Distance

“I realized early on that success was tied to not giving up. If you simply didn't give up, you would outlast the people who came in on the bus with you.” - Harrison Ford, the biggest-grossing movie star of all time, who used to make his living as a carpenter until he got his first major role at 35.

96. Fishy Business

“So, what's the matter? I thought you just got back from a nice relaxing
fishing trip with your husband.” “Oh, everything went wrong: First he said I talked so loud I would scare the fish. Then he said I was using the wrong bait; and then that I was reeling in too soon. All that might have been all right; but then, to make matters worse, I ended up catching the most fish!”

97. Tell the Truth!

One day, as a seamstress was sewing while sitting close to a river, her thimble fell into the river. When she cried out, God appeared and asked, "Why are you crying?" The seamstress replied that her thimble had fallen into the water and that she needed it to help her husband in making a living for the two of them. God went down into the water and reappeared with a golden thimble.  "Is this your thimble?" God asked. The seamstress replied, "No." God again went down and came up with a silver thimble. "Is this your thimble?" God asked. Again, the seamstress replied, "No." God went down again and came up with a plastic thimble. "Is this your thimble?" God asked. The seamstress replied, "Yes." God was pleased with the woman's honesty and gave her all three thimbles to keep, and the seamstress went home happy.

Some time later, the seamstress was walking with her husband along the riverbank, and her husband fell into the river. When she cried out, God again appeared and asked her, "Why are you crying?" "Oh, Lord, my husband has fallen into the water!" God went down into the water and came up with Mel Gibson. "Is this your husband?" the Lord asked. "Yes," cried the seamstress. God was furious. "You lied! That is an untruth!"

The seamstress replied, "Oh, forgive me. It is a misunderstanding. You see, if I had said 'no' to Mel Gibson, you would have come up with Tom Cruise. Then if I said 'no' to him, you would have come up with my husband. Had I then said 'yes,' you would have given me all three. Lord, I'm not in the best of health and would not be able to take care of all three of them.

98. I Owe My Life to Chocolate

A good piece of chocolate has about 200 calories. As I enjoy 2 servings per night, and a few more on weekends. I consume 3,500 calories of  chocolate a week, this equals one pound of weight per week. Therefore, over 3 1/2 years, I have had chocolate caloric intake of about 180 pounds. As I weigh only 155 pounds, without chocolate, I would have wasted away to nothing about 3 months ago! I owe my life to chocolate.

99. Wisdom

It is not what we eat but what we digest that makes us strong;

It is not what we gain but what we save that make us rich;

It is not what we read but what we remember that makes us wise;

It is not what we profess but what we practice that makes us real.

100. Opportunity

When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -Alexander Graham Bell, inventor (1847-1922)

101. What's in a Name?

A wealthy lawyer was walking along a crowded sidewalk in London when he felt a hand slip into his pocket. He whirled around and seized the thief by the wrist. "Why did you try to rob me?" James Henderson demanded sternly. "Because, sir," the surprised man said, "I am out of work and I am hungry."

"Come along with me," Henderson said. And he took the penniless man to a restaurant and ordered meals for two. When they had finished eating, the man told how he had been in prison and found it difficult to obtain a job because of his bad name. "I have no name. There is nothing left but to return to the old life of crime. What can a man do without a name?"

The story and the question greatly impressed the lawyer. After some thought, he said, "For forty years I have borne the name of James Henderson unsullied. You say you have no name? I'll give you my name. Take your new name out into the world and keep it clean and honourable." "Do you really mean it?" cried the thief brokenly. "Of course I mean it," said the lawyer. "And to prove it. I'll recommend you, in the name of James Henderson, to a manufacturing firm with whom I have some influence."

The lawyer found a job for the former thief and kept in touch for some months. However, through travel and change of residence, they lost contact. One evening 15 years later, he was told that a visitor waited for him in the reception room. He was startled to read the name "James Henderson" on the man's card. Entering the reception room, he discovered a tall, striking man dressed like a gentleman.

As they shook hands, the visitor said, "Sir, I have called to tell you that today I have been made a partner in the firm to which you recommended me fifteen years ago. All that you see me to be, I owe to your noble generosity; and above all, to the gift of your name. The name of James Henderson is still unsullied.

102. Nine Laws of Parenting
1.  The later you stay up, the earlier your child will wake up the next morning.
2.  For a child to become clean, something else must become dirty.
3.  Toys multiply to fill any space available.
4.  The longer it takes you to make a meal, the less your child will like it.
5.  Yours is always the only child who doesn't behave.
6.  If the shoe fits... it's expensive.
7.  The surest way to get something done is to tell a child not to do it.
8.  The gooier the food, the more likely it is to end up on the carpet.
9.  Backing the car out of the drive causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.

103. Marriage and Shopping

My mom got mad at my dad the other day and went shopping to relieve her irritation. When she returned home she informed him that she had purchased ten new dresses. “Ten!” he hollered, “What could any woman want with ten new dresses?” My mom calmly replied, “Ten new pairs of shoes.”

104. A Full Life

    “Do all the good you can,
     By all the means you can,
     In all the ways you can,
     In all the places you can,
     At all the times you can,
     To all the people you can,
     As long as ever you can.” John Wesley

105. The Power of a Long Term Goal

Four years is a long time in which much can be accomplished. In four years you can complete a university degree, master a second language, start a new career, save for a world trip. Give Michaelangelo 4 minutes and he can paint a cameo; give him four years and he can paint the ceiling of the Sistene Chapel. What are you going to accomplish over the next four years?

106. Birthday Wish

A couple had been married for 25 years and was celebrating the husband's 60^th birthday. During the party, a fairy appeared and said that because they had been such a loving couple all those years, she would give them one wish each. The wife said, "We've been so poor all these years, and I've never gotten to see the world. I wish we could travel all over the world." The fairy waved her wand and POOF!  She had the tickets in her hand. Next, it was the husband's turn. He paused for a moment, and then said, "Well, I'd like to be married to a woman 30 years younger than me." The fairy waved her wand and POOF! He was 90. 

107. The Art of Listening

Abraham was reading an article out loud to his wife. "Did you know that women use about 30,000 words a day, whereas men only use 15,000 words?" Sadie replies, "The reason has to be because a woman has to say everything twice." Abraham turns to Sadie and asks, "What?"

108. The Cat's in the Cradle

My child arrived just the other day

He came into the world in the usual way.

But there were planes to catch and bills to pay

He learned to walk while I was away.

He was talkin' `fore I knew it and as he grew

He'd say. “I'm gonna be like you, Dad.

You know I'm gonna be like you.”

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,

Little boy blue and the man on the moon.

“When you comin' home, Dad?”

“I don't know when, but we'll get together then,

You know we'll have a good time then.”

My son turned ten just the other day,

He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on, let's play,

Can you teach me to throw?” I said, “Not today,

I've got a lot to do.” He said, “That's O.K.”

And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed.

And said, “I'm gonna be like him, yeah

You know I'm gonna be like him.”

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,

Little boy blue and the man on the moon.

“When you comin' home, Dad?”

“I don't know when, but we'll get together then,

You know we'll have a good time then.”

Well he came home from college just the other day

So much like a man I just had to say

“Son, I'm proud of you; can't you sit for a while?”

He shook his head and said with a smile

“What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys.

See you later. Can I have them please?”

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,

Little boy blue and the man on the moon.

“When you comin' home, Dad?”

“I don't know when, but we'll get together then,

You know we'll have a good time then.”

I've long since retired. My son's moved away.

I called him up just the other day.

I said, “I'd like to see you if you don't mind.”

He said, “I'd love to, Dad, if I can find the time.

You see my new job's a hassle and the kids have the flu.

But it's sure nice talking to you, Dad

It's been sure nice talking to you.”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me

He'd grown up just like me.

My boy was just like me.

109. Wisdom

He who knows not and knows not, that he knows not, is a fool -- Shun him.

He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is ignorant -- Teach him.

He who knows, and knows not that he knows, is asleep -- Wake him.

But he who knows, and knows, and knows that he knows is wise -- Follow him.

110. Love and the Wisdom of Children

A group of professional researchers posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year
olds, “What does love mean?” Some of the answers were as follows;

When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So grandpa does it for her now all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too, (Rebecca aged 8). When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouths, (Billy aged 4). Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on after shave and they go out and smell each other, (Kari aged 5).

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs, (Chrissy aged 6). Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK, (Danny aged 7). Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and my daddy are like that. But they look gross when they kiss, (Emily aged 8).

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt and he wears it everyday, (Noelle aged 7). Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well, (Tommy aged 6). During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore, (Cindy aged 8). Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken, (Elaine aged 5). Love is your puppy licking your face even tho' you left him alone all day, (Ann aged 4). When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you, (Karen aged 7).

The winner was a 4 year old whose next door neighbour was an elderly man who had just lost his wife. When the child saw the man crying, the little boy went over to the man's yard, climbed on his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he'd said to the neighbour, the little boy replied, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

111. Pregnant!

When Mary was pregnant, her 5 year old son, Billy, was utterly amazed, and a little bit disbelieving, that his sister was growing in his mom's tummy. So one day when the baby was especially active, she asked Billy to place his tiny hands on her tummy to feel the baby kick. But when he did, the baby was suddenly still. "Oh, Billy, she must have decided to take a nap," shrugged Mary. "A nap?" Billy marvelled. "You mean there's a bed in there too?"

112. Wrong Mike, Wrong Number

After directory assistance gave one woman her boyfriend's new telephone number, she dialed him, and got a woman. "Is Mike there?" she asked, confused. "Umm, he's in the shower," the woman on the other end responded. "Please tell him his girlfriend called," she said and hung up.

When he didn't return the call, she dialed again.  This time a man answered. "This is Mike," he said. You're not my boyfriend!" she exclaimed. "I know," he replied, “That's what I've been trying to tell my wife for the past half-hour.”

113. When the Lights Go Out

Several years ago there was a well-known television circus show that developed a Bengal tiger act. Like the rest of the show, it was done "live" before a large audience. One evening, the tiger trainer went into the cage with several tigers to do a routine performance. The door was locked behind him, the spotlights highlighted the cage, the television cameras moved in close, the audience watched in suspense as the trainer skilfully put the tigers through their paces. In the middle of the performance, the worst possible thing happened, the lights went out! For twenty or thirty long, dark seconds the trainer was locked in with the tigers. In the darkness they could see him, but he could not see them. A whip and a small kitchen chair seemed meagre protection under the circumstances, but he survived. When the lights came on, he calmly finished the performance. In an interview afterward, he was asked how he felt knowing that the tigers could see him but that he could not see them. He first admitted the chilling fear of the situation, but pointed out that the tigers did not know that he could not see them. He said, "I just kept cracking my whip and talking to them until the lights came on; they never knew I couldn't see them as well as they could see me."

 

114. Read the Whole Story

It was June 18, 1815, the Battle of Waterloo. The French under the command of Napoleon were fighting the British, Dutch, and Germans under the command of Wellington. England depended on a system of semaphore signals to hear news of the battle. One of these signal stations was on the tower of Winchester Cathedral. Late in the day it flashed the signal: "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N---D-E-F-E-A-T-E-D… "

Just at that moment one of those sudden English fog clouds made it impossible to read the message. The news of defeat quickly spread throughout the city. The whole countryside was sad and gloomy as they heard the news their country had lost the war. Then the fog lifted and the remainder of the message could be read. The full message read, "W-E-L-L-I-N-G-T-O-N- - DE-F-E-A-T-E-D- - T-H-E- - E-N- E-M-Y!"

115. It is may be easier than you think

Three men were hiking through a forest when they came upon a large, raging river. Needing to get on the other side, the first man prayed, "God, give me the strength to cross the river." 'Zap!' God gave him big arms and strong legs and he was able to swim across although he almost drowned twice. After witnessing that, the second man prayed, "God, please give me strength and the tools to cross the river." 'Zap!' God gave him a rowboat and strong arms and legs and he was able to row across although he almost capsized once. Seeing what happened to the first two men, the third man prayed, "God, please give me the strength, the tools and the intelligence to cross the river." 'Zap!' He was turned into a woman. She checked the map, hiked one hundred yards up stream and walked across the bridge.

116. Wisdom

I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number three of the accident reporting form, I put "poor planning" as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more and I trust that the following details are sufficient.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor.

Securing the rope at the ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went back to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks. You will note in block number 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh 135 pounds.  Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured scull and broken collarbone.  Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley.  Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain. 

At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground - and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds.  I refer you again to my weight in block number 11. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.

In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations of my legs and lower body.  The encounter with the barrel, slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of bricks and fortunately, only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks in pain, unable to move, and watching the barrel six stories above - I again lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope!

117. Lessons from Noah's Ark

1. Don't miss the boat

2. Remember we are all in the same boat

3. Plan ahead, it wasn't raining when Noah started building

4. Stay fit, when you're 600 years old you may be asked to do something really big

5. Don't listen to the critics just get on with the job

6. For safety's sake, travel in pairs

7. Speed isn't always an advantage, the snails made it on board as well as the cheetahs

8. The ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals

9. Above the clouds, the sun still shines

10. Keep looking for that rainbow

118. Sometimes Your Mouth Can get you into Trouble

A priest was being honoured at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish.  A leading local politician and member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and give a little speech at the dinner. He was delayed so the priest decided to say his own few words while they waited.

"I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here.  I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place.  The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when stopped by the police, had almost murdered the officer.  He had stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his place of business, had an affair with his boss's wife and taken illegal drugs.  I was appalled.  But as the days went on I knew that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full good and loving people."

Just as the priest finished his talk, the politician arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and give his talk.  "I'll never forget the first day our parish priest arrived, "said the politician.  "In fact, I had the honour of being the first one to go to him in confession."

119. Beauty out of Brokenness

You've no doubt seen pictures of Michelangelo's David. Maybe you've stood in front of it and marvelled at its flawless lines. Many judge it to be the world's most perfect piece of sculpture. The torso of shepherd boy is rendered in exquisite detail. Down to the muscle contraction etched on his forehead, it seems almost ready to come alive. Yet that masterpiece was carved from a single block of marble that two other artists had already discarded for its imperfections! Michelangelo saw possibilities for a flawed block of marble others had discarded. No matter what the critics think of you, you still have infinite possibilities.

120. Perseverance 

A young minister was sitting in a restaurant eating lunch. He opened a letter from his mother he just got that morning. As he opened it a twenty dollar bill fell out. He thought: "Thanks, mum, I could use that right about now." As he finished his meal he noticed a beggar outside on the sidewalk leaning against the light post. He thought: "That fella could probably use the $20 more than I."

So he crossed out the names on the envelope and put the $20 in the envelope and wrote across the top in large letters. "PERSEVERE!" So as not to make a scene, he put the envelope under his arm and dropped it as he walked past the man. The man picked it up and read the message and smiled. The next day while the minister was eating his lunch, the same man tapped him on the shoulder and handed him a big wad of bills. “This is your half of the winnings."PERSEVERE" came in first in the fourth race yesterday, and he paid 30 to 1.

121. Whose the Dummy?

A ventriloquist's routine included a whole series of mother-in-law jokes. Suddenly an older women jumps to her feet and starts yelling at the artist, blaming the man for the way she is treated at home, in life and how she is presented in the media. The ventriloquist starts to apologize. The woman then looks at him and says, "Stay out of this, I'm talking to that little guy on your knee." 

122. The Two Wishes

A man walks into a restaurant with a full-grown ostrich. The waitress comes over and asks for their orders. The man says, "I'll have a hamburger, fries and a coke," and turns to the ostrich, "What's yours?"  "I'll have the same," says the ostrich. A short time later the waitress returns with the order. "That will be $16.40 please," and the man reaches into his pocket and pulls out the exact change for payment.

The next day, the man and the ostrich come again and the man says, "I'll have a chicken sub with wedges and a coke," and the ostrich says, "I'll have the same."  Once again the man reaches into his pocket and pays with exact change.

This becomes a routine until late one evening, the two enter again. “This is Friday night, so I will have a steak, baked potato and salad,” says the man, "same for me," says the ostrich.

A short time later the waitress comes with the order and says, "That will be $42.62." Once again the man pulls exact change out of his pocket and places it on the table. The waitress can't hold back her curiosity any longer. "Excuse me, sir. How do you manage to always come up with the exact change out of your pocket every time?"

"Well," says the man, "several years ago I was cleaning the attic and I found an old lamp. When I rubbed it a Genie appeared and offered me two wishes. My first wish was that if I ever had to pay for anything, I would just put my hand in my pocket and the right amount of money would always be there."

"That's brilliant!" says the waitress. "Most people would wish for a million dollars or something, but you'll always be as rich as you want for as long as you live!"  "That's right. Whether it's a gallon of milk or a Rolls Royce, the exact money is always there," says the man.

The waitress asks, "One other thing, sir, what's with the ostrich?" The man sighs, pauses, and answers, "My second wish was for a tall chick with long legs who agrees with everything I say." 

123. I have a Dream

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Delivered on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on 28/8/1963. Source: Martin Luther King, Jr: The Peaceful Warrior, Pocket Books, NY 1968

QUOTES

124. Advantaging Others

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal. Albert Pike

125. Adversity

Many men owe the greatness of their lives to the tremendous difficulties they faced.

There is in the midst of every battle a ten or fifteen minute period that is the crucial point. Win that period and you will win the battle. Lose it and you will be defeated.

Napoleon.

I've had a great amount of trouble in my life most of which never happened. Winston Churchill

You don't have to see the whole staircase; just the first step.

Martin Luther King, JR

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.” - Corrie Ten Boom.

“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.”

- GWF Hegel

If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

Never give the devil a ride; he will always want to drive.

When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. Thomas Edison

This difficulty is just a comma in the sentence of life.

There are no great men, only great challenges which ordinary men are forced by circumstances to meet.

The most successful people that I've met are the ones who handled adversity in the right manner.

Courage is not being blind to fear but facing and conquering it.

126. Forgiveness

"You will never get ahead of others as long as you are trying to get even."

Zig Ziglar

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.

Oscar Wilde

"Hanging onto resentment is like letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head." Ann Landers

If you are chained to yesterday, you cannot advance to tomorrow.

If you keep looking over your shoulder, it won't be long before you're going backwards.

If my hands are so busy holding on to something,  I can neither give nor receive. 

We are supposed to forgive everyone; everyone includes ourselves

127. Leadership

Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.

The less you talk, the more you're listened to.

The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.

“I would rather fail in a cause that will ultimately triumph than to triumph in a cause that will ultimately fail” Jim Elliot

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, awake in the day to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it reality.”

T.E. Lawrence

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.   Vince Lambardi

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him. Sidney Greenberg

Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.

General George Patton

The mark of a great coach; If anything goes bad, `I did it'. If anything goes well, `We did it'. If anything goes really, really well, `You did it'

The highest reward is not what you receive but what you become.

Criticism and disappointment are a part of life. When they come, look them in the eye and say, you cannot defeat me, I am bigger than you.

Selflessness is the soul of teamwork.

The measure of greatness is the number of times you get up after you have fallen down.

Whenever you make a mistake there are 3 things you should do; admit it, learn from it, and never repeat it.

A winner makes commitments; a loser makes promises.

Confidence breeds winning and winning breeds confidence.

The confident man blends in with group and says “we” and “us” frequently. The arrogant man has to stand alone and begins every sentence with “I”.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else. Judy Garland

"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." - Tom Peters

128. Love

Love cures people, both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.

Love is a fire.  But whether it is going to warm your hearth or burn down your house, you can never tell. 

Age does not protect you from love but love to some extent protects you from age.

129. Marriage

To keep your marriage brimming, with love in the wedding cup, whenever you're wrong, admit it; whenever you're right, shut up.

130. Perseverance

If you are going through hell, keep going. Winston Churchill

Today's great oak was yesterday's nut that held its ground.

Failure means you are one step closer to success.

This difficulty is just a comma in the sentence of life.

Burke and Wills died of thirst not knowing there was water over the very next hill.

We only fail because we gave up trying.

Nothing in the world will take the place of persistence. Ray Kroc (founder of McDonalds)

The measure of greatness is the number of times you get up after you have fallen down.

131. Positive Thinking

“It's not the days of your life, but the life in your days that counts.” Adlai Stevenson

Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.

“Don't die with the music in you”

Worry is like paying interest on a debt you do not owe. Mark Twain

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.     Thomas Edison

I'd rather attempt to do something great and fail than attempt to do nothing and succeed. Robert Schuller

Burke and Wills died of thirst not knowing there was water over the very next hill.

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, awake in the day to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it reality.”

T.E. Lawrence

If you are skating on thin ice you may as well dance.

Success comes in cans, failures in cant's.

There's always room for improvement, it's the biggest room in the house.

132. Values

The best things in life aren't things

In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy.

Excellence is doing the best with what you have.

The faster we travel, the less there is to see.

The size of the person is determined by the cause for which they will live and die.

Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders.

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.

Attach yourself to your passion, but not to your pain.

The harder I practice, the luckier I become.

How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money.

If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got.

The highest reward is not what you receive but what you become.

133. Wisdom

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether they be 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. Henry Ford

No one ever died from an overdose of laughter.

Speak when you're angry, and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret.

Henry Ward Beecher

A winner makes a mistake and says “I was wrong.” A loser says “It wasn't my fault.”

If you are going to point the finger, point it at the mirror.

The great tragedy of life is not death, but what dies inside of us while we live.

Get on the bus and enjoy the ride.

Even if you've been fishing for 3 hours and haven't gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you're still better off than the worm.

Money problems are not solved with money. Dr Phil

The further back you can look the further forward you are likely to see.

Winston Churchill

If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. Isaac Newton

Choose the job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.

Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

Never buy a car you can't push.

Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. - C. S. Lewis

134. Humorous Quotes

My doctor recently told me that jogging could add years to my life.  I think he was right.  I've only been jogging once and feel ten years older already.

I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

43.3% of statistics are meaningless!

I'm on two diets.  I don't get enough to eat on just one. 

Borrow money from pessimists, they don't expect it back.

Half the people you know are below average.

When I was a kid, we walked 10 miles to school every day, sometimes in the rain or snow. Man, did we feel stupid when we found out there was a bus.

42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese

Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.

OK, so what's the speed of dark?

How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

I intend to live forever; so far, so good.

What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

My mechanic told me, “I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.”

Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the bread.

I had amnesia once -- maybe twice.

I went to San Francisco. I found someone's heart.

Atoms have mass? I didn't even know they were Catholic.

All I ask is a chance to prove money can't make me happy.

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

What is a “free” gift? Aren't all gifts free?

They told me I was gullible.... and I believed them.

One nice thing about egotists... they don't talk about other people.

When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

What was the greatest thing before sliced bread?

Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?   Unique Up On It.

How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit? Tame Way, Unique Up On It.

What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?  Dam!

What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long? Polaroids.

What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?  A Stick.

What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours? Nacho Cheese.

What Do You Call Santa's Helpers? Subordinate Clauses.

What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?   Spoiled Milk.

What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches? A Nervous Wreck.

Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?   Because It Scares The Dog.

98% of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest citizens. It's the other 2% that get all the publicity. But then, we elected them. Lily Tomlin

I went to see Pavarotti and I'll tell you this much, he doesn't like it when you join in.

I was having dinner with world chess champion Garry Kasparov. Our table had a check tablecloth and it took him two hours to pass me the salt.

135. Time

Take time to work - it is the price of success.

Take time to think - it is the source of power.

        Take time to play - it is the secret of perpetual youth.

        Take time to read - it is the fountain of wisdom.

        Take time to be friendly - it is the road to happiness.

        Take time to dream - it is hitching your wagon to a star.

        Take time to love and be loved - it is the privilege of redeemed people.

        Take time to look around - it is too short a day to be selfish.

        Take time to laugh - it is the music of the soul.

        Take time for God - it is life's only lasting investment

136. Susannah Wesley rules on Raising Children

Susannah Wesley was married at age 19 to Samuel Wesley, a minister, and had nineteen children. Samuel was often gone for church meetings and revivals, so she assumed the primary load in raising the children. Two of her sons are well-known to us today: John and Charles Wesley. John launched the Methodist movement and Charles was a celebrated composer and hymn-writer; you would recognize some of his music like Christ the Lord is Risen Today and Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. Susannah Wesley spent time each day praying for her 19 children. She also took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. She also expected each child to be able to read the Book of Genesis by the time he or she was six years child. Here are her famous 16 rules of raising children:

1. Eating between meals not allowed.

2. As children they are to be in bed by 8 p.m.

3. They are required to take medicine without complaining.

4. Subdue self-will in a child.

5. To teach a child to pray as soon as he can speak.

6. Require all to be still during Family Worship.

7. Give them nothing that they cry for, and only that when asked for politely.

8. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed and repented of.

9. Never allow a sinful act to go unpunished.

10. Never punish a child twice for a single offence.

11. Comment and reward good behaviour.

12. Any attempt to please, even if poorly performed, should be commended.

13. Preserve property rights, even in smallest matters.

14. Strictly observe all promises.

15. Require no daughter to work before she can read well.

16. Teach children to fear the rod.

137. Dictionary For Women

Argument (ar~gyou~ment) n.

A discussion that occurs when you're right, but he hasn't realized it yet.

Bar-be-que (bar~bi~q) n

You bought the groceries, washed the lettuce, chopped the tomatoes, diced the onions, marinated the meat and cleaned everything up, but, he "made the dinner."

Blonde jokes (blond joks) n.

Jokes that are short so men can understand them.

Clothes dryer (kloze dri~yer) n.

An appliance designed to eat socks.

Eternity (e~ter~ni~tee) n.

The last two minutes of a football game.

Exercise (ex~er~siz) v

To walk up and down a mall, occasionally resting to make a purchase.

Grocery List (grow~ser~ee list) n.

What you spend an hour writing, then forget to take to the store.

Hardware Store (hard~war stor) n

Similar to a black hole in space -- if he goes in, he isn't coming out anytime soon.

138. Under Pressure?

There is no oil, if olives are not squeezed...
No wine, if grapes are not pressed...
No perfume, if flowers are not crushed...
Have you felt any pressure in life today?
Don't worry... God is just bringing out the best in you!

139. God answers Prayer

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car. She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened.

The baby sitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, “You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door.” The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, “I don't know how to use this.” She bowed her head and asked God to send her help.

Within five minutes a beat up old motorcycle pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, “This is what you sent to help me?” But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful. The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help.

She said, “Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?” He said, “Sure.” He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, “Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man.”

The man replied, “Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour.” The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, “Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a Professional.”

140. Phone a Friend

A contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” had reached the final plateau. If she answered the next question correctly, she would win $1,000,000. If she answered incorrectly, she would pocket only $32,000. And as she suspected it would be, the million-dollar question was no pushover. It was, “Which of the following species of birds does not build its own nest, but instead lays its eggs in the nests of other birds? Is it A) the condor; B) the buzzard; C) the cuckoo; or D) the vulture?”

The woman was on the spot. She did not know the answer. All that remained was her Phone-a-friend Lifeline. She had no alternative. She called her friend and gave her the question and the four choices. The friend responded hesitatingly: “That's easy. The answer is C: The cuckoo.”

“I need an answer,” the compere said. Crossing her fingers, the contestant replied, “C The cuckoo.” “That answer is ...absolutely correct! You are now a millionaire!”

Three days later, the contestant hosted a party for family and friends including the person who had helped her win the million. “Jenny, I just do not know how to thank you,” said the contestant. “How did you happen to know the right answer?” “Oh, come on,” said the friend. “Everybody knows that cuckoos don't build nests. They live in clocks.”

141. Balance

A New York skyscraper was being built.  Hundreds of people paused one day to watch a ponderous metal beam being lifted into the air to take its place in the steel skeleton.  The watching crowd saw a workman lean out from the sixteenth floor to seize the end of the girder.  Nearer the girder came and the workman was about to grasp it, when with gasps of horror the spectators saw that he had lost his balance.

But as he fell he struck the end of the girder and clutched it with arms and legs.  The hoisting engine was stopped. But the weight of the man at one end began to tilt the beam to vertical position, which would eventually cause the workman to lose his grasp, slip off, and fall to his death.  With swift decision another workman on the same floor, seeing his friend's predicament and disregarding his own safety, leaped through space and landed on the other end of the girder, where his weight caused it to keep from tilting further. Amid the applause of the crowd below, both men were safely lowered to the street.

Every day all around us people are losing their balance on moral questions, and making wrong decisions that will ruin character.  They need friends who are interested in helping them keep their balance.

142. The Dreams of Youth

Did you know that Joan of Arc was only seventeen when she was riding at the head of the army that liberated France from the English?

That John Calvin was twenty-six when he published his "Institutes"?

That John Keats died when he was twenty-six?

That Shelley was thirty when he was drowned, but not before he left English literature his classic "Odes"?

That Sir Isaac Newton had largely discovered the working of the law of gravitation when he was twenty-three?

That Raphael painted his most important pictures between twenty-five and thirty?

That Mozart only lived thirty-five years?

143. The Master's Touch

A great violinist thrilled his audience with his playing. But on one occasion, he
shocked onlookers by smashing the violin over a chair. This was before rock bands destroyed their instruments.

Then he picked up another violin and said, “Don't be alarmed. The one I smashed was purchased for only a few dollars in a shop down the street. I shall now play on my Stradivarius.”

He played the same selection, but most of the listeners could not tell the
difference. Then the violinist said, “Friends, so much has been said about the value of
my violin that I wanted to impress upon you that music is not in the
instrument; it is in the one who plays upon it.”

144. The Same Results

Keep doing the same thing and you will keep getting the same results. Two men were avid moose hunters. Every year they chartered a plane to take them to the Canadian back country. This year hunting was especially good and in a few days they each bagged a moose. They radioed for their pilot to come pick them up.

When the plane arrived, the pilot took one look at the animals and told the hunters they could not take such a heavy load along. “But we spent all week hunting for these moose,” they protested. “And besides, the pilot we hired last year wasn't worried about the moose's weight.”

After much argument, the pilot finally relented and allowed them to load the moose. The heavy plane was airborne for a few minutes when it lost altitude and crashed into the side of a mountain. As the men struggled out of the wreckage, one hunter asked, “Where are we?” His friend answered, “About a mile farther than we got last year.”

145. Good Trade

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride. With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.

Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a white bag on the seat next to Sally.

”What in bag?” asked the old woman. Sally looked down at the white bag and said,  “It's a box of chocolates. I got it for my husband”. The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said: “Good trade.”

146. Will the Real Jesus Stand Up

There were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Black:

1. He called everyone “Brother”.

2. He liked Gospel.

3. He couldn't get a fair trial.

But then there were 3 equally good arguments that Jesus was Italian:

1. He talked with his hands.

2. He had wine with every meal.

3. He used olive oil.

But then again there were 3 good arguments that Jesus was Australian:

1. He never cut his hair.

2. He walked around barefoot all the time.

3. He loved fishing.

BUT the most compelling evidence of all - 3 definite signs that Jesus was a woman:

1. He fed a crowd at a moments notice when there was no food.

2. He kept trying to get a message across to a bunch of men who just didn't get it.

3. And even when he was dead, He had to get up because there was

more work to do.

147. True Love

Two friends are discussing the possibility of love. “I thought I was in love three times,” one friend says. “How so?” his friend asks. “Five years ago I deeply cared for a woman who wanted nothing  to do with me.” “Was that not love?” his friend asks. “No,” he replies. “That was obsession.”

“Then two years ago I deeply cared for an attractive woman who didn't understand me.” “Was that not love?” “No,” he replies. “That was lust”

“And just last year I met a woman aboard a cruise ship to the Caribbean. She was smart, funny, and a great conversationalist. And everywhere I followed her on that boat, I would get this strange sensation in the pit of my stomach.” “That's love” his friend declared. “No,” was the reply, “that was motion sickness.”

148. A Cutting Blow

A number of years ago the most magnificent diamond in the history of the world was found in an African mine. It was then presented to the king of England to embellish his crown of state. The king sent it to Amsterdam to be cut by an expert stonecutter who took this priceless gem and cut a notch in it. Then he struck it hard one time with his hammer, and the majestic jewel fell into his hand, broken in two!

Actually, that one blow with the hammer had been studied and planned for many weeks. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. Its quality, defects, and possible lines along which it would split had all been studied to the smallest detail.

The blow was no mistake. The blow of the hammer released within the gem its most perfect shape, radiance, and jewelled splendour. The blow that seemed to be the ruin of the majestic precious stone was actually its perfect redemption, for from the halves were fashioned two magnificent gems. Only the skilled eye of the expert stonecutter could see the beauty of two diamonds hidden in one rough, uncut stone.

When you take a blow and it appears that God has allowed it to come; when you bleed, and hurt and your soul cries out in agony; remember, you are the most precious jewel in the world to God. And He is the most skilled stonecutter in the universe. The experiences you go through in His hand will bring beauty to your life, for one day you are to be a jewel adorning the crown of the King.

149. Expecting

“How does Jill like being pregnant?” Danny asked his friend Ryan. “Oh, she's not pregnant,” Ryan replied, “she's expecting.” “What's the difference?” Danny pressed. “Well”, Ryan explained, “She's expecting me to cook dinner, she's expecting me to do the housework, she's expecting me to rub her feet.”

150. Opposition or Opportunity?

Martin Luther had just published his translation of the Bible. In one German city, the Catholic authorities searched the whole city for every copy. Then they made a huge bonfire in the market place. After the fire had built up into a great blaze, the copies of the Bible were tossed into the fire.

Suddenly, however, a terrific storm came and the wind blew many of the burning Bibles out of the fire and scattered the pages all over the city. These were picked up and by nightfall, pieces of the Word of God were being read in hundreds of homes that would not otherwise have had the opportunity.

151. The Power of Faith

Fear imprisons, Faith liberates;
Fear paralyses, Faith empowers;
Fear disheartens, Faith encourages;
Fear sickens, Faith heals;
Fear makes useless, Faith makes serviceable;
And most of all,
Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while Faith rejoices in God.

152. The Power of Passion

Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel got it right when he said:

The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
    The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference.
    The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference.
    And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.

153. Walk the Walk and then Talk the Talk

One day St. Francis of Assisi, invited a young monk to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young monk was so honored to get such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people.

At the end of the day, the two headed home, however, not even once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor talked to anyone about the gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and said, “I thought we were going into town to preach?” St. Francis responded, “My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were seen by many and our behaviour was closely watched. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk!"

154. How to Lose Weight

1. Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner, then in the morning, without clothes, before breakfast, because it's nice to see how much weight you've lost overnight.

2. Never weigh yourself with wet hair.

3. When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred vision is an asset. Don't forget the earrings, these things can weigh at least a pound.

4. Always go to the bathroom first.

5. Stand with arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. Waving them is optional but occasionally helps!

6. Weigh yourself after a haircut, this is good for at least half a pound of hair.

7. Exhale with all your might before stepping onto the scale, air has to weigh something, right?

8. Start out with just one foot on the scale, then holding onto the towel rack in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on and slowly let off of the rack. Admittedly, this takes time, but it's worth it. You will weigh at least two pounds less than if you'd stepped on normally.

155. The Italian Diet - Guaranteed to lose Weight!

1. You walka pasta da bakery.

2. You walka pasta da candy store.

3. You walka pasta da Ice Cream shop.

4. You walka pasta da table and fridge. You will lose weight!

156. It's a Dog's Life

Upon entering a little country store, a stranger noticed a sign reading, “Danger!  Beware of Dog” posted on the glass door. Inside, he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor besides the cash register. He asked the store manager, “Is that the dog folks are supposed to beware of?” “Yep, that's him,” he replied. The stranger couldn't help but be amused. “That certainly doesn't look like a dangerous dog to me. Why in the world would you post that sign?” “Because,” the owner replied, “before I posted that sign, people kept tripping over him.”

157. Seven Wishes

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

158. Your Husband's Size

While I was working in the men's section of a department store, a woman asked me to help her choose a white dress shirt for her husband.  When I asked about his size, the woman looked stumped at first, then her face brightened. She held up her hands, forming a circle with her forefingers and thumbs.  “I don't know his size,” she said, “but my hands fit perfectly around his neck.” 

159. A God Incident

I was a college junior on my year abroad in Paris. It should have been wonderful, it wasn't. Everything was so different: the clothes, the food, the language. I longed for something, anything familiar. My tight-knit Armenian family was in Florida, thousands of miles away. One Sunday I called to say hi. Their voices on the telephone were the first familiar sounds I'd heard in weeks. I cried after I hung up. I'd never felt so homesick before. If only I were close to someone here, I thought.

I took a walk across town. I'd passed the Armenian church many times before, but I'd never gone in. I realized that back in America, my family would be going to church. I took a seat in a back pew and looked around, the priest, prayers, faces in the congregation; this church was a lot like my home church. For now, these people will be my family. Please God, let me feel that.

I looked up and saw an old woman coming slowly up the aisle, leaning heavily on a cane. I asked her - in Armenian - if she wanted to sit. She nodded and I slid over. The old woman bowed her head, losing herself in prayer. I tried to pay attention to the service, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her. There was something familiar in her face; she could have been my own grandmother. But I didn't know this woman. She noticed me staring and smiled, “You're not from here, are you?” she whispered.

“No,” I said. “I come from the United States.” She nodded. After a moment, she said, “I've lost touch with them, I used to have some nephews in America, in Florida. Sarkis, Dikran and...” A lump rose in my throat. I knew exactly what she was going to say. “Ara,” I finished. “Ara Garibian. My father.” The old woman took my hand. “Asdudzo kordz,” she whispered, meaning “God's work”. “I am your great-aunt. We are family.” By Natalie Garibian

160. The Power of a Christian

1. The power of the blood of Jesus, nothing else can bring forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7

2. The power of the gospel, nothing else can save your soul. Romans 1:16

3. The power of the cross, nothing else can deliver from sin's slavery. Romans 6:6

4. The power of the Word, nothing else can bring transforming truth. Hebrews 4:12

5. The power of the Kingdom of God, nothing else can keep from evil. Matthew 6:13

6. The power of the Holy Spirit, nothing else can conform to Jesus' image. 2 Cor. 3:18

7. The power of the resurrection, nothing else can give eternal hope. 1 Peter 1:3

8. The power of prayer, nothing else can move the hand of God. Matthew 21:22

9. The power of grace, nothing else can freely give you all you need. 2 Cor.9:8

10. The power of faith, nothing else can keep you till the end. 1 Peter 1:1-5

161. Do You Know Him?

He is the First and Last, the Beginning and the End! He is the keeper of Creation and the Creator of all! He is the Architect of the universe and The Manager of all times. He always was, He always is, and He always will be... Unmoved, Unchanged, Undefeated, and never Undone!

He was bruised and brought healing! He was pierced and eased pain! He was persecuted and brought freedom! He was dead and brought life! He is risen and brings power! He reigns and brings Peace!

The world can't understand him, The armies can't defeat Him, The schools can't explain Him, and the leaders can't ignore Him. Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and The people couldn't hold Him! Nero couldn't crush Him, Hitler couldn't silence Him, The New Age can't replace Him, and Donahue can't explain Him away!

He is light, love, longevity, and Lord. He is goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, and God. He is Holy, Righteous, mighty, powerful, and pure. His ways are right, His word is eternal, His will is unchanging, and His mind is on me.

He is the Lily of the Valley, He is the bright and morning star, He is the light of all men, He is my Redeemer, He is God's Lamb, He is the healer, He is my Saviour,
He is my guide, and He is my peace! He is my Joy, He is my comfort, He is the one true lover of my soul, He is my provider, He is the worthy one, He is my Lord, and He rules my life! He is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit, He is the soon coming king He is the Lord of glory,

I serve Him because His bond is love, His burden is light, and His goal for me is abundant life. I follow Him because He is the wisdom of the wise, The power of the powerful, The ancient of days, the ruler of rulers, The leader of leaders, the overseer of the overcomers, and The sovereign Lord of all that was and is and is to come. And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size. His goal is a relationship with ME!

He will never leave me, Never forsake me, Never mislead me, Never forget me, Never overlook me and Never cancel my appointment in His appointment book! When I fall, He lifts me up! When I fail, He forgives! When I am weak, He is strong!
When I am lost, He is the way! When I am afraid, He is my courage! When I stumble, He steadies me! When I am hurt, He heals me! When I am broken, He mends me! When I am blind, He leads me! When I am hungry, He feeds me! When I face trials, He is with me! When I face persecution, He shields me! When I face problems, He comforts me! When I face loss, He provides for me! When I face Death, He carries me Home!

He is everything for everybody, everywhere, Every time, and every way. He is God, He is faithful. I am His, and He is mine! He is My Father in heaven. So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this... He said it and that settles it.
God is in control, I am on His side, and that means all is well with my soul.

162. He Knew the Shepherd

Some years ago a dinner party was held with the guest list including a famous actor and an elderly minister. After the meal, the host requested the actor to bring a recitation of a poem or a soliloquy from a play. The actor agreed but with an unusual condition. “I would like to recite the23rd Psalm, but only, if after I have recited it, this dear minister will do the same.” The minister was surprised but agreed. The actor used the great power of his voice, the mellowed tones, the pregnant pauses, the rise and fall of intonation with brilliant effect. The applause was loud. Then it was the minister's turn. His voice was cracked, he had none of the oratory skills of the actor, but as he came to the last words, “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” there was not a dry eye around the table. What was the difference? The actor may have known the Psalm, but the minister knew the Shepherd.

163. Everything in the Fridge is Ours

Psalm 23 describes the journey of life. The Shepherd leads us to green pastures and beside still waters. The journey walks along righteous paths and through dark valleys. We sit at prepared tables and finally arrive at `Father's House'.

When I was a student at a residential college, going home during semester break was always a delight. “Hi mum, hi dad, what's in the fridge”. The memories of months of college food would be erased as I explored the delights of mum and dad's fridge. I had this little idea, that at `Father's House', everything in the fridge was mine.

And when our kids went off to college and came back for their breaks it was exactly the same. “Hi Mum, Hi Dad, what's in the fridge?” They would eat my favourite cheese, finish those leftovers, take the last piece of apple pie. At `Father's House' everything in the fridge is yours

“Lord, what's the Kingdom of Heaven like?” “Heaven is My Father's house” where everything in the fridge is ours. And God has a BIG fridge!

164. The Power of the Word

Alfonso Ballon grew up in Bogota, Columbia. He became a drug addict at an early age. He ran away from home and became a member of a street gang. He was on drugs for 12 years. One day the Bogota Gideons gave him a New Testament. He and his friends used the thin pages of the Bible as cigarette paper for their marijuana joints. But Alfonso became strangely convicted about smoking the Bible. Instead of tearing out the page he read the words of Revelation, “Who is worthy to open the book”. As he continued to read he learned of God's Lamb whose blood was shed for the sins of the world. Alfonso fell to his knees and asked God to forgive him. He went back to his gang and led ten of them to Christ. Today, Alfonso serves as a pastor in Armenia, Columbia. Six of the ten gang members are in full-time Christian service.

165. More of You

A man was desperate to know God more. He decided to spend some days alone at a mountain top retreat spending much of the time reading the Word and praying. Late one afternoon he climbed to a vantage point overlooking a valley. “God, I really want to know You! Lord, I want more of You!” This became a catch cry as in his desperation he prayed louder and louder. “Lord, I want more of You! Lord, I want more of You”. His voice filled the valley and the echo rebounded, “More of you, more of you”. “Lord, I want more of You,” “more of you.” It is not a question of how much of God we have, but how much of us does God have!

166. He'll Answer When you Call!

I always find telephone answering services quite annoying. You call a large company and speak to a machine. “Thank you for calling General Insurance Brokers. Your call is very important to us. For general enquiries, press 1. For existing policies press 2. To take out a new policy, press 3. For travel insurance enquiries, press 4. For fire and accident insurance, press 5.

Imagine if God had an answering service. “Thank you for dialling Heaven's hotline. If you want to speak to the Father, press 1. If you want to speak to the Son, press 2. If you want to speak to the Holy Spirit, press 3. If you are in a lion's den, press 4. If you are facing a giant, press 5. If you are in the belly of a whale, press 6. If you need food, press 7. If you need finance, press 8. To hear these options again, press 9.

If you call on the name of the Lord, the Lord will answer. If you dial His number, He will hear and He will reply. His number is never busy, His ear is not heavy, His arm is not short. If you call, He will answer.

167. The Word Lives

Voltaire, the noted French atheist and philosopher boldly declared that within 100 years of his death the Bible would be an outmoded and forgotten book, found only in museums. 100 years after his death, his family home had been purchased by the Geneva Bible Society and was used as a storehouse for Bibles.

168. I'd Rather Have Jesus

In the 1930's business was slowly recovering from the effects of the great depression. No job was secure and most companies were rife with rumours of salaries being cut and many redundancies. A young Christian man worked as a clerk for an insurance company. He possessed a fine singing voice, and was frequently asked to sing in various churches. At the same time of the rumours of possible redundancy he received a lucrative offer from a secular recording company.

As he was considering the offer, a letter came. A poem was enclosed and the letter requested the young man to write an appropriate melody and put the words to music. His eyes caught the opening verse of the poem,

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold

I'd rather be His than have riches untold.

George Beverly Shea chose to decline the recording contract, declaring he would rather have Jesus. He became one of the finest Christian musicians of the twentieth century, partnering with Billy Graham in his gospel crusades. He recorded numerous Christian albums and appeared countless times on television and radio. He never regretted the choice he made.

169. The Extravagance of God

More sky than a man can see, More sea than he can sail,

More sun than he can bear to watch, More stars than he can scale,

More breath than he can breathe, More harvest than he can sow,

More grace than he can comprehend, More love than he can know.

170. The Touch of the Master's Hand

`Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But he held it up with a smile.

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who'll start the bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar - now two, only two -

Two dollars and who'll make it three?”

“Three dollars, once, three dollars. Twice,

Going for three” - but no

From the room far back a grey haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening up all the strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet,

As sweet as the angels sing.

The music ceased and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow,

“A thousand dollars - who'll make it two?

Two thousand, and who'll make it three?

Three thousand once, and three thousand twice -

And - going, and gone,” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand -

What changed its worth?” The man replied

“The touch of the master's hand”

And many a man with his life out of tune,

And battered and torn by sin,

Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,

A game and he travels on,

He's going once, he's going twice,

He is going, and almost gone.

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd,

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought,

By the touch of the Master's hand.

170. Your Prayers are Heard!

For a number of years the campus of Southern Cross Bible College was located in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. It occupied two grand old buildings, the Palais Royale and Homesdale. Each student had their own room, and each room had a corner hand basin. Hand basins of adjacent rooms shared a common waste water pipe. This meant that what was said in one room could be clearly heard in the adjoining room.

One student occupied a room next to the guest suite and the rooms shared common waste pipes. An important visitor was visiting the College and after an evening meeting retired to his room only to discover he was eavesdropping on the student's prayer. The student prayed loud and long, and the guest visitor was unable to sleep as the prayers echoed down the pipes. It was well after midnight when the visitor got out of bed, went over to the hand basin and in his deepest tones said, “This is the Lord!” The student stopped praying for God was speaking! “You can go to sleep now” continued the visitor. Having heard directly from Heaven the student was content to finish his prayer and the guest preacher finally got to sleep.

171. A Night in the Valley

There are special times when we need to step back, see where we have come from and chart our journey for the future. Sometimes we can become so busy with life and ministry, we can lose our way.

The major landmark of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales is The Three Sisters. These are three towering pinnacles of rock standing majestically in the Jamieson Valley. They dominate the landscape for miles around.

When Southern Cross College was located in Katoomba, bush walking was included on sports afternoon. Two students set off for an afternoon walk, not quite sure of the way, but knowing if they kept their eye on The Three Sisters they'd be safe. But once in the valley they were under the tree canopy of the rain forest and The Three Sisters were nowhere to be seen. Without a reference point they became disoriented and lost and were forced to spend the night in the bush. It was quite an ordeal as temperatures can drop sharply. But they survived and were able to find their way out of the park early the next morning. To keep on the cutting edge of ministry, from time to time we need to stop, find the landmarks that have guided our lives and re-chart our journey.

172. The Eccentric Millionaire

Julian Ellis Morris was an eccentric millionaire. Each day he would dress in second hand clothes and sell soap, razor blades and matches from door to door. At the end of each day he would ride home in his chauffeur driven limousine to his mansion where he would dine on the best of foods, only to dress in rags the next day and go out to sell his items. How tragic for Christians to wander around in the rags of our own inadequacy when the riches of glory are at our disposal.

173. Jesus Still Heals Today

Dorothy Pickersgill suffered from a catalogue of illnesses. She was a victim of multiple sclerosis, was paralysed on her right side because of a stroke and her bones were so chalky she was unable to be helped to her feet. A period of pleurisy and pneumonia affected her and she was unable to either speak or eat solid food. Her heart was enlarged on one side and she weighed just 35 kgs. For two years she was a patient at Shenton Park Annex, a hospital for those suffering incurable and terminal illnesses before being transferred to the Home of Peace, a nursing home for the dying. On five occasions she was given the Last Rites by Catholic priests.

At the Home of Peace a wonderful Christian nurse started reading the Bible to Dorothy. The nurse invited the sick woman to attend a church meeting to receive prayer for healing. The first night Dorothy attended and received prayer. Later she reported feeling something like electrical charges flowing through her body, and for the first time for 20 years she had feeling and movement in her right foot. Attending another meeting the same week, while the preacher was in the middle of his sermon, Dorothy experienced an incredible desire to walk! Her nurse loosened the straps of the wheelchair and helped her out. Dorothy Pickersgill started to walk and never went back to the wheelchair. When she walked into the Home of Peace that night, the staff was amazed. The following days Dorothy made beds, swept the wards, walked for several kilometres every day, and ate normally. Her doctor declared her to be totally healed and she was discharged from hospital. In fact, Dorothy is the only person ever to be released in good health from that nursing home. Jesus heals today.

174. The Valley of Roses

It is said that in one of the countries of Eastern Europe there is a valley that is solely given over to the growing of roses. It is one of the tourist attractions of that country. When the roses are in bloom, their perfume not only fills the valley, it clings to the clothes of the people who walk through the valley. Residents of the country say to visitors, “You had been to the valley of roses, for we can smell their perfume on your clothes.” We cannot enter the presence of the Rose of Sharon and remain the same. The fragrance of His life will touch us and others will know.

175. We Can't Have Christmas Without Jesus!

Christmas morning dawned and the bishop arrived early at the cathedral to ensure all was in readiness for the special programs. The pews were neat and tidy, the candles trimmed, the flower displays freshly prepared. Everything was ready, including the grand centrepiece, a large nativity scene complete with life size cut outs of Joseph and Mary, the shepherds and stable animals. But the manger was bare! The crude crib was empty! The doll they were using to represent the infant Christ had gone. Who would do this? Where could it be? They couldn't have Christmas without Jesus!

The bishop began to search through the building but without success. Then he heard the creak of the front door as it opened and wondered who would arrive so early. Standing behind a pillar he was surprised to see a small boy pushing a bright shiny bicycle down the aisle. In the basket over the handlebars was the missing doll. The boy propped the new bike against a pew and replaced the missing doll in the manger scene. “I told you if I got a new bike for Christmas I would give you the first ride!”

Sadly, many people have Christmas without Jesus. Not only is their crib empty, but their hearts and homes are empty too. But when Christ is put back into Christmas, the real message and power of Christmas is seen.

176. “I Have Seen His Power”

David Wang, a director of Asian Outreach, makes frequent trips to the USA. On one visit to New York, a Chinese family contacted him asking if he would take a Bible to their son who was a young medical doctor in central China. Wong located the hospital, but when he met the young doctor in his office, the young man scribbled on a piece of paper that they should not talk there but David should come to his home later. That evening David Wang delivered the Bible and inquired why the doctor had requested the Bible. Here is the answer he gave.

“I have been an atheist and a communist. I believed the Party line. I have never been to a church. I have never spoken with a Christian, I have never even seen a Bible until tonight. But I believe in God with all my heart.”

He went on to tell Wang about his encounter with God. “A few months ago a peasant woman arrived in the emergency room. While working in her commune, a huge rock fell on her chest and crushed her. The barefoot doctors could do nothing but send her to the city. As soon as I saw her I knew there was nothing I could do. Every bone in the left side of her chest was shattered. The x-rays showed the broken ribs had pierced the lung and destroyed it. As I helped place the woman in her bed to die I heard a faint whisper and put my head down to listen. I thought she was unconscious but heard her whisper, `Jesus save me, Jesus save me.' Nothing registered with me at the time so I went home”

“The next morning I went into the hospital and walked into the woman's ward. I couldn't believe my eyes! Instead of an empty bed, there she was, sitting up and gulping down a bowl of rice soup. At first, I thought there must have been a mistake, but I checked the details, it was definitely the same woman. I ordered new x-rays and discovered the bones had healed overnight and the lung was functioning normally. I don't know much about Him but I now believe in that woman's Jesus for I have seen His power”. The woman returned to her commune and became active in evangelism. Wang reports that 80 of the 120 families in her commune had become Christians.

From “On the Crest of the Wave” Peter Wagner

177. Not the Same Man

Kerry Groves was one of Australia's most violent criminals. He was imprisoned for violent assault and played a major part in the riots that closed the Boggo Road jail in Brisbane. Because of his part in the violence he was placed in solitary confinement. The only items in the cell were a crude bed and a Gideon's Bible. For the first time in his life he began to read God's Word. He read all evening, and after lights out, read by the light of outside security lights.

Kerry read all night. The very next morning he was different. “I knew I was different for I said `Good morning to the guard'. It was the first time I had ever said `Good morning' and the first time I had ever spoken civilly to a prison guard”. It was the beginning of a brand new life. What prison and confinement could never do, God began to do in one night. Today Kerry Groves serves as an assistant director of Teen Challenge in Queensland.

178. A Wise Move

Stanley Kresge and his wife started a new business and they decided to make God their `senior partner'. Thinking about the implications of what that meant they concluded that God would have to receive 51% of the profits. As their business boomed, they began giving 80%, then 90% and finally 99%. The Kresges started the K-Mart chain of stores and the fruit of honouring God is clear.

179. The Value of Your Life

A well-known speaker began his seminar by showing the audience a $20 note. “Who would like me to give them this $20 note?” Dozens of hands went in the air. “I will give this $20 to someone, but first let me do something”. He then crumpled the note in his hands and asked, “Who still wants it?” The hands again shot up.

“Well, what if I do this?” He crumpled the note, dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with the heel of his shoe. “Now who still wants it?” The hands again were raised. By now the note was creased and crumpled, dirtied and stained yet all in the audience were keen to receive it.

“My friends, you have learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the $20 note, you still wanted it because it had not lost its value. It was still worth $20. Many times in life, we are dropped, crumpled, trodden on and ground into the dirt by others and from the difficulties that come our way. We may feel we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or will happen, we never lose our value to God.”

180. Reward to Eclipse all Sorrow

Victor Plymire was a pioneer missionary to China and Tibet. Beginning in 1908, he served for 16 years before winning his first Tibetan convert. Many would have quit from discouragement, but Plymire resolved to persevere. In 1927 and still serving God in Tibet, Plymire's wife and their only son, just 6 years of age, contracted smallpox and died. The local cemetery refused permission to bury them, so Plymire bought a small plot of land on a hillside overlooking the town. He bought the land not in his own name, but in the name of the church. It was mid-winter and he had strength to dig only one grave in the frozen ground.

Plymire stayed to continue his ministry to the Chinese. By 1949 the church had grown, opened their own building, led by Plymire and a national pastor; but the Communist revolution forced him to flee the country, never to return. In the following years, the national pastor was martyred, the land and property confiscated, the church forced underground. Plymire died in 1956 without ever seeing the fruit of his labour.

In 1992, the church wanted to officially reopen. Permission was denied on the grounds there was no proof the property purchased and buildings erected by Plymire had ever been used as a church. The town officials knew the buildings had been used as a church but also knew all records from that era had been destroyed.

The Chinese pastor contacted missions headquarters in the USA to enquire if they held any deeds to the property. Searching their records they found a deed, not to a church but to a grave on a hillside. The deed was forwarded to the Chinese pastor and then presented to the local authorities. They accepted it as incontrovertible evidence that the church had indeed existed. All property was returned and the buildings repossessed. Today the church is officially open again.

Had the town cemetery been available to Plymire, there would have been no deed of proof. In fact in the years in between, the cemetery had been levelled and apartments built on the site. But the Plymires' grave still rests undisturbed on the hillside. God did not cause the deaths of Plymire's wife and son, but He used the tragic circumstances to bring about His greater purposes. There is coming a day of resurrection when Victor, Grace and John Plymire will receive their reward from the hands of Jesus. That reward will eclipse all sorrow.

181. Remember Your Victories

On the eve of a battle, Napoleon would address his troops. On these occasions he would remind the soldiers of past victories. “Remember Marengo, remember the victory at Friedland. We stand on the eve of another day which will shape the destiny of Europe.” Blood would tingle and courage would be fired.

When challenged by Saul as to why he was qualified to fight Goliath, David replied that in the past God had enabled him to overcome a lion and a bear. As we recall the victories of yesterday, our faith grows strong for the challenges of today.

182. Messiah!

1741 was a depressing year for George Frederick Handel. His latest opera had failed, his opera company had disbanded, his royal commissions had all but ceased, a stroke he had suffered some years before began to affect both his health and music. It seemed he had lost the genius that made his music so popular.

Later that same year, a poet named Charles Jennens sent Handel a manuscript with the request that Handel set it to music. As Handel read the copy, the words gripped him. Suddenly he came alive. Immediately he began to put the words to music. He laboured all through that night and much of the following day. In fact, he worked day and night for 22 more days, barely stopping to eat or sleep. When his composition was finished, he sensed it would be a masterpiece. When “The Messiah” was performed in the following year, it was an immediate success.

The words that Jennens wrote inspiring Handel and lifting him out of the pit of despair were about the Saviour. “He was despised and rejected of men. He looked to someone to have pity on him, but there was no man. He trusted in God. God did not leave his soul in Hell. I know that my Redeemer liveth. Rejoice. Hallelujah!” It may be that the period of disappointment and despair prepared Handel in heart and spirit to write the masterpiece. As he focussed on the Messiah, his burden was lifted.

183. Never Despise the Day of Small Things

When the evangelist Mordecai Ham made the invitation for salvation, two 13 year-old boys responded. Many would have considered, not much happened tonight, just two kids `went down the front'. The two `kids' were Billy Graham and his life long evangelism partner, Grady Wilson. God used that small response to bring the gospel to multiplied millions.

Eileen Spence spent many years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. One morning in her Sunday School a 10 year-old boy gave his heart to Jesus. Many would think “so what”. The little boy's name was Joseph Maru, who went on to become the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Papua New Guinea and one of the great national leaders of that country.

When the young Korean girl witnessed to a medical student dying from tuberculosis, the young man cursed and told her not to return. Many would have said, “it is not worth the effort” but the girl persisted. For several weeks she returned, telling the young Buddhist about the true God who answers prayer and works miracles. Eventually the young man relented and allowed the girl to bring her missionary friend who prayed for the student. He eventually became a Christian and recovered from tuberculosis. The young man's name is David Yonggi Cho.

184. The Night the Bells Chimed

Alice Armfield was dying. There was no doubt about it, the doctors had told her husband she couldn't live through the night. Pneumonia would claim another victim.

Alice was a member of an Assemblies of God church in Oregon, USA. The church was holding revival services with evangelist Richard Jeffrey, it was his first venture in crusade ministry. When Alice missed some of the meetings, the pastor took the young evangelist to visit her and found she was dying. They prayed but she grew no better. The doctors advised she should resolve any unfinished business immediately. By Saturday evening, the doctors advised the family she would not last the night.

The Saturday night of the revival meetings was a district rally. Richard Jeffrey was overawed by the challenge of preaching to the large crowd. He pleaded with the pastor for someone else to preach but the pastor refused. Instead the pastor stood and introduced him. “Before Brother Jeffrey preaches I'm going to ask him to sing “Only believe”. The evangelist was pleased for he enjoyed singing and it seemed like a short reprieve from having to preach. He sang the first verse and the chorus; “Only believe, only believe

All things are possible, Only believe”

As he sang the second verse suddenly, the Spirit of God was poured out. The congregation stood to their feet and began praising the Lord. For 30 minutes God poured His blessings upon them; wave after wave of joy and rejoicing swept across the crowd. It was impossible to preach yet several were converted, others healed and many filled with the Spirit.

The next morning, the pastor took the evangelist to the Armfield house. They found Alice sitting up in bed looking remarkably well. Her first words to the young evangelist were, “Thank you for coming to visit me last night. It was about 8.30pm, you stood outside my window and sang `Only believe'. You sang the first verse, the chorus, then the second verse. I recognised your voice, someone was accompanying you on what sounded like chimes. As you sang the second verse I realised all I needed to do was `only believe'. I didn't have to die, I could believe and be healed and that's what happened. The Lord healed me instantly. The Pentecostal Evangel, 1^st June 1975

185. Rivers of Living Water

God promises abundance, not smallness. He promises floods, not drought, torrents, not trickles, rivers, not streams. In John 7:38 Jesus speaks of rivers of living water. Because of its dry climate Australia has rivers that are seasonal, which run underground and like the Todd River in Alice Springs, flow only occasionally. But the rivers Jesus promises are rivers like the Amazon, 140 kilometres wide at its mouth and more than 6000 kilometres in length. It carries more water than the Mississippi, Nile and Yangtze rivers combined. So much water flows from the Amazon's mouth that for more than 300 kilometres into the Atlantic Ocean, the water is still fresh.

There is a story of a sailing ship drifting in doldrums in the Southern Atlantic with its fresh water supplies dangerously low. A passing vessel inquired if they needed help and were told of their lack of drinking water. “Lower your buckets” was the reply, “you're in a current from the mouth of the Amazon River and the water is fresh!”

God's resources will never run dry. In the most difficult of situations, His river still flows. You can draw from His supply at any time.

186. Simpson and His Donkey

John Simpson Kirkpatrick enlisted in the 3^rd Field Ambulance Company of the Australian Army and took part in the horrific landing at Gallipoli during World War I. The army had employed Greek drivers and their donkeys to transport water, but the drivers soon deserted under the terrible onslaught of the battle leaving their donkeys behind. Simpson found one of the stray donkeys and named it Duffy. Together, Simpson and his donkey went out into the battlefield to carry back the wounded and dying. Displaying incredible courage and love for his fellow man, Simpson rescued scores of soldiers until he paid the ultimate price and was killed. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

187. Follow the Maker's Instructions

In the early days of the motor car, a Model-T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. The driver couldn't get it started no matter how hard he cranked or how much he tried to adjust the spark. Just then a chauffeured limousine pulled up behind him, a wiry, energetic man stepped out from the back seat and offered his assistance. After looking under the bonnet and tinkering with something for a few moments, the stranger said, “Now try it!” Immediately the engine leaped into life and purred like a kitten.

Extending his hand to the driver, the well-dressed man identified himself as Henry Ford. “I designed and built these cars,” he said, “so I know what to do if something goes wrong”. God created us, fashioning every part of our intricate lives. When something goes wrong, it is wisdom to follow the Maker's instructions.

188. The Gospel is the Power of God

Billy Graham first visited Australia in late 1958, staying for four months into 1959. A total of 3.25 million people attended his meetings. Record attendances were established that still stand to this day. 143,750 were at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final meeting, still the largest crowd in the arena's history. The concluding meeting at the Sydney Showground attracted more than 150,000.

But the most significant effects were in the response to the message. In excess of 130,000 people responded to the appeal of salvation in what was probably the most significant event in the history of the protestant churches in Australia. This directly affected the nation in several ways. Despite crime statistics doubling every decade, for the three years after the Graham crusade, crime statistics remained constant. The numbers of children born outside of marriage declined in the year following the Graham meetings. Amazingly, in the year after the crusade, alcohol consumption declined by ten per cent, a significant response for Australia. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation and it lifts communities.

189. A Treasure in a Stable

In 1980 Maurice Wright, a British farmer, bought a painting from a neighbouring farmer for less than $4 and hung it in his barn. After collecting cobwebs for several years, the painting was noticed by the farmer's accountant. He wondered what it might be worth, took a colour photograph to send to Christies, the well-known auction firm. It turned out to be by Thomas Daniell, a highly acclaimed nineteenth century artist. The painting turned out to be the “Lost Daniell”, its whereabouts had been a mystery for over a century. Wright sold the painting at auction for more than $90,000. But this was not the first treasure found in a stable? 2000 years ago shepherds and wise men knelt before the world's greatest treasure, the infant Christ.

190. An Honest Return

Tom and Pauline Nichter had both lost their jobs and were living in and out of hostels with their eleven-year-old son Jason. They were in danger of losing their car because of overdue repayments. Walking through a shopping mall, Pauline found a wallet containing a credit card, airline ticket and $2,395 in cash. “For a second I thought about taking the money” she said later, “but only for a second.” Instead she delivered the wallet to the nearest police station, where the owner reclaimed it.

Word of her honesty got out and the community responded. She and Tom received more than 10 job offers, an apartment rent-free for 6 months, and cash. One couple walked into the police station and asked how much money Pauline had handed in. They then wrote out a cheque to Pauline for the same amount. At a news conference a tearful Pauline said, “What we've received is far more than what we found.”

191. The Key to Heaven

A person may go to heaven Without health, without wealth

Without fame, without a great name

Without learning, without big earning

Without culture, without beauty

Without friends, and ten thousand other things

But you can never go to heaven without Christ.

192. Forgiven and Forgotten

Bruce Larson tells a true story of a young Catholic priest living in the Philippines. He carried a secret burden of some long-past sin buried deep in his heart. Something had happened, just once, during his years in seminary. No one knew, but God, the Devil and himself. He had repented of it many times and he had suffered much remorse, but still had no peace, no sense of joy or of God's forgiveness.

There was a woman in his parish who claimed to have visions from God in which she spoke to Christ and Christ to her. The priest was sceptical of her claims, so to test her he said, “Next time you have one of these visions, I want you to ask Him what sin your priest committed when he was in seminary”.

The woman agreed and went home. When she returned a few days later, the priest asked if she had heard from the Lord. “Yes” she replied. “Did you ask him about the sin I committed in seminary?” Again the answer was in the affirmative. “Well, what did He say?” “He said `I don't remember.'” God offers full and free forgiveness, and with that forgiveness comes God's amazing ability to forget!

193. A Light Set on a Hill

The suburb of Morato in Port Moresby in PNG had a reputation for being one of the most dangerous of places in the city. There were many gangs of rascals in Morato, frequent violent crimes of murder and rape made the streets unsafe to walk by day or night. But in 1995 two new churches were planted in the suburb and light began to shine in the darkness. Both churches grew rapidly with many hundreds of people attending. Gang leaders were converted, rehabilitation programs established and the suburb began to change. By 2000, Morato was considered one of the safest suburbs in the city of Port Moresby! The June 2000 edition of the inflight magazine of Air Nuigini contained an article of how the gospel of Jesus Christ had changed Morato. The Light of the World shines brightest in the darkest places of the earth.

194. Human Nature

A school teacher lost her life savings in an investment scam. She had been deceived by a confidence-trickster. When she approached the Bureau of Consumer Affairs for their help in trying to recover her money they asked, “Why didn't you contact us first, we would have warned you about the scam? Didn't you know about us?” “Oh yes,” replied the lady, “I've always known about you. But I didn't come because I was afraid you'd advise me not to invest my money”

195. Can Anyone Find a Solution?

One of the great problems to continuing human existence on planet earth is the effect of nuclear waste. The aftermath of Chernobyl is still being felt. The ground around Maralinga is still polluted. Arguments go back and forth over the safety of transporting radioactive materials and where to dump them. What are we going to do?

Imagine if someone invented a product that could absorb and nullify nuclear waste. Imagine if there were some product that could absorb all the evil of radioactivity, neutralise its effects and remove it out of sight. Not only would the patent to that product be incredibly valuable, its inventor would receive the gratitude of this and every following generation.

There is a worse pollutant than nuclear waste, sin! It taints lives and families. It affects the hearts and lives of every person. It stains hands and hearts. It warps thinking and destroys our spirit. It bankrupts our lives and scars our memories. It continues to affect every succeeding generation.

But there is a product that can absorb the power of sin, nullify its effects and remove it far away. The blood of Jesus Christ is the only antidote for sin. When Jesus died on the cross, He who knew no sin, was made sin for us. God emptied into Christ all the sins of the world, past, present and future. He paid the price and nullified its effects, He is the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world. There is a solution!

196. If Only I Had Known

A European monarch enjoyed walking through some of the old castles of her realm. On one occasion she was walking alone and it began to rain quite heavily. She rushed to the nearest cottage and asked the householder if she could borrow an umbrella. The queen did not introduce herself and the lady at the door did not recognise her. The woman grumbled at the request and then disappeared inside returning with the rattiest umbrella you could imagine. There were broken ribs and holes in the material. The queen thanked her and continued her walk.

The next morning, a large entourage arrived at the cottage and the queen's personal secretary walked up to the front door. He returned the old umbrella to the lady saying, “The Queen thanks you for your assistance.” As he walked away he heard her mutter, “If only I had known, I would have given her my best!”

197. Why Not?

On the afternoon of November 22nd 1963, John F Kennedy was driven along the streets of Dallas towards the Dallas Trade Mart for a luncheon to be followed by a speech. At 12.30pm as the motorcade approached an expressway for the last leg of the trip, suddenly, three shots rang out and the President slumped down, hit in the neck and the head. Jackie Kennedy held her stricken husband's head in her lap as the limousine raced to nearby Parkland Hospital. Doctors worked desperately to save the President but he died at 1.00pm without regaining consciousness.

In the pocket of his jacket was a speech he was to give after lunch on that fateful afternoon. Some of the words of that speech included these immortal lines,

Some men see things as they are and say “Why?”

Others dream of things that never were and say “Why Not?”

198. Life

In 1975 Pastor Gerald Rowlands and his family sailed from Australia to South Africa. During the journey, Gerald held a Bible study each day from 10 to 11am. One morning a passenger asked him to come and pray for his sick wife, which Gerald promised to do after the meeting. When he arrived at the cabin, there was no answer to his knock. Opening the door, he found the lady asleep in bed so he prayed for her, then went on his way. Later the husband came in shouting, “My wife is alive again!” and told an amazing story. His wife had died at 10.15am, so he and the doctor left to organise the death certificate and a nurse to remove the body. Imagine their surprise on returning to the cabin to see the woman sitting up, awake and very much alive.

199. Proof Of Commitment

A young US engineer was sent to Ireland for a year. When he left, his fiancee gave him a harmonica. She said, "I want you to learn to play this to keep your mind off those Irish girls." He wrote and told her he was practising the harmonica every night. After a year she met him at the airport, he grabbed her to kiss her and she pushed back and said, “Wait before you kiss me, I want to hear you play the harmonica.”

200. God's Wife

On a cold December day in New York city, a little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, “Why are you looking so intently in that window?” “I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the reply. The lady took him by the hand, went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. She took the little boy to the back of the store and removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. The clerk returned with the socks. Placing a pair of socks on the boy's feet, she then purchased him a pair of shoes. She gave the remaining pairs of sock to him. She patted him on the head and said, “Now little fellow, do you feel more comfortable?” As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words, “Are you God's Wife?”

201. Obstacles

Once a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by but simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything to move the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Approaching the rock, the man laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the road. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

202. The Tablecloth

A young pastor and his wife were newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in Brooklyn. They arrived in early October excited about the opportunities, but when they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering and painting walls. By December 18^th they were ahead of schedule and nearly finished. But the next day a fierce storm hit the area and lasted for two days. The church's roof leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 6 metres by 3 metres to fall off the wall behind the pulpit. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do he decided to postpone the Christmas Eve service.

On the way home the pastor noticed a local business was holding a charity sale so he stopped by. One item for sale was a beautiful, handmade, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work and a cross embroidered right in the centre. It was just the perfect size to cover up the plaster hole in the wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

On the way back to the church it started to snow. The pastor noticed an elderly woman waiting at a bus stop and offered her a ride home. She accepted his invitation and waited inside the church while the pastor got a ladder to hang the tablecloth over the hole in the plaster. The elderly woman was intrigued. “Pastor,” she asked, “where did you get that tablecloth?” After he had explained, the woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted there. They were.

“Pastor, those are my initials and that is my tablecloth! I made this over 35 years ago in Austria.” The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week but he was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her husband or her home again. The pastor wanted to return the tablecloth to her but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, as that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

The Christmas Eve service was a great success with the building almost full with many new visitors. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognised from the neighbourhood, remained in his seat staring at the tablecloth.

The man asked the pastor where he got the tablecloth on the front wall. He claimed it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but was arrested and put in a prison. He had never seen his wife again.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

203. Nothing Grows Under the Banyan Tree

“Nothing grows under a banyan tree.” This Indian proverb speaks of leadership styles. The banyan is a great tree, it spreads its branches, drops air-roots, develops secondary trunks and covers the land. A full-grown banyan may cover more than an acre of land. Birds, animals, and humans find shelter in its shade. But nothing grows under its dense foliage, when it dies, the ground beneath lies barren and scorched.

The banana tree is the opposite. Six months after it sprouts, small shoots appear around it. At 12 months a second circle of shoots appear beside the first ones, now six months old. At 18 months the main trunk bears bananas which nourish birds, animals, and humans, and then it dies. But the first offspring are now full grown, and in six months they too bear fruit and die. The cycles continue unbroken as new sprouts emerge every six months, grow, give birth to more sprouts, bear fruit, and die.

Some leaders are like banyan trees. They have great influence and their ministries are widely productive and beneficial. However, they do not prepare for the transitions that will allow for the emergence of other leaders. They only equip followers, not leaders.

204. Significant People

During the second month of nursing school, the professor gave the class a quick quiz. The young nurse was a conscientious student and breezed through the questions, until she read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. She had seen the cleaning woman a few times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how could she be expected to know her name? She handed in her paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward the grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you'll meet many people, all are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say `hi'.” The trainee never forgot the lesson and also learned her name was Dorothy.

205. Influence

A new preacher arrived in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had reason to ride a bus to downtown Houston. After he sat down, the preacher discovered the driver had accidentally given him 25 cents too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought, “You'd better give the quarter back, it would be wrong to keep it”. Then he thought, “Forget it, it's only 25 cents, who would worry about this little amount? The bus company already gets too much fare, they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet.” When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door and handed the quarter to the driver, “You gave me too much change”. The driver smiled and replied, “Aren't you the new preacher in town? I've been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.”

206. Love your Enemy

Corrie Ten Boon survived the Holocaust, but her family did not. They were Dutch Christians taken by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their home. She witnessed the horrors of the genocide at Auschwitz, and barely survived. Following the war, she became famous for her book “The Hiding Place,” which shared the story of her family. The book's popularity gave her the opportunity to share her faith with thousands of people on speaking tours. One such evening, after Corrie speaking about the forgiveness of Christ, a man approached her, she recognised him as one of the guards from Auschwitz. Immediately the horror, pain and hatred from those terrible years returned.

The guard told her that he had been a guard at the death camp. Corrie told him that she recognised him. Crying, he asked if he might receive the forgiveness she had preached about. She thought, “I cannot forgive him for what happened”, but she remembered the command of Christ to love your enemy and to forgive seventy times seven the person who has wronged you. Corrie prayed that Jesus might give her the strength to forgive the man, and as she prayed, she felt a sensation begin in her heart and flow through her hand as it touched his. Then she heard herself saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ, I forgive you.” The man collapsed to her feet and wept a prayer of thanks. She later discovered that he had become a minister of the gospel, and that many people had come to Christ through his ministry.

207. Life

The SIX most important words: “I admit I made a mistake.”

The FIVE most important words: “You did a good job.”

The FOUR most important words: “What do you think?”

The THREE most important words: “After you please.”

The TWO most important words: “Thank you.”

The ONE most important word: “We”

The LEAST important word: “I”

208. Dream big dreams

Two men went fishing, one was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back. The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan.”

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

209. A Lamb Broke your Fall

A number of years ago a lighthouse was being built on the rock-bound coast in Europe. When the building was nearly completed, one of the workmen stumbled and fell back through the scaffolding to the rocks below. The other workmen, shocked at what had taken place, did not dare to look down for fear of being unnerved at the sight. Heavy-hearted, they backed down the ladders. But to their surprise and joy they saw their fellow workman lying upon a tuft of grass, shaken and shocked, bruised to be sure, but not seriously harmed. Beside him lay a dead lamb. A flock of sheep had been wandering by, and a lamb had broken his fall. A Lamb broke your fall!

210. Your Load is not too Heavy

The story is told of a small boy trying very hard to lift a heavy object. His father coming into the room and seeing the son's struggle asked him “Are you using all your strength?” “Yes of course I am” the boy impatiently exclaimed. “You are not,” the father answered. “You haven't asked me to help you.”

211. The Shepherd's Psalm

The Lord is my Shepherd - that's relationship!

I shall not want - that's supply!

He makes me to lie down in green pastures - that's rest!

He leads me beside still waters - that's refreshment!

He restores my soul - that's healing!

He leads me in the paths of righteousness - that's guidance!

For His name's sake - that's purpose!

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - that's testing!

I will fear no evil - that's protection!

For You are with me - that's faithfulness!

Your rod and staff comfort me - that's discipline!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies - that's hope!

You anoint my head with oil -that's consecration!

My cup overflows - that's abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - that's blessing!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord - that's security!

Forever - that's eternity!

212. Life

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Sing like nobody's listening.

Dance like nobody's watching.

213. The Value of Scars

The parents of the two children died in the fire. There was much sympathy for the two children in the town and several people wanted to adopt them. When the judge arrived to decide who would adopt the children there were two men who petitioned the court. The first was the squire of the village. He had money, position, and a fine house to offer the children. The second petitioner was the man who had rescued the children from the flames. When the judge asked him what right he had to ask the court for custody of the children he did not answer with words. Instead he held up his hands that still bore the scars from the flames. The children were placed in his care.

214. Positive Confession

A young paratrooper was learning to jump, and he was given the following instructions. First, jump when you are told; second, count to 10 and pull the ripcord; third, in the unlikely event that it doesn't open, pull the second chute open; and fourth, when you get down, a truck will take you back to base.

The plane ascended to the proper height, the men started peeling out, and the young paratrooper jumped when told. He counted to 10, pulled the cord, but the chute failed to open. He proceeded to the backup plan. The second chute also failed to open. “Oh boy,” he said. “When I get down, I suppose the truck won't be there either.”

215. Our Wealth in Christ

During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family, like many others had to live on government subsidy.

Day after day, he grazed his sheep over those rolling Texas hills, greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.

Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd lived on government relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it. Many Christians live in spiritual poverty. They are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energising power, but they are not aware of their birthright.

216. Always Remember to call your Father

While kayaking off the Isle of Wight in southern England, Mark Ashton-Smith, a 33-year-old lecturer at Cambridge University, capsized in treacherous waters. Clinging to his craft and reaching for his cell phone, Ashton-Smith's first inclination was to call his father. It didn't matter to the desperate son that his dad, Alan Pimm-Smith, was at work in Dubai some 3,500 miles away. Receiving his son's call, without delay the father relayed the mayday to the nearest Coast Guard. It was less than a mile away and 2 minutes later a helicopter located the grateful Mark. Like this kayaker, when we are in peril, our first impulse should be to call our Father, the One we trust to help us.

217. The Parable of the Pencil

The Pencil Maker took a pencil aside just before putting him into the box. “There are five things you need to know, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and you'll become the best pencil you can be. These are the five things;

1. You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.

2. You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you will need it to become a better pencil.

3. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

4. The most important part of you will always be what's inside.

5. Every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark.”

218. Do They Fit?

Did you ever have one of those days? Did you hear about a teacher who tried to help one of her students put their boots on? The little boy asked for help and the teacher could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, the boots just didn't want to go on. When the second boot was finally on, the teacher groaned as the little boy said, “They're on the wrong feet.” She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as they worked to get the boots back on, this time on the right feet. He then announced, “These aren't my boots.” She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, “Why didn't you say so?” like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off. He then said, “They're my brother's boots, my Mom made me wear them.” She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered up the grace to wrestle the boots on his feet again. Then she said, “Now, where are your mittens?” He said, “I stuffed them in the toes of my boots”

219. The Stain

A lady sent a white velvet coat to the dry cleaners to remove a stain. Their efforts proved to be in vain for the stain would not move. When the woman returned to the dry cleaners she found a note pinned to the garment. It read “It is impossible to remove this stain.” No dry cleaner can remove the stain of sin from our life. Pilate could not wash away the stain of his own guilt. A leopard cannot remove its spots. But there is a cleansing agent that can remove every stain!

220. Move a Little Closer

There is a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher. Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, “I've begged God to say something to help me. Preacher, why doesn't God answer?”

The old preacher sitting across the room, spoke something in reply, so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped nearer. “What did you say?” he asked. The preacher repeated himself but in whispered tones. The young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. “Sorry, I still didn't hear you.” With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. “God sometimes whispers so we will move closer to hear him.” This time the young man heard and understood.

221. The Safest Place

Avoid riding in cars. They are responsible for 20% of all deaths. Do not stay at home! 17% of all accidents occur at home. Avoid walking on streets because pedestrians suffer 14% of all accidents. Don't travel by air, rail, or water, because 16% of all accidents occur here. You will be pleased to learn that only 0.001% of all accidents occur in church and these are usually related to previously known physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us the safest place in the world is church!

222. You can't take it with you

Rose Greenhow was a spy for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. She tried to avoid capture and the loss of her ill-gotten gains by sewing the gold she had gained into the seams of her dress. But the ship she boarded sank and the weight of the gold made it impossible for the life belt to support her. She sank to the bottom with all her wealth. Dr Pierce Harris who told the story pointed out that death did to her what it does to all of us because we “cannot take it with us” when we die. But sometimes we might add, “it takes is with it!”

223. How to Keep Warm

On one occasion, the famous Indian Christian Sadhu Sundar Singh was travelling through a pass high in the Himalayas. At one point they came across a person lying in the snow. Sundar Singh wished to stop and help, but his companion said, “In this fierce cold we shall lose our lives if we burden ourselves trying to help him.” But Sundar Singh would not think of leaving the man to die in the ice and snow. His companion went on alone as Sundar Singh lifted the man on his back and with great effort carried the man onwards. Gradually the heat of Sundar Singh's body began to warm the one carried and he revived. Soon they were both walking side by side. A little while later they came upon the frozen body of his previous companion who had collapsed and died from the cold. By being willing to lose his life to save another, Sundar Singh was himself saved; while his friend sought to save his life but lost it.

224. For Whom the Bell Tolls

In the days of Oliver Cromwell in England, a military court sentenced a young soldier to death. He was to be shot at the time of “the ringing of the curfew bell”. His fiancée climbed up into the bell tower some hours before curfew time and tied herself to the bell's huge clapper. At curfew time when only muted sounds came from the bell tower, Cromwell demanded to know why the bell was not ringing. The soldiers went to investigate and found the young woman cut and bleeding from being knocked back and forth against the great bell. They brought her down and the story goes, Cromwell was so impressed by her willingness to suffer on behalf of someone she loved that he revoked the sentence saying “Curfew shall not ring tonight”.

225. The Ultimate Test

Through unusual circumstances John Blanchard met Miss Hollis Maynard but only by correspondence. During his overseas duty in World War II they had frequently corresponded and grew to know each other well. Romance was budding, Blanchard requested a photograph, but Hollis refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. The day finally came for him to return from Europe and they scheduled their first meeting, 7:00 PM at Grand Central Station in New York. “You'll recognise me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel.”

At 7:00 John was at the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. A young woman came towards him, a long, slim figure, blonde hair, eyes as blue as flowers, lips and chin with gentle firmness, and in a pale green suit that was like springtime come alive. John started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As he moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. “Going my way, sailor?” she murmured.

At the same moment he saw Hollis Maynard, standing almost directly behind the girl. She was a woman well past 40, with greying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump and her thick-ankle feet were thrust into low-heeled shoes. John felt he was split in two, so keen to follow the blond in the green suit, yet with such a deep longing to meet the woman who had become his kindred spirit.

John squared his shoulders and thought of the precious friendship that had grown with Hollis. “I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, you must be Miss Maynard. I'm so glad you could meet me, may I take you to dinner?” The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile, “I don't know what this is about son, but the young lady in the green suit who just went by begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”

226. Who Packs your Parachute

Charles Plumb was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy territory. He was captured and spent 6 years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, “You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, You were shot down!” “How in the world did you know that?” asked Plumb. “I packed your parachute,” the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, “I guess it worked!” Plumb assured him, “It sure did, if your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today.”

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, “I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform with the bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said, “Good morning”, “How are you?” or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he just a sailor. Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the depths of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know. Now, Plumb asks his audience, “Who's packing your parachute?”

227. Toxic Waste

Fifty years ago industrialists thought they could just bury toxic waste and it would go away. We have since learned it doesn't just go away. It makes trouble. It leaks into the water table, contaminates crops, and kills animals. Buried hurts and unresolved conflicts do the same thing. Time doesn't heal a thing. These buried hurts leak into our emotional system and wreak havoc. They distort our perceptions of life and taint our relationships. It has to be resolved and removed.

228. Unused Talents

Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning in his house with almost no furniture or creature comforts, but with 246 exquisite violins. He had been collecting them all his life. Some were crammed into an attic, the best stored in a rickety old chest of drawers. But his devotion to the violins had robbed the world of the very reasons why they were made. When the greatest of his collection, a Stradivarius was first played it had had 147 speechless years. The world had been deprived of its beauty. How many Christians love the church to the extent that they fail to give the Good News to the world. The Gospel does not need to be cherished, it needs to be shared.

229. The Will of God

An overweight businessman decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his route to work to avoid his favourite bakery. One morning, however, he arrived at work carrying a gigantic coffee-cake. We all scolded him, but his smile remained cherubic. “This is a very special cake,” he explained. “I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window were a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed, `Lord, if you want me to have one of these delicious cakes, let me have a parking place directly in front of the bakery.” And sure enough,” he continued, “on the eighth time around the block, there it was!”

230. The Top Seven Oxymorons

Brief meeting
Preacher's day off
Early sign up
Clear calendar
Volunteer waiting list
Realistic budget
Concluding remarks

231. Who'll Take the Son?

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art. The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came for the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." $10 is the bid won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going one, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

232. Jesus in Every Book of the Bible

In GENESIS, Jesus is the Ram at Abraham's altar
In EXODUS, He's the Passover Lamb
In LEVITICUS, He's the High Priest
In NUMBERS, He's the Cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night
In DEUTERONOMY, He's the City of our refuge
In JOSHUA, He's the Scarlet Thread out by Rahab's window
In JUDGES, He is our King
In RUTH, He is our Kinsman Redeemer
In 1st and 2nd SAMUEL, He's our Trusted Prophet
In KINGS and CHRONICLES, He's our Reigning King
In EZRA, He is our Faithful Scribe
In NEHEMIAH, He's the Rebuilder of everything that is broken
In ESTHER, He is the Mordecai sitting faithful at the gate
In JOB, He's our redeemer that ever liveth
In PSALMS, He is my Shepherd
In PROVERBS and ECCLESIASTES, He's our Wisdom
In the SONG OF SOLOMON, He's the Beautiful Bridegroom
In ISAIAH, He's the Suffering Servant
In JEREMIAH and LAMENTATIONS, it is Jesus that is the Weeping Prophet
In EZEKIEL, He's the Wonderful Four Faced Man
In DANIEL, He is the Fourth Man in the midst of a fiery furnace
In HOSEA, He is my Love that is forever faithful
In JOEL, He baptizes us with the Holy Spirit
In AMOS, He's our Burden Bearer
In OBADIAH, He's our Savior
In JONAH, He is the Great Foreign Missionary
In MICAH, He is the Messenger with beautiful feet
In NAHUM, He is the Avenger
In HABAKKUK, He is the Watchman that is ever praying for revival
In ZEPHANIAH, He is the Lord mighty to save
In HAGGAI, He is the Restorer of our lost heritage
In ZECHARIAH, He is our Fountain
In MALACHI, He is the Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings
In MATTHEW, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God
In MARK, He's the Miracle Worker
In LUKE, He's the Son of Man
In JOHN, He is the door by which everyone of us must enter
In ACTS, He is the Shining Light that appears to Saul on the Damascus road
In ROMANS, He is our Justifier
In 1st CORINTHIANS, He is our Resurrection
In 2nd CORNITHIANS, He is our Sin Bearer
In GALATIANS, He redeems us from the law
In EPHESIANS, He is our Unsearchable Riches
In PHILIPPIANS, He supplies our every need
In COLOSSIANS, He's the Fullness of the Godhead Bodily
In 1st and 2nd THESSALONIANS, He is our Soon Coming King
In 1st and 2nd TIMOTHY, He is the Mediator between God and man
In TITUS, He is our Blessed Hope
In PHILEMON, He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother
In HEBREWS, He's the Blood of the everlasting covenant
In JAMES, it is the Lord that heals the sick
In 1st and 2nd PETER, He is the Chief Shepherd
In 1st, 2nd, and 3rd JOHN, it is Jesus who has the tenderness of love
In JUDE, He is the Lord coming with 10,000 saints
And in REVELATION, He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

233. How to Develop the Call of God

1. Feed your spirit and mind with the right kind of ministry; read books that inform and inspire; listen to preachers who love God and preach the Word.

2. Mix with the right kind of people; chose your close friends from those who have similar aspirations and desires.

3. Take the opportunity to receive impartation from those with recognised ministries.

4. Make yourself available to God; keep praying, “What do you want me to do”.

5. Get busy where you are; it is as you do the will of God that you find the will of God; the best preparation for ministry is activity in the local church; you can never separate what you are from what you do.

6. Take opportunities to minister and on each occasion review and reflect on the ministry; develop a teachable spirit.

7. Chose role models and mentors upon whom you can fashion your life and ministry. This is plural, expose yourself to a broad spectrum of ministries.

8. Rather than isolating yourself from your peers, try to influence others to join you on the journey.

234. Giving

Due to lack of income to cover church expenses, a local grain silo manager volunteered to take the church's treasurer position for one year if the church would require no report from him. The Board was puzzled, but knowing him to be an honest man who processed their grain, they granted it. At the end of the year, the new treasurer gave a glowing report: The church's indebtedness on the building had been paid, there were no outstanding bills, salaries were increased and there was a balance of $7,000! He replied, “Most of you bring your grain to me, and when I paid you, I simply withheld 10% and gave it to the church in your name. You never missed it! See what we could do for the Lord if we each were only willing to give 10% back!”

235. Just a Small Crowd

When Robert Moffat, Scottish missionary to Africa, came back to recruit helpers in his homeland, he was greeted by the fury of a very cold British winter. Arriving at the church where he was to speak, he noted that only a small group had braved the elements to hear his appeal.

Though no one responded to Moffat's call for mission service in Africa, the challenge thrilled a young boy who had come to work the bellows of the organ. Deciding he would follow in the footsteps of this pioneer missionary, he went on to school, obtained a medical degree, married Moffat's daughter, Mary, and spent the rest of his life ministering to unreached tribes in Africa. His name: David Livingstone!

236. A God Incident

I was desperate. My washing machine had quit in the middle of a load of clothes I was planning to pack and take on vacation. I couldn't get anyone to repair it, “Come out today?” asked the sixth repairman I called, “You're kidding!” If only Dad was here, he could fix anything, but Dad had recently passed away. “Lord, help me get along without him”, I prayed. I tried one last number. “I'll be right over,” the repairman said as I explained to him my predicament. True to his word, he showed up half an hour later. I couldn't thank him enough for bailing me out. “I know what it's like,” he said. “Once, I'd been laid off and we were down to our last dime, with nothing to feed the kids. All morning I drove around town looking for a job. Finally I saw a man working on a fence. He said, “if you help me finish this, I'll give you half the pay.” Thanks to him, my kids had a good meal that night.” After the repairman finished his work and the washing machine was running again, he mused, “I always wanted to be able to do something for that man, his name was T.E. Cox.” “You just did,” I said, amazed. “I'm his daughter.”

237. The Power of Resurrection

A European countess, who lived over a hundred years ago, was a noted unbeliever and especially opposed to the truth of the resurrection. The lady died about thirty years of age. Before her death she gave orders that her grave should be covered with a slab of granite; that around it should be placed square blocks of stone, and that the corners should be fastened to each other and to the granite slab by heavy iron clamps.

Upon the covering this inscription was placed: “This burial place has been purchased to all eternity and must never be opened!” All that human power could do to prevent any change in the grave was done, but a little birch tree seed sprouted, the root found its way between the side stone and upper slab and grew there. Slowly but steadily it forced its way until the iron clamps were torn asunder. The granite lid was raised and now rests on the trunk of the birch tree, which is large and flourishing.

238. Winning in the Game of Marriage

I've learned that when you have an argument with your spouse, the first one who says, “I'm sorry I hurt your feelings; please forgive me,” is the winner.

239. Saving Our Marriage

Allyson and I had been married for 4 years and had 2 boys when our marriage began to fall apart. Soon we reached the point where divorce looked the only solution. One April evening as we met in a restaurant to discuss child custody and property settlements, our tempers flared. Allyson wanted the boys to live with her, I wanted them with me. Suddenly, amid the arguing, we both fell silent, I heard myself say, "If we want this marriage to work we will have to give it, and ourselves, to God."

The words shocked me, and Allyson as well. We were trying to negotiate a divorce, not save a marriage. Yet right then and there we did just that—we gave our marriage to God. Over the next months, as wounds healed, I wondered how those words had come to me. Then one morning on my job as a plumber, a customer asked, "Is your wife named Allyson?" When I nodded, she told me how a friend of mine had come to her church to request prayers for our troubled marriage. She and the other members had prayed for two hours one evening. "What evening was that?" I asked.

She thought a moment. Then she answered with conviction, "It was the first Friday night in April." At the very moment that Allyson and I were at the restaurant, people we didn't even know were on their knees at a prayer meeting called just for us.

240. Master Designer

If the earth was as small as the moon, its gravitation couldn't sustain our needs. On the other hand, if it were as large as Jupiter, its extreme gravitation would make human movement almost impossible. If we were as close to the sun as Venus, the heat would be unbearable; if we were as far away as Mars, every region would experience snow and ice nightly. If the oceans were half their size, we'd get only 25% of our present rainfall. If they were one-eighth larger, annual precipitation would increase 400% turning the earth into a vast, uninhabitable swamp. Water solidifies at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. But if the oceans were subject to that! The amount of thawing in the polar regions wouldn't balance out and we'd all end up encased in ice. To prevent this catastrophe, God put salt in the sea to alter its freezing point!

241. The Believer's Inheritance

An old prospector had eked out a meagre inheritance living from seemingly, an unproductive silver mine. Late in life he decided to sink a well close to his shack, rather than make the long walk to the stream for fresh water. As he was sinking the well, he struck a huge vein of silver. He had lived for years in poverty when all the time he was a few metres away from fabulous wealth. No Christian should live in poverty when our inheritance in Christ is as near as one step of faith.

242. The Great Divide

Loveland Pass is found in the majestic Rocky Mountains. This great Continental Divide at 12,000 feet has snow piled high and deep. As the snow melts, some eventually finds its way to the Pacific Ocean; some goes to the Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Mexico. At the same location, when it rains, some of the water will go to one ocean while some to the other, continents apart. How similar to us; we all share common origins but life brings different eternal destinies. It is not fate nor mere chance, but our choice to believe and receive Christ. Which road will you choose?

243. The Only Saviour

A man fell into a deep pit from which he was unable to climb out without assistance. A Confucian priest passed by, looking down into the pit he said, “What a fool you were to fall in there!” A Buddhist monk walked by, “I am sorry for you, if you can climb up half way, I may be able to help you.” A Christian Scientist passed that way, “The pit is not real, it is only exists in the negative thoughts of your mind.” A Jehovah's Witness came along, “You need to obey the Bible, visit more homes and sell more Watch Towers.” Two young Mormon missionaries rode up, “If you accept that Joseph Smith is a prophet, you will feel much better about life.” But none of the passers-by could lift the man from the pit.

The Jesus Christ came to where the man was, He went down to the man and with nail scarred hands lifted him up and placed his feet on solid ground. Religion or philosophy or education does not provide salvation. Only the living, compassionate Christ provides the remedy for man's need.

244. Money

Money can buy you laughter but not joy;

a house but not a home;

a partner but not a marriage;

a bed but not sleep;

possessions but not satisfaction;

a hospital room but not health;

education but not wisdom;

religion but not heaven.

245. Salvation

An engineer can take $5 of raw materials and make it worth $50; that's skill. The Treasury can take a piece of paper and print a bank note worth $100; that's authority. An artist can take a blank canvas and paint a picture worth $1,000; that's art. A millionaire can take a cheque and write a cashable sum for $1,000,000; that's capital. A composer can take manuscript paper and write a song that the world may sing; that's genius. But only God can take a scarred and sinful life and make it an asset to society; that's salvation.

246. The Triumph of the Cross

Napoleon gathered his generals around him and spread before them a large map of the world. He put his finger on an island shaded red and said, “Messieurs, if it were not for that one red spot, I would rule the world!” That red spot was Great Britain.

Similarly, Satan may place a map of the universe before his cohorts and demons of darkness, put his finger on a red spot, stained with the blood of Jesus Christ and say, “If it were not for that one red spot, I might rule the universe.” That red spot is Calvary, where His blood still cleanses sin and defeats the devil.

247. The Cross

On visiting a cathedral, a young boy asked his father, “Daddy, what's that big plus sign for?” The cross is exactly that; it brings the plus of God's great love and grace. It is the greatest addition to the human race, reconciling our account, balancing the equation.

248. Welcome Home!

An elderly missionary couple was returning from Africa after 40 years of sacrificial service. On the same boat was Theodore Roosevelt, returning from a big-game hunt. Thousands were at the pier to welcome the Roosevelt, but no-one was there to greet the missionaries. During the taxi-ride away from the harbour, the missionary said to his wife, “It just doesn't seem right, we give 40 years of service and nobody knows or cares if or when we come home.” In prayer that night God spoke to him, “Do you know why you haven't received your reward yet? It is because you haven't arrived home.”

249. Inheritance

A young man wrote this testimony; “I got off the train at the Depot as a tramp and for a year begged for a living. One day I touched a man on the shoulder and said, `Hey mister, can you spare a dime?' As I looked into his face I was shocked to see my own father. I said, `Father, father, do you know me?' Throwing his arms around me and with tears in his eyes he said, `Oh my son, I have found you! You want a dime? Everything I have is yours!' Think of it, I was a tramp, begging for 10 cents from my father when for 18 years he had been looking for me to give me everything he had!”

250. It's Included in the Package

Engagement rings usually come in cute little boxes. Covered in velvet material, the boxes are often kept for a lifetime. It must cost the jewellers $10-$20 to make or purchase the little box, but there is no charge for them. If you buy a ring worth $1,000 they give the $10 box for free. “If God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with Jesus, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Healing, freedom, blessing, deliverance, they are all in the package.

251. Things can turn around!

A young couple in the Mid-West was going through difficult times. They both lost their jobs, then the septic tank in their yard caved in. This new problem reflected the way things were going for them, down the drain! When the husband began to dig around the tank, things took a different turn. His shovel uncovered a gold coin, then another and another! To his astonishment he found 75 gold pieces. Their misfortune had become a fortune for now they owned a coin collection valued at more than $1 million. They'd unearthed a cache of some prospector from the 1849 gold rush era.

252. The Fine Line between Success and Failure

The longest winning sequence in sporting history is 132 years. The United States won the inaugural America's Cup in 1851 and held the trophy until 1983 when there were beaten by Australia II. The Aussies won the series 4-3 after training at one stage 3-1. The final race was decided by a distance of just 42 seconds. 132 years of domination was overturned by 42 seconds. There is a very fine line between success and failure.

253. The Top Ten Things Kids Want

1. They want harmony; they do not want their parents to have unresolved and destructive conflict in front of them.

2. They want love. They wish to be treated with the same affection as other children in the family.

3. They want honesty. And to be told the truth.

4. They want acceptance. They desire mutual tolerance from both parents.

5. They want their parents to like their friends. They want their friends to be welcomed in the home.

6. They want closeness. They desire comradeship with their parents.

7. They want their parents to pay attention to them and answer their questions.

8. They want consideration from their parents. They do not want to be embarrassed or punished in front of friends.

9. They want positive support. They wish for their parents to concentrate on their good points rather than their weaknesses.

10. They want consistency. They desire parents to be constant in their affections and moods.

254. Do You Smell That?

As the doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing, she was still groggy from surgery. Her husband, David, held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10, 1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24-weeks pregnant, to undergo an emergency Caesarean to deliver couple's new daughter, Dana Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs.

“I don't think she's going to make it,” he said, as kindly as he could. “There's only a 10-percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one.” Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Dana would likely face if she survived. She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on. Dana, her husband David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four.  Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.

Because Dana's underdeveloped nervous system was essentially “raw”, the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Dana struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl.

There was never a moment when Dana suddenly grew stronger. But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there. At last, when Dana turned two months old, her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time.  And two months later, though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero, Dana went home from the hospital.

Five years later, when Dana was a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She showed no signs whatsoever of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she was everything a little girl can be and more. But that happy ending is far from the end of her story.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Dana was sitting in her mother's lap in the seats of a local ball park where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing. As always, Dana was chattering nonstop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent Hugging her arms across her chest, little Dana asked, “Do you smell that?”

Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.” Dana closed her eyes and again asked, “Do you smell that?” Once again, her mother replied, “Yes, I think we're about to get wet. It smells like rain.”

Still caught in the moment, Dana shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, “No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.”

Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Dana happily hopped down to play with the other children. Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Dana on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

255. Choose One Chair

“When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song,” Luciano Pavarotti relates. “He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teachers college. On graduating, I asked my father, `Shall I be a teacher or a singer?'

“`Luciano,' my father replied, `if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.' I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it's laying bricks, writing a
book--whatever we choose--we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that's
the key. Choose one chair.”

256. Survive the Fire

In 1991 a bush fire destroyed 2,500 homes in California. The first Sunday after the disaster a local minister carried to his pulpit an unbroken vase which was the only thing recovered from the ashes of his home. He asked his congregation, “Do you know why this is still here and my house is gone?” He answered his own question by saying, "Because this had passed through the fire once before.” Fiery trials may be very painful, but if by God's grace we endure them, our trust in God can emerge from the blazing furnace purer and stronger than it was before.

257. Put it Down

A lecturer, to explain stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn't matter, it depends on how
long I try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. It's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. And that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on.”

“As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.” So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down, don't carry it home, you can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can.”

258. What you mean to God

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring. He sends you a sunrise every morning. Face it, friend - He is crazy about you!

259. What Kind of Leader are You?

Weak leaders	Wise Leaders
1. Fail to analyse current situations and react to difficulties.	1. Size up the situation and respond to opportunities.
2. Take the credit for success and criticise others fro failure.	2. Encourage others by giving credit where credit is due and accepting responsibility when things don't go well.
3. Know everything	3. Are still learning.
4. Never rock the boat; they back away from making decisions for fear of failure.	4. Are unafraid of change; they know direction and act boldly.
5. Keep reminding their followers who is the boss	5. Recognise authority if earned not demanded.
6. Are poor delegators; they micro manage	6. Recognise the strengths and weaknesses of those they lead, train, empower and then get out of the way.
7. Feel threatened by the success of others.	7. Focus on helping their followers achieve their goals.
8. Ask others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves	8. Lead by example
9. Use fear and guilt to motivate	9. Encourage their followers to have faith in God and themselves.
10. Fail to listen to those they lead	10. Listen and learn. One of the best ways to persuade people is with your ears.

260. Too Busy?

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared.

Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The
angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?” The young boy was apologetic.

“Please, mister, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,”  He pleaded. “I threw the brick because no one else would stop!” With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. “It's my brother,” he said. “He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.” Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, “Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.”

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

”Thank you and may God bless you,” the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy! push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: “Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!”

261. The Power of the Word

Russia used to be a land of Bibles. But in the 1930's Stalin came along. Stalin knew that it is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible reading people so he ordered all Christians sent to prison camps and all their Bibles confiscated. Thousands of Christians died in those cold cruel slave camps. But ironically most of the Bibles were NOT destroyed.

In 1994 missionaries arrived in Stavropol. They had asked to have Bibles shipped in but they were held up in red tape. Someone told them about a large warehouse outside of town where confiscated Bibles were still stored.

By some miracle they were granted permission to distribute them. Hiring several local Russian workers, they began to load the trucks. A young Russian who was not a Christian was hired to help. Not long after they started he disappeared. He was found in the corner of the warehouse weeping. He held a Bible in his hands. He had intended to steal it for himself and somehow he had picked up his own grandmother's Bible off the pile. Her signature was on the front page. Think of the odds! Of all those thousands of Bibles and he got the very one that would change his life. Today he is being transformed by the same Bible that his grandmother was persecuted for.

Source: Christian Reader, Sept/Oct 1995, p. 57

262. Marriage Bliss

A couple was arranging for their wedding, and asked the bakery to inscribe the wedding cake with 1 John 4:18 which reads “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” The bakery evidently lost, smudged or otherwise misread the noted reference, and beautifully inscribed on the cake John 4:18 which reads, “For you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband.”

263. Don't Quit

Don't quit when the tide is lowest, for it is just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubts and questions, for there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest, for it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest, for the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest, for your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure until you fail to try.

264. Hidden Treasures

Charles IV of Spain was convinced that no one would stop the progress of Napoleon Boneparte. Charles was concerned for the crown jewels of Spain and for his private collection of antique clocks. He asked a trusted servant to hide the jewels in the walls of one of the 365 rooms in the state palace. He did the same with the clock collection. Believing that the Spanish monarch would one day regain the throne, the servant marked the rooms where the items were hidden, with a unique set of drapes.

Napoleon did overthrow Spain and installed his brother Joseph on the throne. By 1814 the kingdom was restored to Charles' son Ferdinand. They discovered that Napoleon Joseph had been something of an interior decorator and had replaced all the drapes in the palace. Ferdinand had a choice to tear down the palace and recover the jewels or let the treasure go. He decided to leave things as they were.

This story was considered a legend until a few decades ago. A plumber, doing repair work on some pipes in a wall, discovered the antique clock collection. Some day, they will discover the crown jewels as well.

265. Don't Waste your Life on Paste

A young couple were seeking to advance in society and wanted to make a lasting impression on their upper class contacts. They went to a friend of the family, an elderly matriarch and begged her to let them borrow an expensive set of pearls for the social season. She was hesitant, but agreed. The first night they had them, they were stolen. The couple were disconsolate, but decided to keep the fact to themselves and in some way find the resources to replace the pearls. They mortgaged their house and incurred a series of debts that would take a lifetime to repay. They located a jewel merchant and described the necklace to him for him to make a duplicate. Several years later, the old lady was dying, and the couple went to visit and confessed that they had never returned the real pearls, only an expensive replacement. “You fools” replied the dying woman, “no-one ever loans the real things. Those were paste pearls.” Don't waste your life on imitations, Jesus is the pearl of great price.

266. He Swum in Vain

It was Wednesday 12th December 1989. As the starter's gun fired, Glen Houseman dived into the pool to begin his assault on the 1500 metres world record. Just a few days before, a Russian swimmer had broken the 15 minute barrier for the first time in history. Now Houseman was out to break the barrier and lower the record.

It was an incredible swim. Houseman left his fellow competitors in his wake, it became a race against the clock. As he came to the final length he was ahead of world record time. The crowd cheered him on as he powered down the pool to touch the wall in under 15 minutes and under the record. But the timing device on the wall malfunc­tioned and the clock failed to stop. More than 20 seconds elapsed before the malfunction was noticed. Despite appeals, the World Swimming Federation refused to accept the manual timing. Houseman's swim would never be acknowledged. He had swum in vain.

267. God Cares for You

Bernard Dissanayeke is the pioneer pastor of an international church in Granville, Sydney. In 1997, Bernard attended a minister's conference in Adelaide along with thousands of other ministers. As a pioneer pastor, funds were low, and each day he travelled to the conference by public transport. One morning he felt impressed to call a taxi to take him to the convention centre.

The taxi driver asked Bernard if he was a minister and where he came from. Learning he was from Sydney, the taxi driver told Bernard about his sister, who was going through a very difficult period and had given up on life. “If I gave you her address, would you visit her?” asked the taxi driver. “Of course” replied Bernard, “where does she live?” “William Street, Granville,” was the answer. Bernard's reply was amazing, "I live in William Street, Granville”. On his return to Sydney, Pastor Bernard visited the lady and was able to lead her to Jesus Christ. What a mighty God we serve! What a compassionate God we serve, who cares for people.

268. Leave it Behind

Craig was a young man in our church in Queensland. He suffered from cerebral palsy as a child which left him disabled, needing to use sticks to assist his walking. He decided to go to the Easter youth camp, and I wondered how he would cope with his disability. After the camp I asked him how it went. “Great pastor, I left a lot of stuff there.” I immediately thought, he had left his walking stick, or towel, or sweater. “Have you contacted lost property or rung the camp caretaker?” “No! Not that sort of stuff” replied Craig. “I left a lot of bitterness and resentment there. I had carried them too long, and they've gone.”

269. The Dimensions of Our Inheritance

In 1770, Captain James Cook charted the east coast of Australia. He is often credited with discovering Australia, but what did Cook discover? Did he discover the gold of Kalgoorlie, the iron ore of the Pilbarra, the oil of Bass Strait, the diamonds of the Kimberleys? No, Cook merely charted the outline of the country, there was and is so much more to find in Australia. The Holy Spirit is the deposit, the guarantee of our inheritance. The guarantee that for the Christian there is more, more than what we can conceive or imagine.

270. What is in the Root Comes Out in the Fruit

My father, who is a keen gardener purchased an orange tree for our garden. The first year saw a modest crop of sweet oranges. But from the second year, the tree only produced lemons. I presume that this horticultural marvel was the product of an orange stock being grafted on a lemon root. Eventually what was in the root came out in the fruit. If we are grafted into Christ, then what is in the Root will evidence itself 'm the fruit of our lives.

271. Never Give Up

C.Y. O'Connor was the State Engineer for Western Australia in the first decade of the twentieth century. He designed and built many outstanding projects including Perth's railway system and Fremantle Harbour. One of his bolder schemes was to dam a small stream at Mundaring in the hills around Perth and pipe the water to the goldfields of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie, 500 kilometres away. O'Connor convinced the government to agree to the plan, which was financed by borrowed funds.

But O'Connor had many critics. They said the pipeline scheme would never work. The distance was too great. The money would be wasted, the debt would never be cleared. The weir at Mundaring was built and the pipeline constructed, but the criticism continued. At the official opening the water merely trickled out. Under increasing pressure, C.Y. O'Connor took a gun and committed suicide. A few days later, the water started to flow freely, as it does to this day. Never give up!

272. Rooted and Grounded in God

The Yanchep National Park is located about 50 kilometres north of Perth. In the Park

are a series of limestone caves. Visitors can descend these natural wonders. About 40 metres below the surface, running along the floor of one of the caves, is an underground stream. From the roof of the cavern falls a slender vine, its delicate roots drawing life from the underground stream. The vine is actually the tap root of a magnificent gum tree that stands more than 40 metres tall. How can the tree survive the long, dry Western Australian summers? Its roots are deep below the surface, drawing moisture from the underground stream. For the Christian, our public life and ministry is sustained by our roots in God.

273. God wants our Hearts

When the Red Indian chief heard the gospel his heart was moved. He must make some response to this Saviour who gave His life for him. When the preacher invited the congregation to respond, the chief made his way to the front of the crowd and laid his tomahawk down. “Chief give best tomahawk to Jesus.” But there was no peace in his heart. The next evening at the camp meeting, the chief led a pony to the front. “Chief give favourite pony to Jesus.” But still there was no peace in his heart. The next night the chief stood with bowed head, “Tonight, chief give chief to Jesus”.

274. What a Friend We Have in Jesus

As a young man, Joseph Scriven was engaged to be married to a beautiful young lady. As the date of their wedding drew closer, their love for each other and the excitement of the coming event grew more and more in their hearts. Then, the week of the wedding, Joseph Scriven's fiancee was drowned in a tragic boating accident. Scriven was devastated, his world had come to an end. He went into his bedroom and closed the door. A few hours later he emerged with the words and music of one of the grandest Chirstian hymns;

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer

275. All of Me

General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was asked the secret of his amazing Christian life. Booth answered, “I told the Lord that He could have all that there is of William Booth.”

276. The Strength of Christmas

When a woman is to have a baby, she goes to the best hospital she and her husband can afford. They find the best doctors and highly trained specialists. They get the best money can buy. And they do this not because they feel strong, but because they feel weak.

When God's Son was born, He was born in a stable under very austere and unsanitary conditions without a doctor or a midwife present. It happened this way not because God was poor, but because God was sure of Himself. The baby born in a stable is not a sign of a weak and ineffectual king, but the sign of a majesty who is secure and knows who He is. It is a sign of strength and a sign of love.

277. God Answers Prayer

The little Russian peasant woman knelt in prayer beside the road. “Father, my family are hungry, please provide for our needs.” A black limousine drove down the road, and suddenly stopped not far from where the woman knelt. A communist party official got out of the car and walked back to the woman. “Lady, there is no God, and we do not pray in the Soviet Union! “What were you asking God?” he questioned.

“I was praying for bread for my family.” At that, the official reached into his wallet and extracted several roubles. “Here, buy bread with this and remember, it is the State that provides for you, you have no need to pray”. As the car sped away, the woman knelt in prayer, “Father, thank you for your provision.”

278. Wanted Men

“Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world. I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, and such alone will overthrow the kingdom of Satan and build up the kingdom of God on earth”

John Wesley

279. Developing Your Gifts

One of Ripley's “Believe It or Not” items pictured a plain bar of iron worth $5. The same bar of iron, if made into horse shoes would be worth $50. If it were made into needles, it would be worth $5,000. If it were made into balance springs for fine Swiss watches, it would be worth $500,000. The raw material is not as important as how it's developed. God has placed spiritual gifts within each of us, but their worth to the Kingdom of God is in how we develop them.

280. Earth's Dearest Thing

At the coronation of a British monarch there is a point in the ceremony when the head of the Church of Scotland approaches the throne carrying a velvet cushion. “Your majesty, this is the dearest thing in all the world.” Amid all the crowns and sceptres bedecked with gold and precious jewels, is this greatest gift, a copy of the Bible.

281. Melody in F

Feeling footloose and frisky, a feather brained fellow forced his fond father to fork over the farthings. He flew far to foreign fields and frittered his fortune feasting fabulously with faithless friends. Fleeced by his own fellows in folly, and facing famine, he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farmyard. Fairly famishing he feign would have filled his frame with foraged food from fodder fragments.

“Fooey, my father's flunkies fare far finer” the frazzled fugitive forlornly fumbled, frankly facing facts. Frustrated by failure, filled with foreboding, he fled forthwith to his family. Falling at his father's feet he forlornly 'fessed, “Father, I've flunked, and fruitlessly forfeited the family fellowship's favour."

The far sighted father forestalling further flinches frantically flagged the flunkies, “Fetch a fatling from the flock, fix a feast”. The fugitive's fault finding frater frowned, on fickle forgiveness of the former foderol. But the faithful father figured filial fidelity is fine, but the fugitive is found. What forbids fervent festivity? Let flags be unfurled, let fanfares flare! Father's forgiveness formed the foundation of the former fugitive's future fortitude.

282. The Touched Up Masterpiece

In one of the great art galleries of Europe, the curators noticed that the surface of one of their famous paintings was in need of attention. In several places, the paint was flaking off. They removed the painting to the workshop and applied cleaning fluid to remove any surface dirt. To their dismay, more and more of the paint peeled off. Then, to their amazement they discovered another painting underneath! It was the original masterpiece. Years after the painter had finished his work, another had come along and touched up the painting, thinking, “that shading isn't quite right, that colour could be better”.

There are many who consider that Jesus can be improved. They colour over the idea that He is the Son of God, or they remove the aspect of His atoning death. But Jesus is the original masterpiece; we need to strip away the `improvements' that others have done, and let the real Jesus emerge.

283. Rampaging Rhinos

I am told that a rhinoceros has very good hearing but very poor eyesight. If faced by a charging rhino, you are advised to stand your ground. When the beast is about 10 metres away from you, shout in a loud voice as ferociously as you are able. The animal can't see you, but will hear the fierce tone, turn tall and flee. If on the way home today you meet a rampaging rhino, please try this theory and advise if it is successful. 1 Peter 5:8 states that “Your adversary the devil, goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfastly 'm the faith!” When the devil roars against you, roar straight back! Stand your ground, resist him in the name of Jesus, and he will flee every time.

284. Who Can Pay So Great A Debt?

On the eve of a famous battle, Napoleon walked alone amongst the tents of his officers. He noticed in one tent that a lamp was burning. Opening the flap of the tent he saw a young officer sleeping at his table. Creeping up behind him, the Emperor leaned over his shoulder and read a letter that the young officer had just written. It was a suicide note, and told the story of an addiction to gambling that the left the young man hopelessly in debt. Beside the letter lay a cocked, loaded pistol.

Napoleon knew the young man personally, and his family. He read the letter again, how the young officer regretted the shame that he would bring on his family. The last line of the letter posed this question, “Who can pay so great a debt?” Napoleon reached over and taking the quill wrote one word in answer, “Boneparte”. When the young man roused from slumber he was startled to see his emperor's signature. In one moment he realised that his sin was both exposed and fully paid for.

In the accounts of heaven, our sin was too much for us to pay. We were bankrupt, destitute, doomed. To our question, “Who can pay so great a debt?” is answered in one Name, written in His own blood “Jesus.”

285. For All Have Sinned

The traffic code is quite clear, at a stop sign, the vehicle must come to an absolute stop. One driver may ignore or overlook the sign and drive through the intersection at 60 kph. Another driver may approach the stop sign, slow down, nearly stop, but seeing all is clear, creep through at 1 kph. Both drivers have broken the law. Even though their speeds were different, both failed to stop.

A sailor may slip overboard at sea and drown in three miles of water. A drunk may be staggering home, fall into a puddle, knock his head and drown in three inches of water. It is not the depth of sin that makes us sinners, but the fact of sin. We have all sinned whether small or great, the Bible says that none are righteous.

286. Who Moved the Stone

Frank Morison was a young lawyer and an atheist. He despised the Christian faith and in particular the concept of the resurrection. He decided to expose this sham and declared to his friends that by using the very words of the New Testament he would legally prove that the resurrection of Jesus was a hoax. The result of Morison's study is the book “Who Moved the Stone” in which he describes his study of the New Testament from a legal point of view. His conclusions were startling, for as he studied the Scripture, he became convinced that the resurrection was a reality. He had met the Risen Lord and was born again.

287. Your Labour is Not is Vain

In 1971, students from Commonwealth Bible College in Brisbane, assisted in a tent crusade in the nearby suburb of Chelmer. Thousands of invitations were distributed, hundreds of homes visited, and hours of work and effort were made. The attendance was disappointing, and from the whole week of meetings only one person responded to the Gospel. And that solitary convert was a bikie, not the usual kind of person we desire in our genteel churches. But the young man continued on, joining a church, and later enrolling in Bible College. He has served the Lord as a missionary in South East Asia for close to twenty years. Ross Winchester was that one convert from the tent crusade, but God has used that one to reach thousands.

288. You Can Make a Difference

The thermometer and the thermostat sound like they are similar instruments, but they

are quite different. The thermometer will merely register temperature, whereas the thermostat will regulate temperature. Thermometers are continually changing, ruled by circumstances and climate. But a thermostat not only remains unmoved by its surrounds, it changes the environment. God's desire for His church is to be salt and light that have positive effects upon its environment.

289. This is not the same man

Ken Burton was an escaped convict. Convicted of drug offences and sentenced to three years jail in Flint, Michigan, he managed to escape on the journey from the court house to the penitentiary. An extensive man hunt failed to find him, and he escaped over the border into Canada. More than two years passed and Ken found himself on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver. Walking through a shopping centre he was handed a Gideon's New Testament. He took it to his lonely rented room and read it from cover to cover, including the page in the back that explained how a person can be born again. And Ken Burton got saved, he became a brand new man.

A few days later, Burton handed himself in to the local office of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who contacted the sheriff in Flint. Yes, there was a warrant out for the arrest of Ken Burton, but they didn't have the funds to send a deputy to extradite him. So Ken paid his own fare home. He appeared before the same judge who a couple of years before had sentenced him to jail. The judge's verdict was amazing. “Quite evidently, this is not the same man who appeared before me some years ago. Sentence is suspended”. Ken Burton is now an Assemblies of God minister in Michigan and is a living testimony that if anyone is in Christ, they are new creations.

290. Have You Been to the Mulberry Tree?

My father planted a mulberry tree in our garden. Each year it grew larger and the size of the crop of mulberries increased. No one could ever go to the mulberry tree and 'sneak' some of its berries. The dark crimson juice would dye the fingers that picked the fruit; lips and tongue would be stained for hours; and the soles of your footwear would carry evidence that you had been to the mulberry tree.

Christians go to the cross and receive the life of Jesus Christ. But you cannot go to that tree and remain the same. Your hands are stained, things you once did hold no attraction. Your mouth is marked, there is a new way of talking. Your feet are different, they walk new paths. If your faith is real, everyone knows when you've been to the cross.

291. Bonsai

The art of bonsai was developed in China and Japan more than 1,000 years ago. It is the inventiveness of dwarfing a tree. It is the real thing in miniature, an oak or a cedar, fully grown, but no more than 30 cms tall. How is it done? By pruning the roots, by trimming the branches, by planting it in a pot far too small for its potential, and then continually changing the pot so the roots have no chance to develop. Growth is stunted, and what should be tall and magnificent is thwarted to a miniature size.

God has no desire for stunted Christians. His plan is for good growth, healthy roots that go down into the depths of His resources. And God breaks pots. Those things that limit our lives, He desires to break and then replant us in the pot of His choosing.

292. Wisdom from the White House

If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent.

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

Nearly all men can stand adversity,

but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse

to see it tried on him personally. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

293. Wisdom from the White House II

He was born in a log cabin to very poor parents. His mother died when he was aged 9 and he had less than 1 year of formal schooling. He wandered from job to job and called himself “a piece of floating driftwood”. He stood for State Parliament and was defeated. He started a business and it failed within a few short months. He became a partner in a surveying business but the partner died leaving him with astronomical debts. A lawyer friend described him as “the most uncouth looking young man I ever saw”. He sought nomination for federal office but was rejected.

And his name is Abraham Lincoln. This man overcame incredible obstacles, difficulties and defeats. But though he was defeated many times, in 1860 he was elected as the 16^th President of the US and re-elected in 1864. His life demonstrates the tenacity of the human spirit to overcome failure.

294. The impossible just takes a little longer

At the age of 20, Art Berg was a very happy man. Everything was going right. Berg was a gifted athlete, he owned a tennis court construction company and was engaged to a beautiful woman. But one Christmas Eve, driving to meet his fiancée to complete their wedding plans, he fell asleep at the wheel. The car rolled, he was thrown out, and suffered a broken neck. He became paralysed from the chest down and lost use of his legs and arms. The doctors told him he would never work again, he could never play sport again, and he would be dependent on others for the rest of his life. One doctor even suggested he forget getting married.

Art Berg was really afraid. It was the darkest moment in his life. In the midst of his peril his mother came and whispered a few words in his ear. “Art, while the difficult takes time, the impossible takes a little longer." In other words, “Don't panic and never give up!” These words brought light into Art's darkness.

11 years later Art Berg was president of his own company, a professional speaker and author. He regained some use in his arms and legs and was able to drive a car. He travelled the country sharing his message, “that the impossible just takes a little longer.” Art married his fiancée and fathered two children. He even returned to the world of sports, swimming and scuba diving. In l993 Art was the first quadriplegic to race 42 kilometres in a marathon, all because he didn't panic and he didn't give up.

295. Desert Sands

The road across the Nullarbor Plain is usually a dry and dusty drive. But when it rains, that same dry, dusty, treeless plain becomes like the Garden of Eden. Wildflowers bloom, desert grasses emerge and there are signs of life everywhere. In the sands of your desert lie the seeds of potential that when watered by the Spirit and the Word turn the wilderness into a garden.

296. Out of this World

In July 2004, the Cassini - Huygens space probe entered Saturn's orbit. The probe took 7 years to build and cost US$3.3 billion. The journey from Earth to Saturn took more than 6 years and the probe will conduct a 4-year study of the ringed planet and its 31 known moons. When Cassini sends radio signals, it takes more than 80 minutes for those signals to reach Earth. The spacecraft is named after two 17^th century astronomers. Christian Huygens was a Dutch mathematician who improved the method of grinding telescope lenses. He built the first powerful telescope that led to his discovery of the rings and satellites of Saturn. Did Huygens ever dream that one day a spacecraft bearing his name would orbit that distant planet? Positive thinking unleashes the potential that will benefit generations yet unborn.

297. Unrealised Potential

An international traveller returned from China with several metres of very expensive, fine silk. His dressmaker wife decided to keep the beautiful material until she was certain she had a suitable pattern for the valuable silk. When the wife died at 80 years of age the bolt of silk still sat on the shelf. When it was unfolded it had faded at the edges and was good for nothing. Unrealised potential is one of the greatest losses in life. Be assured, within your life there is unlimited potential.

298. The Potential Within

Two pastors from Africa travelled to the US to visit the famous evangelist TL Osborne. They intended to seek his financial help for their churches. But at the interview their opening words annoyed TL, “We have nothing” was the pitiful cry. “Nothing?” was his reply, “If you have nothing, I can't help you. But I will give you something,” and promptly gave them each a pen and several sheets of paper. “I'm going to give you one hour to write down what you have in your church. Don't tell me what you need, tell me what you have,” and then left the room. The hour passed quickly and when the evangelist returned the two pastors made this stunning statement, “Thank you, you have helped us greatly, we never knew we had so much.”

299. It's Your Choice

Vultures and hummingbirds both live in the harsh environment of a desert. The vulture feeds the bodies of dead animals while the hummingbird on the pollen of desert cacti. One is a signpost of death, the other a means of pollinating new life.

300. Keep on Swimming

Two mice fell into a vat of cream. One mouse gave up and drowned. The other mouse kept on paddling and swimming and pushing away at the cream trying to find a way out. The steady movement of the mouse eventually turned the cream to butter and the mouse climbed out.

301. Opportunity Knocks

At 67, many people would have said Thomas Edison had done enough. Many of his inventions still advance life in the 21^st century. One cold December evening the cry of “Fire!” echoed around Edison's factory. Within moments, packing materials, celluloid for records and films along with other flammable goods had gone up in smoke. Charles Edison saw his father running towards him in the yard, “Where's Mum?” he yelled, “Go and get her, tell her friends, they'll never see a fire like this again!”

At 5.30 the next morning, when the fire was barely under control, Edison called his employees together and announced, “We're rebuilding!” One man was told to lease all the machine shops in the area; another to obtain a wrecking crane; and as an afterthought Edison added, “Does anybody know where we can get some money?”

The inventor explained, “You can always make capital out of disaster. We've just cleared out a bunch of old rubbish; we'll build bigger and better on these ruins.” With that he rolled up his coat as a pillow, curled up on a table and immediately fell asleep.

302. The Power of Vision

An old Wild West fort is about to be attacked. The wily old General sends for his trusty Indian Scout. “You must use all your years of skill in trying to estimate the sort of army we are up against here.” The trusty Indian scout lay down and put his ear to the ground. “Large war party,” he says,” maybe three hundred braves, four chiefs, two on black stallions, two on white stallions. All have war paint. Many, many guns. Medicine man also with them.” “Good grief” exclaims the General, “you can tell all of that just by listening to the ground?” “No General,” replied the Scout, “I can see under the gate.”

303. The Master's Voice

As another wave of persecution swept through China in the 1950's, pastor Li was arrested in the southern province Guangdong. He was convicted of “counter-revolutionary activities” and sentenced to work in an iron ore mine in north-eastern China. Li's wife and five children, including a new-born baby, had no other means of support; they decided to join Li on his 2,000-mile journey so that they would perhaps be able to visit him occasionally, and be close by should he be miraculously released. They sold everything they owned and bought tickets for the week-long rail journey. When they arrived, they used old boards and a tarpaulin to build a rickety hut on the road to the labour camp.

Pastor Li worked as a slave for 14 hours every day, with miserable food, in temperatures well below freezing.  He died after three months. When the family heard the news, they were desperate and deeply depressed. His wife saw no future, and wanted to die. She neglected the children terribly. Finally, she told the children that she would have to look for a job. The eldest daughter said “No, mother, you cannot go to work. The baby needs you. He cries for you the whole day long. I will go to work.” The 12-year-old girl went to the Director of the labour camp, and told him “My father was sent here because of his love for Jesus Christ.  That was his only crime. He was a good man, who loved people and helped them. Now he is dead, and we have no food, no money and no place to live.  I would like to know whether there is some work I could do in the camp.” The Director remembered Li, and recognised the girl as his daughter. He gave in to the tiny glimmer of compassion in his heart, and said “I have a job for you, but it is boring, and pays badly.” She took the job immediately.

The Director took her to the place where 3,000 prisoners worked in the iron ore mine.  He asked her “Do you see that red button?  Your job is to stand next to the button all day, and if someone tells you to press it, you must do so immediately. That is the alarm button, which sets off a siren deep underground. When they hear the siren, the miners get out as fast as they can. You must never press the button by accident, but only when one of us tells you to.” So the 12 yr old girl stood next to the button day for day, week for week. She and her family were overjoyed when she was paid for the first time, although it was only a few dollars. 

One afternoon, she suddenly heard a voice saying “Press the button!” She turned to see the person who had spoken, but there was nobody there.  She heard the same voice again a few moments later, saying “Quickly!  Press the button, now!” There was still nobody to be seen, and she started to think she was losing her mind. She should only press the button in an emergency, and everything looked normal. Seconds later, she heard the voice again, saying “Press the button, now!” with great urgency.  Only then did she realise that it was her Lord speaking to her. 

She did not understand why she should press the button, but she knew she had to obey. The siren sounded and 3,000 men came up to the surface as fast as they could, confused and curious to find out what had happened. The Director came running out of his office, demanding to know why she had pressed the button. Only a few moments after the last prisoner had left the mine, the area was shaken by a large earthquake. The whole mine collapsed, and nobody has been able to return to it to this day. An eerie silence spread when the earthquake was over, everyone looking at the fragile figure who had pressed the red button. 

Finally, the Director managed to ask “Comrade, how did you know that you had to press the red button?” The girl answered as loud as she could, saying “The Lord Jesus Christ told me to press the red button. He told me three times before I did it. Jesus Christ is the only way you can come to know the true and living God.  He loves you, and has just demonstrated his love by saving your lives. You must turn from your sins and give your lives to him!” All 3,000 prisoners and the director knelt and prayed that Jesus would forgive them and come to live in their hearts.

Source: Asia Harvest Newsletter #80, www.asiaharvest.org

304. Tell me his name again

A missionary was conducting an open-air meeting on market day in a remote province in China. He noticed that one of the listeners, a young lady in clothes that he recognised as the costume of a tribal group from across the mountains. She was shoeless, and her feet were bruised from the long trek across rough mountain paths. Yet she paid close attention to his words and when he concluded his sermon and invited people to respond and receive Christ, the young woman instantly responded. She gladly prayed the sinner's prayer, then disappeared into the market crowd. The missionary thought he may never see her again.

A week or so later there was a knock as his door. There stood the same young woman who had obviously walked back across those mountain trails. “Sir” she began, “He has saved me, but can you tell; me his name again?”

305. I Know His Name

David Newington told the story of an experience he had as a missionary in central Africa. He made a 3 day trek to a very remote area to visit what he believed to be an unreached tribe. When he arrived at the village he discovered all the men on the village were seated in a circle. As a keen anthropologist, Newington asked if he could observe the ceremony. He was permitted and watched as the nationals passed around a loaf of bread. Each man broke off a piece then said the words, “We do this in the name of him whose name we have forgotten.” Then they passed around a gourd filled with native beer and repeated the same words, “We do this in the name of him whose name we have forgotten.” Rising to his feet Newington spoke, “I know His name!”

306. What a Difference

Only a few people anticipated his first coming; hundreds of millions await his second.

Only a few saw the Babe of Bethlehem; every eye will see His second coming. The Lamb who came to redeem will return as the Lion to reign. The first time He came to die; the next time He is going to raise the dead! First He came as King of the Jews and wore a thorny crown; He returns as King of all kings wearing many diadems. The stable's meekness and poverty will be replaced by a throne's majesty and power.

307. Voice in the Dark

One summer night a young man who lived in Scotland decided to take a shortcut across the moors on his walk into town where he worked. The countryside was known for its limestone quarries. He knew he would be passing near one of these quarries, but thought he could avoid it. The night was pitch black without a star in sight, but the young man set out through the rock and heather anyway.

Suddenly he heard a voice call out with great urgency, 'Peter!' He stopped and called back into the darkness, 'Yes, who is it? What do you want?' There was no response, just a gentle breeze over the deserted moor. He decided he'd been mistaken and walked on. Then he heard the voice again, even more urgent than before, 'Peter!'

He stopped dead in his tracks, bent forward to peer through the darkness, and stumbled to his knees. He reached out a hand to the ground before him, but only clutched thin air. It was the quarry! Sure enough, as Peter carefully felt around in a semicircle he found that he had stopped on the edge of the abandoned limestone quarry one short step before a fatal plunge into the abyss. Out there in the desolate moor someone knew him and someone cared about him. Peter Marshall never forgot that incident. Dedicating his life to the one who'd called him by name, he went on to become one of America's greatest ministers.

308. Dial 1300MOTHER

Hello- This is your Mother!
If you want my advice: PRESS 1
If you want to argue: PRESS 2
If you want your father to drive you somewhere PRESS 3
If you want to leave a message: WAIT FOR THE TONE
If you want to aggravate me or borrow money: HANG UP!

309. How to Stay Young

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." The devil's name is Alzheimer's Disease.

4. Enjoy the simple things. When the children are young, that is all that you can afford. When they are in college, that is all that you can afford. When you are on retirement, that is all that you can afford!

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. Laugh so much that you can be tracked in the store by your distinctive laughter.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be alive while you are alive, don't put out a mailbox on the highway of death and just wait in residence for your mail.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it is family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Go to the mall, the next county, a foreign country, but not to guilt country.

10. At every opportunity, tell the people you love that you love them.

310. Courage

It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.        Theodore Roosevelt

311. Read the Label First

This morning, before I had my first cup of coffee, chased the cob webs from my brain and found my glasses, there was a bit of a mess-up with the pills on the kitchen counter. I wish to announce to any of those interested that I shall now be heartworm-free for the next 30 days.

312. Saved by the Cross

A Russian teenager survived a lightning strike which was so powerful it vaporized a gold cross on her neck. The bolt hit Marina Motygina, 16, from Ekaterinburg in western Russia on the top of her head and seared through her body into the ground. The necklace she had been wearing was 'atomized', leaving burns in the shape of a cross on her neck, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported. Only a couple of links of the chain could be found.

A doctor who treated her said: "It is a miracle she has survived. She is fine now but will be staying in hospital for another two weeks. "But she will have deep scars on her neck where the cross was for the rest of her life.” (Reuters, July 2006)

313. How to Be Happy

To be happy for an hour -- take a nap.
To be happy for a day -- go shopping.
To be happy for a week -- take a vacation.
To be happy for a month - get a new job.
To be happy for a year -- inherit a fortune.
To be happy for a lifetime -- help others.

314. The Wrong Seat!

After I had purchased movie tickets for myself and my girlfriend, she went inside to find seats while I got some popcorn. By the time I was served, the previews were being shown. I stumbled my way through the dark, sat down, and gave my girlfriend a kiss. Then I heard a familiar voice say, "John, I'm back here."

315. Sweet Revenge

"Cash, check or charge?" I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. "So, do you always carry your TV remote?" I asked. "No," she replied, "but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the worst thing I could do to him legally."

316. Health Tip

"Before resolving to jog five miles a day, visit a cardiologist to have your heart examined, a podiatrist to have your feet examined and a psychiatrist to have your head examined."

317. Our Greatest Need

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour.

318 Golf!

One day this avid golfer returns from a game looking very down and dejected. His wife asks, "What's wrong, dear, you look awful?" "It was terrible! Bob had a heart attack on the tenth green today and died on the spot." "How terrible. No wonder you feel the way you do, it must have been just awful!" "It sure was," he continued, "the whole rest of the day it was hit a shot, drag Bob, hit a shot, drag Bob..."

319. Pushing a Dead Horse

“When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.” However, in government more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

1. Buying a stronger whip.

2. Changing riders.

3. Appointing a committee to study the horse.

4. Arranging to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride horses.

5. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.

6. Reclassifying the dead horse as living impaired.

7. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.

8. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.

9.  Providing additional funding or training to increase the dead horse's performance.

10. Conduct a productivity to study if lighter riders improve the horse's performance.

11. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than live horses.

12. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.

13. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

320. You Have a Great Body

Today;
Your heart will likely beat over 100,000 times

Your blood will travel about 168,000 miles

You will breathe about 23,000 times

You will eat over three pounds of food

You will drink three pounds of liquids

You will turn in your sleep 25-30 times

You may speak about 48,000 words

You will use some 7,000,000 brain cells

321. Never Again!

Annie Edson Taylor (1838-April 29, 1921) became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel on October 24, 1901. She felt her job as a schoolteacher in Bay City, Michigan was too insignificant, and believed that going over the falls would bring her fame and fortune.

Taylor used a pickle barrel for her trip, constructed of oak and iron and padded with a mattress. The barrel was put over the side of a rowboat, and Annie climbed in. After screwing down the lid, friends used a bicycle tire pump to compress the air in the barrel. The hole used for this was plugged with a cork, and Taylor was set adrift near the American shore, north of Goat Island.

The Niagara River currents carried the barrel toward the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, which has since been the site for all daredevil stunting at Niagara Falls. Rescuers reached her barrel shortly after the plunge, and Taylor was discovered to be alive though somewhat battered. Her first words after she emerged from the barrel were, “No one should ever do that again!”

322. How to Fill Your Life

Fill your body with the right foods and it will perform well.

Fill your mind with learning and it will not stagnate.

Fill your mind with optimistic attitudes and you will always have hope.

Fill your heart with courage and you will be able to face life with confidence.

Fill your heart with love and you'll never be alone.

Fill every day will plenty of gratitude and you will always be happy.

323. Do You Know How to Use It?

The Niagara River has a couple of interesting signs upstream of the famous falls. There is one by the side of the river visible to daredevil boaters that reads, “Do you have an anchor?” Then just downstream is a second sign that says, “Do you know how to use it?”

324. Count Your Blessings

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. The Clarks had worked and saved, making plans for their nine children and themselves to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally saved enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the whole family on a new liner to the United States. The entire family was filled with anticipation and excitement about their new life.

However, seven days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks' front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were being quarantined for 14 days. The family's dreams were dashed. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned.

The father, filled with disappointment and anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and God for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news reached Scotland, the mighty Titanic had sunk. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son had been bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland. When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives and turning what he had felt was a tragedy into a blessing.

325. Dreams

T.E. Lawrence once said, "All men dream but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to the day to find it was all vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for the many act out their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible..."

326. Friction

Friction is caused by one of two things. Take two blocks of wood, if one block is moving and the other is standing still, there is friction. Or, if both are moving in different directions, there is friction. And where there is friction there may be splinters, abrasion and heat. But when both are moving in the same direction and the same pace, there is no friction.

327. The Seven Up Way for a Great Day!

1. Wake Up! This is the day the Lord has made, choose to make it a great day.

2. Dress Up! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile, it is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

3. Shut Up! Determine to say positive things and learn to listen.

4. Stand Up! For what you believe, don't comprise your values.

5. Look Up! Fill your heart with hope, focus your faith on the Lord.

6. Reach Up! For something higher, draw of His resources.

7. Lift Up! Your day in prayer, pray about everything and worry about nothing.

328. Speak well of those who oppose you

History records that John Wesley and George Whitfield disagreed on doctrinal matters. Both of them were very successful, preaching the Gospel t thousands. But their differences continued. It is reported that someone asked Wesley if he expected to see Whitfield in heaven and the evangelist replied, “No, I do not. He is a godly man, he will be much closer to the throne of God than I, I will be so far away I will not be able to see him.”

329. Disqualified

One of the greatest athletes from the USA was Jim Thorpe who competed at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. He won gold in both the pentathlon and decathlon. The following year it was discovered that Thorpe had played semiprofessional baseball and thus forfeited his amateur status. He had to return his gold medals and his name and records were erased from the records. It was a high price to pay.

330. Anger's Arrows

It is said that one of the Caesars had planned an outdoor feast for his nobles and friends, but when the day arrived the weather was so foul the feast had to be cancelled. Caesar was so infuriated that he commanded his guards to fire their arrows into the skies to vent his anger against Jupiter, their chief god. But the arrows fell short, and when falling back to earth wounded some of the archers and other bystanders. Angry arrows rarely reach their intended target; they are much more likely to hurt us and innocent bystanders.

331. I Can Do All Things

Pray not for easy lives, pray to be stronger men! Do not ask for tasks equal to your powers; ask for powers equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work will be no miracle, but you will be the miracle.

332. Checkmate? Never!

Paul Murphy, an Irish-American, was in his day the world's champion chess player. A friend of his once took him to see a painting in a famous art gallery, thinking he would be interested because of the subject. It depicted a young man staring in despair at a chessboard, while across the table sat the devil with a leering look as he watched the young man's agony. The title explained it all: "Checkmated."

Murphy gazed at the picture intently, studying every position of the chess pieces; then suddenly he shouted, "Bring me a chessboard. I can save him yet!" His mastermind had noted one last move which could save the situation.

In the game of life, the devil may think he has you checkmate, but the Master, Jesus Christ has a thousand ways to help us of which we know nothing. And that help can come at the time when we have reached the end of our resources and gaze in despair at the hopelessness of it all.

333. Together we can!

One afternoon, a three year old child was lost in a wheat field. Because he was shorter than the stalks of wheat, he could not be seen. Concerned about dehydration and the fading light, they workers linked hands and in ever widening circles, walked through the field of wheat until they found him, barely alive. One of the workers declared, “We would have found him earlier if we had joined hands sooner.”

334. With Friends like this

Two hunters who were out in the woods when one of them collapsed. He didn't seem to be breathing and his eyes were glazed. The other pulled out his phone and called emergency services. He gasped to the operator: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator in a calm, soothing voice replied: "Take it easy. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There was a silence, then a shot was heard. Back on the phone, the hunter said, "Ok, now what?"

335. Surprise, Surprise

Have you noticed how life is full of surprises? A sailor tried to find a new trade route to China and stumbled upon a new (to him) continent. Alexander Fleming inadvertently left a culture dish on a window sill and discovered penicillin. Another scientist discovered saccharin when he noticed a strange, sugary taste in his sandwich.

336. You Never Know

In 1989, an unidentified "middle-aged financial analyst from Philadelphia" paid $4 for a painting at a flea market. He didn't even like the painting, it was the frame he wanted. So he took the picture apart and when he did, a copy of the US Declaration of Independence fell out. It was folded up, about the size of a business envelope. He thought it might be an early 19th-century printing and worth keeping as a curiosity.

A few years later, the man showed the print to a friend, who suspected it might be valuable and encouraged him to look into it. He did, and learned that only hours after finishing work on the Declaration in 1776, the Continental Congress had delivered
the handwritten draft to a printer with orders to send copies of the Declaration to "the several Assemblies, Conventions & Committees and the Commanding Officers of the Continental troops, that it be proclaimed in each of the United States & at the head
of the Army."

This was one of those original copies. No one is sure how many were printed that night; today only 24 survive, and most are in poor condition. But the one in the picture frame was in excellent shape, having spent the better part of two centuries undisturbed. In 1991, it sold at auction for $2.4 million.

337. Masterpiece

Vincent van Gogh earned all of $85 from his paintings during his lifetime. One hundred years after his death, just one painting alone, Dr. Bachet, sold for the incredible sum of $82.5 million.

338. Still Climbing

The epitaph on a Swiss mountain guide's tombstone reads, “He died climbing”. What an attitude! Still climbing, still growing, still pressing on, still taking ground, still making headway. Sounds like Caleb on his 85^th birthday, “Give me this mountain”.

339. The Two Wolves

A North American philosopher gave this illustration of the continual battle in our minds between the positive and the negative; the spiritual and the carnal. “Within me there are two wolves” the old man said, “there is a tame wolf and a wild wolf, and they continually fight. The wild wolf is destructive; the tame wolf is constructive. The wild wolf drives my friends away; but everyone loves the tame wolf. And these two wolves continually fight.” When he was asked who was the stronger, he replied, “Whichever one I feed.”

340. Home

Did you know the Arctic Tern, that lives about seven degrees south of the North Pole, leaves its home every year and flies all the way to Antarctica and back, some 23,000 miles in all. Why does the bird do that.. Is it looking for a better place to live? A better climate? Is Antarctica really that much better? But that's not the point. The point is that the bird returns home, home to its special place near the North Pole. It flies all that distance and returns to just the same spot it once left. Somehow, the Arctic Tern possesses the ability to fly halfway around the globe and return home every year.

You know that the salmon leaves her little mountain stream as a fingerling and swims, perhaps hundreds of miles, to the ocean where she lives. Then, when it's time to lay eggs, she swims back to her place of birth. She somehow finds just the right river, and all of the correct tributaries and streams and creeks until she arrives home. It's the trip of a lifetime, one she may not survive. But she presses on, somehow knowing just the right paths to take along the way. Like the arctic tern, the salmon possesses a built-in ability to find her way home.

So it is with humans. Not in a physical sense, for many of us can't get anywhere without a map. But we have a built-in ability to successfully navigate the twists and turns of life. We may not be able to find our actual address, but we know when we are “home” and when it doesn't feel like “home”. And whenever we find God, or rather, when He finds us, we really discover that we are “home”.

341. Are you on Target?

Matt Emmons had the gold medal in sight. He was one shot away from claiming victory in the 2004 Olympics 50-metre, three-position rifle event. He didn't even need a bull's-eye to win. His final shot merely needed to be on target.

Normally, the shot he made would have received a score of 8.1, more than enough for a gold medal. But in what was described as "an extremely rare mistake in elite competition," Emmons fired at the wrong target. Standing in lane two, he fired at the target in lane three. His score for a good shot at the wrong target? Zero. Instead of a medal, Emmons ended up in eighth place. It doesn't matter how accurate you are if you are aiming at the wrong goal.

342. The Power of Fear and Faith

Fear imprisons, Faith liberates. Fear paralyzes, Faith empowers

Fear disheartens, Faith encourages Fear sickens, Faith heals

Fear makes useless, Faith makes serviceable

Fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while Faith rejoices in its God.

343. Got any Rivers?

“Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?”

This was called the “Song of the Panama Canal builders”. The Panama Canal took 10 years and $380M to build and was completed in 1914. The 82 kms canal saves a treacherous voyage around Cape Horn and more than 12,000 kms. Steam shovels and dredges were used to build the canal through jungles, swamps and through hills. The US construction used a `jingle' to promote their achievement; one line in the jingle was, “we can do what no other can do”. This so challenged a songwriter that he re-wrote the song with Christian words.

344. Grandparents

Never have children, only grandchildren. My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world. And after two or three hours with them, I believe it, too. An hour with your grandchildren can make you feel young again. Anything longer than that, and you start to age quickly. If I had known how wonderful it would be to have grandchildren, I'd have had them first.

345. Five Phases of Grief

These phases are often experienced in the sequence described below, but individuals can cycle through these feelings in a different order, and can return to previous phases as grief is processed. It is also entirely possible to feel more than one emotion simultaneously, perhaps to a greater or lesser degree.

Phase 1 Denial

Upon hearing bad news, the most common reaction is a feeling of numbness or shock. We may experience disbelief: "That is not possible . . . there must be some mistake . . . you must have the wrong person, the wrong medical records . . . that can't be true or happen to me!" The mind-body has incredible defense mechanisms. If we pretend that something isn't true, then somehow the blow is softened. At any moment, our loved one could reappear, or so we imagine. Time seems to briefly suspend itself, at least until the cruel reality of the truth sets in.

Phase 2 Anger

We may get angry at the messenger who delivers the news, the doctor, the person who caused us this pain (even if that person has deceased), at anyone we hold responsible for our grief, even at God. This reaction is perfectly understandable. There is a need to know why this happened and whether the loss could have been prevented. "Who is at fault?" we question. Somehow pointing the finger allows us to divert the pain from the core of our being where it rises up and threatens to overwhelm us. Others may turn their anger inwards and blame themselves for what happened.

Phase 3 Bargaining

We may try to negotiate the situation, either with another person involved, or with God: "Please give me one more chance and I promise things will be better . . . I will change . . . If you will reverse this, then I will ___ in return." This is kind of magical thinking where we believe our actions will meet with the desired outcome. Some people attempt to strike a deal with their Higher Power: to stop smoking, to find more time to spend with family, to offer an apology that's long overdue. At some point, though, we face our limitations in holding up our end of the deal. No matter what we say or do, the bitter truth is that things will not go back to the way they were before. And that's when the next phase hits.

Phase 4 Depression

When we realize the loss is real and unchanging, we may sink into a deep sorrow. Though Dr. Kübler-Ross dubbed this phase `depression,' it is more accurate to describe as a combination of loss and loneliness and perhaps hopelessness. We may feel remorse or regret, rehearsing over and over what we could have done differently. Or perhaps we feel guilty that we are still able to enjoy life while our loved one no longer can. This intense experience of sadness leaves us with sparse energy for housework or outside activities. It is common to find ourselves sobbing over the smallest little thing or crying for days on end. Whether or not we have a terminal illness, we may feel our life is over. Some may consider or attempt ending their lives.

Phase 5 Acceptance

Time, in and of itself, will not heal our wounds. We may miss being able to share our life with that person, no matter how long it's been since they passed away. We don't have to forget how much our loved one means to us in order to move on. If we can come to terms with the reality of the situation, recognize it as a fact of our lives, and gradually let go of the struggle against the tide of emotions that we experience, we can move beyond our suffering. Even with our new circumstances, we can find peace within ourselves.

346. Early Cell Phones

After having dug to a depth of 10 meters last year, Scottish scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 100 years and came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the Scots, in the weeks that followed, British scientists dug to a depth of 20 meters, and shortly after, headlines in the UK newspapers read: "British archaeologists have found traces of 200 year old copper wire and have concluded that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the Scots."

One week later, a Dublin newspaper reported the following: "After digging as deep as 30 meters in corn fields south of Dublin, Seamus Gallagher, a self taught archeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing.  Seamus concluded that 300 years ago the Irish were already using cell phones.

347. How to Improve Your Vision

The English word "thanks" comes from the same root word as "think." But they not only share a similar background, they are related in another way. It seems the more we think, the more we thank. One woman illustrated the how thinking and thanking are related in a visit to the eye doctor.

She complained to her ophthalmologist that, as she grew older, her eyesight was getting worse. He examined her eyes and could not be encouraging about the future of her eyesight. But to his surprise, she did not seem to be upset. She told him all she was grateful for: her deceased husband; her children and their families; her friends; the many years she has enjoyed upon this earth; her vast library of memories. She had done a great deal of thinking about these things. "My eyesight is getting worse," she summarized, "but I'm not going to fret over that."

Her doctor later made this observation: "Her eyesight is poor, but her vision is better than most people." She clearly saw what many never see, all the good in her life. And she was content.

When we take time to think, and make time to thank, we see more clearly. It sounds like a good way to improve your vision.

348. The Final Word on Nutrition

An exhaustive review has provided the final word on nutrition and health:

1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

5. Germans drink beer, eat sausages and fat yet suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is what kills you.

349. God Answers Prayer

George Benfield, a driver on the Midland Railway, living at Derby, was standing on the footplate oiling his engine, the train being stationary, when his foot slipped; he fell on the space between the lines. He heard the express coming on, and had only time enough to lie full length between the tracks, when the approaching train rushed over him, and he escaped unhurt. He returned to his home in the middle of the night and as he was going up-stairs he heard one of his children, a girl about eight years old, crying and sobbing. "Oh, father," she said, "I thought somebody came and told me that you were going to be killed, and I got out of bed and prayed that God would not let you die." Was it only a dream, a coincidence? George Benfield and others believed
that he owed his life to that prayer.

350. What's in the Cupboard

The LA Times reported an elderly couple had been found dead in their apartment with no suspicious circumstances. An autopsy showed that both had died of malnutrition. When police examined their apartment, in one of the cupboards they found more than $40,000 in cash. Wealthy but dead from malnutrition!

351. The World's Greatest Miser

Hetty Green is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's greatest miser. In the late 1800s she inherited more than $10M from her family and immediately invested the money in stocks and shares. She only ever lived in rented accommodation, and only ever rode public transport. She would scan the newspaper for any special offers, clipping coupons and discount vouchers. Her diet consisted of cold porridge as she considered heating food was an unnecessary waste of money.

When Hetty's son injured his knee she refused to seek medical advice and treated it herself. Two years later when the knee had grown much worse, Hetty dressed her son and herself in rags and went to a medical centre pleading poverty and requesting free treatment. But she was recognised; when the medical centre informed her she would be required to pay for the treatment, she took her son home untreated. One year later the leg had to be amputated.

When she died her fortune was in excess of $100M. But the circumstances of death are amazing; she died in a fit of rage during an argument about the advantages of skim milk over whole milk. The world's greatest miser!

352. Heaven's Bank

In the Great Depression of the 1930s, many banks in the USA would only permit from any account a maximum withdrawal of 10% of the total funds. They had insufficient cash reserves to cover every account and feared a “run on the bank”.

Heaven's Bank has no such restrictions. Whatever promise you claim; whatever Word from God you stand on; whatever dream from Heaven you possess; God's Bank will always honour. There is never any shortage of funds.

353. Don't Leave Home without Him

A young ensign had nearly completed his first overseas tour of sea duty when he was given an opportunity to display his ability at getting the ship under way. With a stream of crisp commands, he had the decks buzzing with men. The ship steamed out of the channel and soon the port was far behind.

The ensign's efficiency has been remarkable. In fact, the deck was abuzz with talk that he had set a new record for getting a destroyer under way. The ensign glowed at his accomplishment and was not all surprised when another seaman approached him with a message from the captain.

He was, however, a bit surprised to find that it was a radio message, and he was even more surprised when he read, "My personal congratulations upon completing your underway preparation exercise according to the book and with amazing speed. In your haste, however, you have overlooked one of the unwritten rules; make sure the captain is aboard before leaving port."

354. Once for all time

Names like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods roll from the lips of those who talk about golf's premier event, the Masters. One name that will probably never surface in a conversation about golfing legends is Doug Ford. Few people would have any idea that Ford won the 1957 Masters. He never won another green jacket and he hasn't made the cut since 1971 (four years before Tiger Woods was born), but he is invited to play in the Masters every year. The Masters' rules include a lifetime invitation to every champion of the event. Ford only won the tournament once, hasn't qualified with his golf skills in nearly three decades, and hasn't been able to break par in the event since 1958. Nonetheless, he gets to play in the tournament every year because on one single occasion he won the jacket. Our salvation is similarly linked to a single event. Christ's work on the cross was a one shot deal. He died once so that all could live eternally.

355. The Next Challenge

A sports writer was invited for dinner at the residence of golfing legend Arnold Palmer. He arrived a bit early and Mrs. Palmer met him, invited him in, and said her husband would be down in a moment.

The writer asked if, while he was waiting, he could see Palmer's trophy room. She replied, “Oh, we don't have such a room.” That night, the writer asked the golf pro why he didn't have all his trophies on display, over 90 tour victories, a number of them major tournaments.

 

Palmer looked the columnist right in the eye and replied, “What for? That's yesterday's news!” Then he explained: “I have enjoyed every victory and cherished the memories. I have celebrated those tournaments. But come Monday morning of the next week, I'm no different from the man who missed the cut last week. In fact, he is probably more hungry for a victory than I. So if I am to be competitively ready, I must get my thoughts off yesterday and deal with today. There will be a day when I can take the time to look back. But as long as I want to stay competitive, I must never stop and marvel at what I have accomplished, only look forward to my next challenge at hand.”

356. Dead or Alive

Live Churches	Dead Churches
Constantly changing	Never need to change
Many noisy children	Fairly quiet
Expenses often greater than income	Income always greater than expenses
Constantly improve for the future	Worship their past
Move forward in faith	Operate totally by sight
Focus on people	Focus on programs
The people who attend tithe	The people who attend tip
Dream great dreams for God	Relive their nightmares
“Can't” isn't in their dictionary	“Can't” is most frequently used
Evangelise	Fossilise

                                   

357. A Face in the Crowd

If you were to look at Rembrandt's painting of The Three Crosses, your attention would be drawn first to the centre cross on which Jesus died. Then as you would look at the crowd gathered around the foot of that cross, you'd be impressed by the various facial expressions and actions of the people involved in the awful crime of crucifying the Son of God. Finally, your eyes would drift to the edge of the painting and catch sight of another figure, almost hidden in the shadows. Art critics say this is a representation of Rembrandt himself, for he recognized that by his sins he helped nail Jesus.

358. Russian Dolls

David Ogilvy, founder of giant advertising agency, Ogilvy and Mather, used to give each new manager a Russian doll, which contained five progressively smaller dolls inside. A message inside the smallest one read: "If each of us hires people we consider smaller than ourselves, we shall become a company of dwarves. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we will become a company of giants."

359. Patience in Prayer

When the idea is not right, God says, “NO”

No - when the idea is not the best.

No - when the idea is absolutely wrong.

No - when though it may help you, it would create problems for someone else.

 

When the time is not right, God says, “SLOW”

What a catastrophe if God answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers.

Do you know what would happen?

God would become your servant, not your master.

God would be working for you instead of you working for God.

 

When you are not right, God says, “GROW”

The selfish person has to grow in unselfishness.

The cautious person must grow in courage.

The timid person must grow in confidence

The dominating person must grow in sensitivity.

The critical person must grow in tolerance.

The negative person must grow in positive attitudes.

The pleasure-seeking person must grow in compassion for suffering people.

 

When everything is all right, God says, “GO”

Then miracles happen:

A hopeless alcoholic is set free.

A drug addict finds release.

A doubter becomes a child in his belief.

Diseased tissue responds to treatment, and healing begins.

The door to your dream suddenly swings open and there is God saying, “GO!”

 Remember:
  God's delays are not God's denials.

God's timing is perfect.

Patience is what we need in prayer.

360 Overcoming Worry

J. Arthur Rank, an English executive, decided to do all his worrying on one day each week. He chose Wednesdays. When anything happened that gave him anxiety and annoyed his ulcer, he would write it down and put it in his worry box and forget about it until next Wednesday. The interesting thing was that on the following Wednesday when he opened his worry box, he found that most of the things that had disturbed him the past six days were already settled. It would have been useless to have worried about them.

361. That's What Friends are For

The North American Indians had no written language before they met the white man. Their language, however, was far from primitive. Many of the Indians had as many words in their vocabulary as their English and French exploiters. Some of their words were much more picturesque, too. For example, "friend" to the Indians was "one-who-carries-my-sorrows-on-his-back."

362. The Economy of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger and the cost of hatred. Forgiveness conserves time and energy, preserves our emotional strength and relieves the pain of bruised friendship and fractured relationships.

363. Cross Cultural Communications

Travelling through Spain, my friend and I walked into a shop that had the most gorgeous coats. As we tried a few on, we noticed the odd looks we were getting from the shopkeepers. One kind, English-speaking patron took pity on us: "Excuse me," she said. "This is a dry cleaners."

364. Trapped!

Long ago, there was a village blacksmith who boasted of his invincible strength.  He proudly declared he could break anyone's chains.  When strong steel links were brought to him, he found the weakest link and easily snapped the metal.

One day, the blacksmith broke the law and was put into chains. He scoffed at his jailers. Didn't they know his incredible power? Carefully he sifted through the links, again and again... unable to find the usual flaw. Then, in horror he realized he'd been bound by his own chains!

365. Values

Master Violinist Joshua Bell emerged from the Metro and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript, a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money and began to play.

For the next 45 minutes, in the D.C. Metro on January 12, 2007, Bell played Mozart and Schubert as over 1,000 people streamed by, most hardly taking notice. If they would have, they might have recognized the young man for the world-renowned violinist he is. They also may have noted the violin he played-a rare Stradivari worth over $3 million. It was all part of a project, an experiment in context, perception, and
priorities; in a banal setting, at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?"

Just three days earlier, Joshua Bell sold out Boston Symphony Hall, with ordinary seats going for $100. In the subway, Bell garnered about $32 from the 27 people who stopped long enough to give a donation.

366. Shooting at the Saints

During the Napoleonic War a British warship was stationed off the Spanish coast blockading the harbour of a large city. The ship's captain was an avid non-conformist. Scanning the port through his telescope he noticed a particular church with a row of saints adorning its roof. The non-conformist captain called for his master gunner and instructed him to take aim at the figures on the roof. Using the long range canon, the gunner sent several salvos at the church. But the figures proved difficult to hit. For more than a month, each morning the eccentric captain ordered more target practice on the roof top figures. When a look-out noticed two French frigates approaching, the captain called the crew to battle stations. His lieutenant reported they were severely short on canon balls and gunpowder. They had used most of their resources “shooting at the saints” so when the real enemy came they were unarmed and vulnerable.

367. Gossip

My Name Is Gossip, I have no respect for justice, I maim without killing, I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted the more I am believed; I flourish at every level of society.

My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face. To track me down is impossible, the harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody's friend.

Once I tarnish a reputation it is never the same. I topple governments, ruin marriages. end ministries set up by God. I ruin careers and bring sleepless nights. I cause heartache and indigestion; I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses, I am called Gossip; Church gossip; Office gossip; Shop gossip; Party gossip; Telephone gossip; Online gossip.

Before you repeat a story, ask yourself, Is It True? Is It Fair? Is It Necessary? Would I Want It Said About Me?

368. A Good Name

Toward the end of the nineteenth century Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel awoke one morning to read his own obituary in the local newspaper: "Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, who died yesterday, devised a way for more people to be killed in a war than ever before, and he died a very rich man." Actually, it was Alfred's older brother who had died. A newspaper reporter had bungled the epitaph.

But the account had a profound effect on Nobel. He decided he wanted to be known for something other than developing the means to kill people efficiently and for amassing a fortune in the process. So he initiated the Nobel Prize - the award for scientists and writers who foster peace. Nobel said, `'Every man ought to have the chance to correct his epitaph in midstream and write a new one."

It's not too late to begin writing your epitaph. Strive to leave a legacy that will bring others to Jesus. Ask the Lord to make your life a testimony of His love and grace to those around you and those you leave behind.

369. Making Mistakes

Are you afraid to make a mistake? Some people feel as if no one is ever paying attention until they make a mistake! If you goofed in a big way recently, maybe you need to hear about Roy Riegels.

The story is told about Roy and the 1929 Rose Bowl championship football game between Georgia Tech and the University of California. Shortly before halftime, a man named Roy Riegels made a huge mistake. He got the ball for California and somehow became confused and started running in the wrong direction! One of his teammates outdistanced him and tackled him after he had run 65 yards, just before he would have scored for the opposing team. Of course, Georgia Tech gained a
distinct advantage through the error.

The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. All but Riegels sat down on the benches and on the floor. He wrapped his blanket around his shoulders, sat in a corner, put his face in his hands and wept. Coach Nibbs Price struggled with what to do with Roy. He finally looked at the team and said simply, "Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second."

All the players except Roy trotted out to the field. He didn't budge. Though the coach looked back and called to him again, he remained huddled in the corner. Coach Price went to him and said, "Roy, didn't you hear me?" "Coach," he said, "I can't do it. I've ruined you; I've ruined the school; I've ruined myself. I couldn't face that crowd in the stadium to save my life."

But Coach Price put his hand on Riegels' shoulder and said, "Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over." Roy Riegels went back and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as well as Roy Riegels played that
second half. The next time you make a mistake, it might be good to remember the ABC method of handling mistakes.

A. Acknowledge your error and accept responsibility for it. Don't try to fix the blame on other people or circumstances. When you fix the blame, you never fix the problem.

B. Be gentle with yourself. The game is only half over. This is not the first mistake you ever made, nor will it be the last. You are still a good and caring person. Besides, later you may laugh at the blunder, so try to lighten up a bit now.

C. Correct it and move on. Correcting mistakes may also mean to make amends, if necessary. "Those who are wise don't consider it a blessing to make no mistakes," says Wang Yang-Ming. "They believe instead that the great virtue is the ability to correct mistakes and to continually reinvent oneself."

370. Take Time - Make Time

Take time to learn, It is a sign of greatness.
Take time to think, It is a source of power.
Take time to plan, It is the first step to fulfillment.
Take time to work, It is the price of success.
Take time to dream, It is the fountain of achievement.
Take time to act, It is an expression of belief in oneself.
Take time to give, It is a symbol of maturity.
Take time to smile, It is the window of the soul.
Take time to love, It is a gift of God.

371. The Top Ten Reasons why people worry

Here are the top ten reasons middle-aged people worry:
1. Concern about weight 2. Health of a family member
3. Rising prices 4. House maintenance
5. Too much to do 6. Misplacing or losing things
7. Outside or yard maintenance 8. Property, investments, and taxes
9. Crime 10. Physical appearance

372. So You Think You Know Everything
“Stewardesses” is the longest word typed with only the left hand and “lollipop” with your right.
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
“Dreamt” is the only English word that ends in the letters “mt”.
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
The sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” uses every letter of the alphabet.
The words `racecar,' `kayak' and `level' are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
There are only four words in the English language which end in `dous', tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: “abstemious” and “facetious”.
Typewriter is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
A `jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
A snail can sleep for three years. (I know some people that could do this too.)
Almonds are a member of the peach family.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
Babies are born without kneecaps They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.
There are more chickens than people in the world.
Winston Churchill was born in a ladies' room during a dance.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
Now you know everything!

373. A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted

A man was flying from Seattle to San Francisco. Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. The flight attendant explained that there would be a delay, and if the passengers wanted to get off the aircraft the plane would re-board in 50 minutes. Everybody got off the plane except one lady who was blind. The man had noticed her as he walked by and could tell the lady was blind because her Seeing Eye dog lay quietly underneath the seats in front of her throughout the entire flight.

He could also tell she had flown this very flight before because the pilot approached her, and calling her by name, said, "Kathy, we are in Sacramento for almost an hour. Would you like to get off and stretch your legs?" The blind lady replied, "No thanks, but maybe my dog would like to stretch his legs."  

Picture this: All the people in the gate area came to a complete stand  still when they looked up and saw the pilot walk off the plane with a Seeing Eye dog! The pilot was even wearing sunglasses. People scattered. They not only tried to change planes, but they were trying to change airlines! 

374. Marriage

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoebox in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about. For all of these years, he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoebox and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totalling $25,000. He asked her about the contents. “When we were to be married,” she said, “my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.”

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness. “Honey,” he said, “that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?”

“Oh,” she said, “That's the money I made from selling the dolls.”

375. Seven Reasons Not To Mess with Children

#1 A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah". The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".

#2 A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing.  She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl
replied, "They will in a minute."

#3 A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family)
answered, "Thou shall not kill."

#4 One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink.  She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"

#5 The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture. "Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's
Michael, He's a doctor.' A small voice at the back of the room rang out, "And there's the teacher, she's dead."

#6 A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face." "Yes," the class said. "Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?" A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."

#7 The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch.  At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.  The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take all you want.  God is watching the apples.

376. Count Your Blessings

At a nursing home in Miami, Florida, a group of senior citizens were sitting around talking about their ailments: "My arms are so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee," said one. "Yes, I know. My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my coffee," replied another. "I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a third, to which several nodded weakly in agreement. "My blood pressure pills make me dizzy," another went on. "I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head. Then there was a short moment of silence. "Well, it's not that bad," said one woman cheerfully. "At least we can all still drive."

377. A Mother's Love

Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of South Wales, carrying her tiny baby in her arms, when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination and when the blizzard was over her body was found by searchers beneath a mound of snow. But they discovered that before her death, she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. When they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had mounded her body over his and given her life for her child, proving the depths of her mother love. Years later that child, David Lloyd George, grown to manhood, became prime minister of Great Britain, and, without doubt, one of England's greatest statesmen.

378. The Proverbial Light Bulb

How many magicians does it take to change a light bulb?

Change it into what?

How many nuclear engineers does it take to change a light bulb?

None. People who already glow in the dark don't need light bulbs.

How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?

How many can you afford?

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?

Just one, but it has to “really” want to change.

379. Faith Lives

In his May 1, 2002 church newsletter, Pastor Victor Pentz of Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, tells about the time that then Vice President George H.W. Bush represented the United States at the funeral of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

"Bush later told how he was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhenev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed. In the midst of the funeral for the head of state of the Soviet Union, she reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest."

"In this citadel of atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped her husband was wrong. She hoped there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who dies on the cross."

380. That's Leadership

The company had hired a new CEO to shake things up, and he immediately calls a major staff meeting. As the meeting was getting ready to start, the CEO notices a young man leaning against the wall, clearly caught up in his own daydreams. The CEO marched over to him and barked, "How much money do you make in a week?" Shocked, the young man nervously answered, "About $300 a week."

The CEO pulls out his own wallet, rips out twelve $100 bills, hands them to the young man and says, "Here's four weeks pay. Now get out of here and don't come back!" Knowing he now has everyone's attention, the CEO turns and asks the group, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-off did around here?" With a sheepish grin, a secretary mutters, "He's the pizza delivery guy from Domino's."

381. Make Friends, Not War

A knight returned to his castle at twilight. He was a mess. His armour was dented, his helmet askew, his face was bloody, his horse was limping and he listed to one side in the saddle. His lord met him at the gate, asking, "What has befallen you, Sir Knight?"
Straightening himself up as best he could, he replied, "Oh, Sire, I have been labouring in your service, robbing and burning and pillaging your enemies to the west."

"You have been what?" cried the startled nobleman. "But I haven't any enemies to the west!" "Oh!" said the knight. And then, after a pause, "Well, I think you do now."

382 Perspective

Each afternoon the factory worker would sweep up a boxful of sawdust, place the box in a wheelbarrow and make his way to the front gate. Each day the security guard would ask, “OK, what's in the box?” “Sawdust I swept off the floor, it helps in the garden” came the reply. Each day the security guard would search through the box and find only sawdust.

This went on for several weeks. Exasperated the security guard asked, “There is something going on here but I can't figure it out. You have my word, I will not report you, what are you stealing?” “Wheelbarrows” came the reply.

383 Memories

The man looked a little worried when the doctor came in to take his annual physical, so the first thing the doctor did was to ask whether anything was troubling him.
"Well, to tell the truth, Doc, yes," answered the patient. "You see, I seem to be getting forgetful. No, it's actually worse than that. I can never remember where I park my car, where I'm going, or what it is I'm going to do once I get there -- if I get there.
So, I really need your help. What can I do?" The doctor mused for a moment, then answered kindly, "Pay me in advance."

384. Scars can Become Stars

In the 1950s, the family that owned the farm kept a bull chained to the elm. The bull paced around the tree, dragging a heavy iron chain with him, which scraped a trench in the bark about three feet off ground. The trench deepened over the years, though for whatever reason, did not kill the tree. After some years, the family sold the farm and took their bull. They cut the chain, leaving the loop around the tree and one link hanging down. Over the years, bark slowly covered the rusting chain.

Then one year, agricultural catastrophe struck Michigan in the form of Dutch Elm Disease. It left a path of death across vast areas. All of the elms lining the road leading to the farm became infected and died. Everyone figured that old, stately elm would be next. There was no way the tree could last, between the encroaching fungus and its chain belt strangling its trunk.

The farm's owners considered doing the safe thing: pulling it out and chopping it into firewood before it died and blew over onto the barn in a storm. But they simply could not bring themselves to do it; it was as if the old tree was a family friend. So they decided to let nature take its course. Amazingly, the tree did not die. Year after year it thrived. Nobody understood why it was the only elm still standing in the county!

Plant pathologists from Michigan State University came out to observe the tree. They observed the scar left by the iron chain, now almost completely covered by bark and badly corroded. The experts decided that it was the chain that saved the elm's life. They reasoned that the tree must have absorbed so much iron from the rusting chain, that it became immune to the fungus.

It's said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. Or, as Ernest Hemingway put it, "Life breaks us all, but afterwards, many of us are strongest at the broken places." The next time you're in Beulah, Michigan, look for that beautiful elm. It spans 60 feet across its lush, green crown. The trunk is about 12 feet in circumference. Look for the wound made by the chain. It serves as a reminder that because of our wounds, we can have hope! Our wounds can give us resources we need to cope and survive. They can truly make us strong.

385. Communication

The following is an ad that appeared four days in a row in a real-life newspaper -- the last three hopelessly trying to correct the first day's mistake.

MONDAY: For sale: R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Phone [phone] after 7 PM and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with him cheap.

TUESDAY Notice: We regret having erred in R.D. Jones' ad yesterday. It should have read "One sewing machine for sale cheap. Phone [phone] and ask for Mrs. Kelly, who lives with him after 7 PM."

WEDNESDAY Notice: R.D. Jones has informed us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of the error we made in the classified ad yesterday. The ad stands correct as follows: "For sale: R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Cheap. Phone [phone] after 7 PM and ask for Mrs. Kelly who loves with him."

THURSDAY Notice: I, R.D. Jones, have no sewing machine for sale. I smashed it. Don't call 948-0707 as I have had the phone disconnected. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Kelly. Until yesterday she was my housekeeper but she quit!

386. How to Survive the Fire

A family lost everything in a horrific fire. As they stood in the ashes of what had been their family home, it appeared that everything had gone. But several pieces of pottery survived, the glaze showed the evidence of the fire, but the pottery was intact. The reason is simple, it had already been through the fire, the intense heat of the kiln had made it impervious to the later fire. James wrote, “Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Peter added, “For a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, these have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, that your faith may prove genuine and may result in praise.”

387. To Know the Love of Christ

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world was the temple of Diana at Ephesus. Tourists would could to admire the architecture and magnificent structure, and the citizens of Ephesus took great pleasure and pride in particularly pointing out to their visitors the depths of the foundations, the width and length of the building, and the height of the structure.

Paul writes to Ephesians about those same dimensions, “I want you to know the love of Christ, that is greater and higher and longer and wider and deeper; that is beyond our natural ability to comprehend.

Diana's building remains in the ancient world, it is just ruins and memories. But the love of Christ endures, it is never every morning, it grows wider and longer and higher and deeper every day.

388. The Trans Atlantic Cable

When they laid the cable on the sea bed of the north Atlantic, they discovered several places where the sea bed disappeared into deep canyons of water. One several occasions they would lower the fathoming line into such a canyon; they would let down the line an extra thousands fathoms, then another and another. When they had released the fathoming line an additional six thousand fathoms below the ocean floor, they would declare that canyon was fathomless, so deep it was beyond their ability to plunge. The love of Christ is deeper than the oceans, (Ephesians 3:18). The forgiveness is God is deeper than the oceans, (Micah 7:19)

389. Memories

A couple in their nineties is having problems remembering things, so they decide to the go the doctor for a checkup. The doctor tells them that they are physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember. Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. His wife asks, "Where are you going?" "To the kitchen," he replies. She asks, " Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?" The husband says, "Sure." She gently reminds him, "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" He says, "No, I can remember that!" She then says, "Well, I'd like some strawberries on top. You'd better write it down 'cause I know you'll forget it." He says, "I can remember that! You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries." She adds, "I'd also like whipped cream. Now I'm certain you'll forget that, so you'd better write it down." Irritated, he says, "I don't need to write it down! I can remember that! Ice cream with strawberries! And whipped cream!" He then grumbles into the kitchen.

After about 20 minutes the old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment and says, "Where's my toast?"

390. Old Age

Three elderly gents were talking about what their grandchildren would be saying about them fifty years from now. "I would like my grandchildren to say, 'He was successful in business,'" declared the first man. "Fifty years from now," said the second, "I want them to say, 'He was a loyal family man.'" Turning to the third gent, he asked, "So what do you want them to say about you in fifty years?" "Me?" the third one replied. "I want them to say, 'He certainly looks good for his age.'"

391. Fire in the Heart

When a group of two hundred executives were asked what makes a person successful, 80% listed enthusiasm as the most im­portant quality. More important than skill. More important than training. Even more important than experience.

Before water will produce enough steam to power an engine, it must boil. The steam engine won't move a train an inch until the steam gauge registers 212 degrees. Likewise, the person with­out enthusiasm is trying to move the machinery of life with lukewarm water. Only one thing will happen: that person will stall.

En­thusiasm is electricity in the battery. It's the vigor in the air. It's the warmth in the fire. It's the breath in all things alive. Successful people are enthusi­as­tic about what they do. Good work is never done in cold blood, heat is needed to forge any­thing. Every great achievement is the story of a flaming heart.

392. The More

The more generous we are, the more joyous we become.

The more cooperative we are, the more valuable we become.

The more enthusiastic we are, the more productive we become.

The more serving we are, the more prosperous we become.

The more outgoing we are, the more helpful we become.

The more curious we are, the more creative we become.

The more patient we are, the more understanding we become.

The more persistent we are, the more successful we become.

William Arthur Ward

393. A Little Faith

The temporary church-school teacher was struggling to open a combination lock on the supply cupboard. She thought that perhaps she'd forgotten the correct combination, so she went to the pastor's study and asked for help.

The minister came into the room and began to turn the dial. After the first two numbers he paused and stared blankly for a moment. Then he lifted his eyes upward and whispered something too faint to be heard. He finally turned back to the lock, entered the final number and opened it.

The teacher was amazed. "I'm in awe at your faith, Pastor," she said. "It's really nothing," he answered. "The number is taped to the ceiling."

394. Your Sword First

Nelson, the great admiral, always treated his defeated foes with great kindness and courtesy. Ofter one of his naval victories, the defeated admiral was brought aboard Nelson's flagship. Knowing Nelson's reputation for courtesy and thinking to trade on it, he advanced across the quarter-deck with hand outstretched as if to shake hands with an equal. Nelson's hand remained by his side, “Your sword first” he said, “and then your hand.” Before we can be friends with Christ, we must submit to Christ.

395. When the Sun doesn't Shine

Many Warsaw Jews died during the German occupation of their city during World War II. But some survived, and some were sustained by faith. During those dark years, an unknown hand wrote this graffiti on a Warsaw ghetto wall:

I believe in the sun, even if it does not shine.
I believe in love, even if I do not feel it.
I believe in God, even if I do not see Him.

396. Oysters are a Health Risk

Paddy was a fit and hard working Irishman at a coastal village in Ireland. Daily he would pole a heavy old punt out to sea then work a heavy iron grapple to bring up the sand oysters which he sold to the local ice works. He was a man of regular habits and he always arrived home each day at a certain time. Sadly, as the years passed, Paddy did not realise the heavy grappling was taking a toll on a faulty heart.

One day he failed to come home so his wife contacted the police to investigate him being missing. They rowed out and found Paddy dead in the punt beside him a huge grapple full of oysters he'd tried to hoist aboard. Headlines next day in the 'Irish Times Newspaper' read, “Oysters Kilpatrick!”

397 Authority

A government vehicle pulled up in front of the farmhouse and an official looking man stepped out with brief case in hand. “Sir, I am from the Department of Main Roads, we are acquiring your lower field, we are extending the freeway and require some of your land. You'll be fully compensated.” The farmer was too stunned to reply, so the official continued, “I need to do a preliminary survey of the field, I won't take long.”

“Oh no” replied the farmer, “you can't go down there.” The government man was quick to reply, “I can go down there and I will go down there.” “No,” said the farmer, “I can't let you.” The official extracted from his brief case a sheath of government papers. “This is my authority; I can go anywhere I like on your land!” “But I don't want you to go into the lower field,” was the stubborn response. The official waved a piece of paper saying, “This is my authority!” and stormed off to the field.

A few minutes later the farmer heard some a commotion from the nearby field. His prize stud bull had bailed up the government man in the paddock and was snorting and stamping at him. “Help!” cried the official. “Show him your authority” replied the farmer.

398 Get Out of Here!

Smith Wigglesworth, the famed British preacher of the last century tells this story. Smith was waiting at a bus stop one morning when a woman joined the queue. But she had been followed by her puppy. The woman turned to the young dog and shouted, “Go home!” But the puppy retreated just a few metres; so the woman repeated her command, but louder this time, “Go home! Get out of here!” When the dog still refused to obey, the woman then stamped her feet, “Go! Go home! Get out of here.” “Now that” observed Smith, “is exactly how we should treat the devil!”

399 Using the Ability We Have

A particular man played piano in a bar. He was a good piano player. People came out just to hear him and his combo play. But one night, a patron wanted them to sing a particular song. The trio didn't sing much and declined. But the customer was persistent. He told the bartender, "I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want that guy to sing!" The bartender shouted across the room, "Hey buddy! If you want to get
paid, sing the song. The patrons are asking you to sing!"

So he did. He sang a song. A jazz piano player who had never sung the song in public did so for the very first time. And nobody had ever heard Sweet Lorraine sung the way it was sung that night by Nat King Cole.

He had talent he was sitting on. He may have lived the rest of his life playing in a jazz trio in no-name bars, but because he had to sing, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.

You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel as if your "talent" is particularly great, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence, most skills can be improved. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you possess. Some people ask, "What ability do I have that is useful?" But the better question is: "How will I use the ability that I have?"

400. Throwing an Inkpot at the Devil

To this day you can see an ink-strain on the wall of Luther's room in the Castle of the Wartburg in Germany. Sometimes temptation can be so real it seems that the devil himself is the room. Don't submit, resist him! But don't throw an ink-pot; throw what the ink has written. Jesus overcame by the Word of God; we overcome by the word of our testimony. Resist him, he has to flee!

401. You Learn more from Sorrow than from Success

I walked a mile with Pleasure, she chattered all the way,

But left me none the wiser, for all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow, and never a word she said,

But of the things I learned from her, when Sorrow walked with me

402. Calvary

At the cross, man crucified Christ, the most perfect, lovely and righteous One in the whole universe. We smashed Him against the cross thinking we had destroyed His power.

At the cross, God crucified sin, the most imperfect, ugly and evil thing in the universe. And He smashed it against the cross and totally destroyed its power for ever.

403. He has done me no wrong

One of the most famous of all martyrs was Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna. A mob dragged him to the tribunal of the Roman magistrate. He was given the inevitable choice - sacrifice to the godhead of Caesar or die. “Eighty six years have I served Christ, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme the king who has saved me?”

404 Famous Last Words

When William Tyndale was tied to the stake he was given one last opportunity to recant. Tyndale had been converted at university and immediately became aware of the plight of the common man in England. At that time, all church services were in Latin and the only Bible was the Vulgate, also in Latin. Tyndale decided to translate the Bible into English, then publish and distribute the copies near and far. He was severely opposed and forced into exile. The organised church banned Tyndale's Bible and burned them in bonfires. For every one they burned, he printed two!

Finally he was arrested, brought to trial and sentenced to be burned at the stake. When given the opportunity to recant, his last words were, “Lord, open the King of England's eyes.”

Within three years of Tyndale's death, Henry VIII ordered that a copy of Miles Coverdales English Bible be placed in every church in the land. Coverdale has based his version on Tyndales translation; Coverdale's version became the basis of the the King James Version.

Henry's proclamation so enraged the organised church, they dug up Tyndale's bones and burnt them again! But every time we read the Bible in our own language, Tyndale's work lives on.

405 The Birds and the Bees

A father decided it was time to have "the talk" with his ten-year-old son. Sitting the boy down, he thought it best to first find out what his son might already know. So he asked his son if he knew about "the birds and the bees".

"I don't want to know," his son replied, bursting into tears. "Promise you won't tell me. Please!" Confused by this reaction, the father asked his son what was wrong.

"Oh dad", the boy replied, in between sobs, "when I was six, I got the 'there's no Santa' speech. At seven I got the 'there's no Easter bunny' speech. When I was eight, you hit me with 'there's no Tooth Fairy' speech. If you are going to tell me now there's no such things as birds and bees I don't know what I will do!"

406 Off Course

The SS Glendale was wrecked off the Mull of Kintyre. The circumstances were unusual, the captain was experienced and very familiar with that part of the coast; the weather was fine and clear. At first there seemed no explanation for the catastrophe but at the enquiry it was discovered that part of the cargo was a large number of iron pillars that was placed too close to the ship's compass. The iron affected the compass that failed to give a true reading; this caused the ship to stray from the sea lane and be wrecked on rocks. What baggage and cargo do we carry that can lead us off course?

407 A Mother's Love

After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, keenly aware of impending disaster, had carried her offspring to the base of the tree and had gathered them under her wings, instinctively knowing that the toxic smoke would rise.
She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. Then the blaze had arrived and the heat had scorched her small body, the mother had remained steadfast, because she had been willing to die, so those under the cover of her wings would live. 'He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge.'
(Psalm 91:4)

408 Who Is This?

In chemistry, He turned water to wine.
In biology, He was born without the normal conception.
In physics, He disapproved the law of gravity when He ascended into heaven.
In economics, He disapproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5,000 men with two fishes and 5 loaves of bread.
In medicine, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs.
In history, He is the beginning and the end.
In government, He said that he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
In religion, He said no one comes to the Father except through him; So. Who is He? He is Jesus! The greatest man in history.

He had no servants, yet they called Him Master.
He had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.
He had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.
He had no army, yet kings feared Him.
He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

409 Rules for Christmas Food

1. If you eat shortbread or mince pies fresh from the oven, they have no calories because everyone knows that this is a test and thus calorie free.

2. If you drink a diet drink after eating shortbread or mince pies they have no calories because the diet drink cancels them out.

3. If a friend comes over while you're making shortbread or mince pies and needs to sample, you must sample them with your friend. Because your friend's Christmas fare is calorie free, (rule #1) yours is also. It would be rude to let your friend sample alone and, being the friend that you are, that makes your shortbread or mince pies calorie free.

4. Any Christmas food consumed while walking around will fall to your feet and eventually fall off as you move. This is due to gravity and the density of the caloric mass.
5. Christmas food eaten while watching "Miracle on 34th Street" have no calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel.
6. Broken pieces of shortbread and mince pies contain no calories because the process of breaking causes calorie leakage.

7. Any shortbread or mince pies consumed from someone else's plate have no calories since the calories rightfully belong to the other person and will cling to their plate. We all know how calories like to CLING!

8. Any shortbread or mince pies consumed while feeling stressed has no calories because the shortbread or mince pies are being used for medicinal purposes and as such NEVER have calories. It's a rule!

410 Jesus is Watching You

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said, “Jesus knows you're here.”

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued. Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, “Jesus is watching you.”

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot. “Did you say that?” he hissed at the parrot. “Yep”, the parrot confessed, then squawked, “I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.”

The burglar relaxed. “Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?” “Moses,” replied the bird. “Moses?” the burglar laughed. “What kind of people would name a bird Moses?”

“The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.”

411 Hospitals

A man telephoned St Mary's Hospital and asked to speak to Ward E2 as he was enquiring as to the progress of one of the patient's in that ward. He explained that he wanted to know if the patient was getting better, doing as expected or getting worse. A staff nurse answered the phone, “Hello, Ward E2. What is the name of the patient and his room number?”

”He is in bed 1, room 10,” came the reply, “and his name is Albert Brown.” “Could you hold the line for a moment,” the nurse asked, “while I check his records. Ah, yes, Mr Brown is doing well: blood pressure OK, blood test results appear normal, he's going to be taken off the heart monitor and if he continues to improve then Doctor Svoboda is going to send him home tomorrow at midday.”

”Oh, that's wonderful, amazing, I'm so pleased to hear the news; it really is fantastic, thank you so much.” “You sound so glad,” replied the nurse, “You are so enthusiastic, you must be a close friend or a relative of Mr Brown.” The man answered, “Not exactly, I'm Albert Brown in Ward E2, room 10, bed 1. Nobody in here ever tells me anything.”

412 Cold Humour

Did you ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica - where do they go? Wonder no more! It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life. The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintaining a form of compassionate contact with its offspring throughout its life.

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks, until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be rolled into and buried. The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing: “Freeze a jolly good fellow.”

413 We're Going on a Bear Hunt

There's this guy who shows up at a cabin where these hunters have gathered to hunt bear. Only he shows up without a gun. The other hunters are very curious. “How you gonna get a bear without a gun?” they ask. “Do you have a knife?” “No,” says the guy. “Do you have a club?” “No,” says the guy. “Don't you worry. I'm gonna get myself a bear. Just wait right here and see.”

The guy leaves the cabin and disappears into the hills for several hours. Eventually he happens upon a bear asleep in his den and he kicks the bear and gets it really angry. As the bear wakes up, he starts to chase after the guy, so the guy starts running back towards the cabin. Finally the hunters hear him running down the hill and yelling, “Open the cabin door! Open the door!” They open the door but at the last moment the guy steps aside. To the horror of the other hunters, an angry bear runs into the cabin. The guy shouts to them, “You skin that one. I'll go get another.”

414 Breakthrough

Before Roger Bannister broke the “four minute mile” it was said that this feat was a physical impossibility. That for a man to run a mile in less than four minutes would cause his heart to break out of his chest. On 6^th May 1954, Bannister broke through to run the mile in 3minutes. 59.4 seconds. 46 days later, John Landy lowered the record to 3minutes 58 seconds. John Walker, the famous NZ athlete, ran a sub 4 minute mile more than 100 times. On one occasion, in a race in New Orleans in 1974, 8 runners all ran the mile in less than 4 minutes. The person who breaks through sets the pace for others to follow, who in turn achieve more. By 1999, the record for running the mile had reduced to 3 minutes 43.13 seconds.

415 Strike it Rich

Mr Yates was an almost bankrupt Texas farmer in the 1930s. An oil company drilled an exploratory well on his land and struck oil, the largest strike in the world at that time producing 80,000 barrels a day. he near bankrupt became a billionaire overnight. When asked what it was like to be an instant billionaire, Yates replied, “I was always a billionaire, I just didn't know it.”

416 Are you sure you are sane?

During a visit to the mental asylum, I asked the director how you determine whether or not a patient should be institutionalized. “Well,” said the director, “we fill up a bathtub, and then we offer a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him or her to empty the bathtub.” “Oh, I understand,” I said. “A normal person would use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the teacup.” “No.” said the director, “A normal person would pull the plug. Do you want a bed near the window?”

417 Are you qualified to be a professional?

Test for Managers: the following short quiz consists of 4 questions and will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.

1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?

The correct answer is: Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?

Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator? Wrong! Correct answer: Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.

3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend.... except one. Which animal does not attend? Correct answer: The elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.

Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.

4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it? Correct answer: You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to Anderson Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers. Anderson Consulting says this conclusively disproves the theory that most professionals have the brains of a four-year-old.

418 Where are you from?

A man lay sprawled across three entire seats in a theatre. When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the man, “Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat.” The man groaned but didn't budge. The usher became impatient.

“'Sir,”' the usher said, “'if you don't get up from there I'm going to have to call the manager.”' Again, the man just groaned, which infuriated the usher who turned and marched briskly back up the aisle in search of his manager. In a few moments, both the usher and the manager returned and stood over the man. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move him, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police. The cop surveyed the situation briefly. “All right buddy, what's your name?” “'Sam,” the man moaned. “Where ya from, Sam?”' the cop asked. “The balcony.”

More Great Quotes

The greatest danger for most of us lies not insetting our aim too high, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark. Michelangelo

I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free. Michelangelo

Lord grant that I desire more than I can accomplish. Michelangelo

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day that says, “I'll try again tomorrow.”

Anyone can give up, that's one of the easiest things in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would understand if you fell apart, that's strength.

Dream as if you'll live for ever; live as if you'll die today.

Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.

Winston Churchill

Most people are as happy as they choose to be. Abraham Lincoln

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are a leader. John Quincy Adams

It's kinda fun to do the impossible. Walt Disney

Pay no attention to what the critics say; no statue has ever been erected to a critic. Jean Sibelius

When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so regretfully upon the closed door that we don't see the one that has opened for us. Alexander Graham Bell

Some men see things the way they are and ask, "Why?" I dream things that never were, and ask "Why not?" George Bernard Shaw

Why do brain cells come and go, but fat cells live for ever?

If you suffered from kleptomania, should you take something for it?

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."

Doubt is the darkroom of our life in which we develop our negatives

“I know I'm getting better at golf, I am hitting fewer spectators.” Gerald Ford

Don't stop laughing because you've grown old; you've grown old because you stopped laughing.

It was such a lovely day I thought it a pity to get up. - W. Somerset Maugham

Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.

Your outlook determines the outcome

He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose - Jim Eliot

I have no time to be in a hurry, John Wesley, (we drive in the fast lane, eat fast food etc)

The humble person is not one who thinks meanly of himself; he simply does not think of himself at all - Andrew Murray

The life that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.

Habits are cobwebs at first; cables at last. - Chinese Proverb

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. GWF Hegel

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

RLStevenson

Doubt is the erosion of faith.

God works through His word on your lips

Pray it in and speak it out

The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. Oswald Chambers

Failure is not falling down, it's staying down

Giving is the secret of a healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has of encouragement, sympathy and understanding. - John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Time is the greatest commodity we have. We may be able to make more money, but we will eventually run out of time.

Writer Carl Sandburg advised, "Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong

There are two secrets for success: 1. Don't reveal all your secrets

Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence.

"The basic question is not how much of our money should we give to God, but how much of God's money should we keep for ourselves." - J. Oswald Sanders

Sympathy sees and says, "I'm sorry."
Compassion sees and says, "I'll help."

"We are not human beings going through a temporary spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings going through a temporary human experience."

Poverty consists not in the decrease of one's possessions but in the increase of one's greed. Plato

"Coming together is a beginning, Staying together is progress, Working together is success." - Henry Ford

"People have one thing in common: They are all different."

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. - Albert Einstein

I was born excited Mark Twain

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Team build first; you can then build on the team, with the team and through the team.

"The basic question is not how much of our money should we give to God, but how much of God's money should we keep for ourselves." - J. Oswald Sanders

Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening

You can't lead the people, if you don't love the people. You can't save the people, if you don't serve the people.

If you don't see what you can't see now, you will never see what you could see.

He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.

A day without sunshine is like, well, night.

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it.

Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.

I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges.

Honk if you love peace and quiet.

Despite the cost of living, have you noticed how it remains so
popular?

The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting
something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them.

You can't have everything, where would you put it?

Latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the
world's population.

The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those who got there first.

A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats.

Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens.

Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until
you hear them speak.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. Teddy Roosevelt

"As I said before, I never repeat myself."

I will focus more on God's adequacies rather than my inadequancies.

I will stop trying to change things that are not in my control; I will focus on changing things that are within my control.

We build too many walls and not enough bridges. Isaac Newton

Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

Topical Index Numbers shown are the numbers of the illustration

Advantaging others 14, 15, 20, 26, 33, 44, 72, 75, 76, 87, 88, 89, 108, 124,

141, 190, 313

Adversity 16, 21, 22, 45, 62, 63, 72, 113, 119, 123, 125, 138, 148,

150, 152, 201, 251, 256, 268, 274, 294, 300, 301, 310, 312, 324, 335, 338, 343, 345, 347, 369, 384, 386, 400, 401, 403, 404, 407

Animals 3, 5, 22, 30, 46, 113, 120, 122, 156, 311, 319, 324, 339, 407, 412, 413,

Australia 5, 45, 48, 146, 170, 171, 186, 188, 252, 266, 269, 271,

272, 287, 295,

Bible 150, 164, 167, 177, 232, 261, 280, 289, 404

Character 101, 109, 139, 143, 148, 153, 200, 272, 299, 322, 338,

368, 400

Children 38, 71, 110, 111, 136, 175, 213, 218, 253, 308, 344,

375, 405

Christmas 175, 202, 276, 317, 409

Church 94, 221, 230, 288, 356, 366

Diets, food 55, 98, 154, 155, 229, 348, 351, 409

Dreams 23, 84, 85, 87, 123, 142, 208, 325,

Encouragement 32, 50, 87, 88, 89, 117, 391

Faith 4, 66, 84, 85, 151, 160, 181, 208, 214, 283, 342, 379, 393, 395, 398

Family 36, 38, 41, 68, 71, 74, 77, 101, 108, 136, 159, 210, 213,

253, 254, 281, 308, 344, 405, 407,

Forgiveness 1, 2, 9, 126, 192, 206, 219, 362, 387

Friends 30, 43, 140, 334, 361

Generosity, Giving 15, 76, 178, 190, 234

God 165, 169, 185, 187, 188, 200, 210, 216, 236, 237, 240,

254, 258, 272, 307, 343, 349, 352, 379, 387, 395, 407

Home 68, 102, 110, 159, 163, 308, 340

Hope 45, 119, 123,

Humour 35, 38, 41, 49, 52, 54, 55, 57, 67, 71, 74, 78, 79, 80, 82,

83, 91, 93, 96, 97, 98, 103, 106, 107, 111, 112, 115, 116, 118, 120, 121, 122, 134, 137, 140, 145, 146, 147,

149, 154, 155, 156, 158, 214, 218, 229, 230, 262, 302, 308, 311, 314, 315, 316, 318, 319, 334, 346, 348, 363, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 378, 380, 381, 382, 383, 385, 389, 396, 405, 409, 410, 411, 412, 413, 416, 417, 418

Influence 3, 26, 43, 44, 64, 65, 76, 86, 88, 89, 108, 141, 143, 153,

174, 186, 194, 200, 203, 204, 205, 212, 213, 217, 223,

235, 287, 288, 290, 299, 358, 404, 406

Inheritance 60, 172, 189, 215, 241, 249, 251, 264, 269, 297, 336, 350, 351, 352, 415

Jesus 146, 161, 162, 169, 175, 182, 191, 209, 211, 219, 231, 232, 243, 246, 265, 273, 276, 282, 286, 304, 305, 306, 312, 317, 332, 353, 354, 357, 387, 388, 394, 402, 408

Leadership 3, 44, 50, 56, 127, 171, 259, 319, 328, 358, 380, 391, 417

Life 34, 37, 58, 61, 69, 70, 73, 75, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 105,

113, 117, 123, 135, 138, 152, 163, 165, 172, 181, 189, 190, 196, 197, 201, 215, 233, 241, 249, 250, 251, 257, 266, 270, 291, 297, 299, 320, 322, 324, 326, 327, 330, 335, 341, 345, 347, 355, 360, 371, 383, 386, 389, 391, 395, 397, 401,

Love 15, 17, 19, 31, 36, 110, 112, 128, 147, 186, 199, 213,

224, 225, 314, 374, 387

Marriage 17, 19, 31, 39, 74, 77, 85, 93, 96, 97, 103, 106, 107,

129, 145, 147, 149, 158, 238, 239, 262, 315, 326, 374

Miracles 36, 159, 173, 176, 180, 184, 188, 193, 198, 202, 236,

239, 254, 261, 267, 289, 303, 305, 307

Old Age 389, 390

Olympics 12, 24, 25, 27, 32, 45, 329, 341

Opportunity 84, 100, 105, 119, 142, 150, 264, 266, 269, 278, 279,

300, 301, 320, 335, 399

Parents 29, 36, 41, 71, 74, 83, 102, 108, 110, 136, 308, 377

Perspective 382

Perseverance 8, 12, 13, 22, 24, 27, 28, 42, 45, 81, 88, 91, 95, 105, 113, 114, 120, 130, 251, 252, 263, 271, 287, 293, 294, 300, 338,

Positive thinking 7, 40, 46, 59, 69, 70, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 92, 113, 119,

131, 151, 197, 294, 295, 296, 309, 322, 325, 327, 339, 347, 358, 360, 395, 400

The Power Within 7, 23, 46, 60, 62, 64, 65, 87, 105, 119, 142, 143, 298,

331, 370, 391, 399,

Prayer 139, 159, 165, 166, 170, 216, 220, 239, 254, 274, 277,

349, 359,

Progress 5, 6, 40, 117, 123

Relationships 19, 31, 39, 77, 86, 108, 147, 314, 315, 328, 330, 394

Respond/React 26, 30, 33, 63, 70, 75, 92, 143, 151, 152, 309, 322, 324,

347, 395,

Salvation 195, 227, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 250, 273, 284,

285, 304, 312, 317, 364, 402

Small beginnings 10, 64, 70, 76, 84, 87, 88, 105, 142, 183, 235, 287, 337, 399

Sport 12, 24, 25, 27, 32, 45, 63, 92, 252, 266, 316, 318, 329,

354, 355, 369, 414

Team 3, 18, 20, 48, 50, 56, 57, 94, 141, 333, 358

Values 6, 11, 37, 45, 47, 51, 53, 60, 61, 66, 87, 89, 92, 97, 101,

104, 105, 108, 132, 135, 143, 152, 168, 179, 207, 212,

222, 226, 227, 228, 248, 255, 259, 260, 265, 266, 309

338, 358, 365, 366, 367, 370, 371, 394, 395

Wisdom 44, 47, 99, 109, 110, 115, 116, 117, 133, 144, 157, 187,

292, 322, 323, 327, 360, 370, 381, 392, 397, 398, 401, 406

Women 39, 115, 121, 137, 145, 146, 149, 308, 315, 321,

Famous People Index

Numbers shown are the numbers of the illustration

Beethoven 28

Alexander Graham Bell 100, 400

Blondin 4

William Booth 275

Bush 67

Caruso 28

Churchill 33, 125, 130, 133, 400

Clinton 85

Disney 28, 84, 85, 400

Edison 28, 125, 131, 301

Einstein 28, 40, 67

Fleming 33, 335

Harrison Ford 95

Henry Ford 133, 187

Billy Graham 168, 183, 188

Handel 182

Hope 52

Houdini 7

John F Kennedy 197

Martin Luther 150, 400

Martin Luther King 67, 123, 124, 125

Leonardi da vinci 9

Lincoln 1, 28, 292, 293, 400

Livingstone 235

Michelangelo 104, 119, 400

Napoleon 114, 125, 181, 284

Nelson 394

Isaac Newton 28, 133, 142

Paderewski 8

Pasteur 28

Pavarotti 134, 255

Picasso 42

Polycarp 403

Rockefeller 50

John Wesley 104, 278, 328, 400

Sarah Wesley 136

Schweitzer 23

Tyndale 404

Voltaire 167

van Gogh 337

Wellington 114

139

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