ABC's OF BEING A FATHER

ABC's OF BEING A FATHER



A - Always trust them to God's care

B - Bring them to church

C - Challenge them to high goals

D - Delight in their achievements

E - Exalt the lord in their presence

F - Frown on evil

G - Give them love

H - Hear their problems

I - Ignore not their childlish fears

J - Joyfully accept their apologies

K - Keep their confidence

L - Live a good example before them

M - Make them your friends

N - Never ignore their endless questions

O - Open your home to their visits

P - Pray for them by name

Q - Quicken your interest in their spirituality

R - Remember their needs

S - Show them the way of salvation

T - Teach them to work

U - Understand they are still young

V - Verify your statements

W - Wean them from bad company

X - eXpect them to obey

Y - Yearn for god's best for them

Z - Zealously guide them in biblical truth



-- Author Unknown

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

BEFORE I WAS A MOM

Before I was a Mom - I made and ate hot meals.  I had unstained clothing.  I had quiet conversations on the phone.

Before I was a Mom - I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.  I brushed my hair and my teeth every day.

Before I was a Mom - I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.  I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on, wet on, spit on, chewed on, or pinched by tiny fingers.

Before I was a Mom - I had complete control over my thoughts, my body, my mind.  I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom - I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests, or give shots.  I never looked into teary eyes and cried.  I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.  I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom - I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.  I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I could not stop the hurt.  I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.  I never knew that I could love someone so much.  I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.  I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.  I didn't know that bond between a Mother and her child.  I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up every ten minutes, in the middle of the night, to make sure that all was okay.  I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderfulness, or the satisfaction of being a Mom.  I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

LUCKY

LUCKY

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't and may decide you need one. Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed in every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Live every day to the fullest...because every day is a blessing from God! He covers you with His treasures and His love!

Hugs,

May you always have work for your hands to do.

May your pockets hold always a coin or two.

May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.

May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.

And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

-- Author Unknown

WORDS

WORDS

I have always had a special love for words. Words have such power in them. The right words can uplift, inspire, heal, and create endless joy and love in our lives. The wrong words can depress, discourage, hurt, and bring us endless misery and pain. It is so very important then to try and choose the right words in our lives. By choosing the right words I don't just mean saying the right words or writing the right words either. I also mean thinking the right words. It is amazing the garbage that so many of us allow ourselves to think each and every day of our lives.

In order to live a truly blessed life we must haul away the garbage and start to plant words that will grow into a garden of joy and light in our minds. Start today then to make the words in your life work for you and not against you. Do away with "can't" and "no".  Try "can" and "yes" instead.  Say, " I can be happy, I can choose joy, and I can share love."  Say, "Yes" to life, to learning, and to growth.  Begin to use words like: Wonderful, Beautiful, and Delightful when you speak to others. Find a word of praise for everyone you know and then share it with them.  Look the people you love straight in the eye and tell them, "I love you."  Seek our every fantastic, fabulous, and glorious word that you can and start to use them in your life.

Words are such simple things and yet they have the power to change our lives forever if we use them right. Make the choice every day of your life to use all of the good, positive, and loving words you can every second that you can.  If you do this you will find that your life will become a paradise of love and joy, that other people will become your brothers and sisters in happiness, and that God's goodness will shine through every word you use....

-- Author Unknown

THE ONION

THE ONION

I was an onion before Christ set me free.

Layers upon layers of iniquity.

An ugly old onion whose fragrance was strong;

That my Jesus bought and loved all along.

Unknown to me what He was going to do.

Of what He was planning, I had not a clue.

Pulling each layer off one by one.

In order to make me more like Jesus the Son.

The first layer wasn't so bad.

I saw all the sins that I knew I had.

They were easy to fix, just change the way I talk.

And learn more of how He wanted me to walk.

Reading His Word, and learning again;

How to put aside my life of sin.

But the next layer was pulled which hurt more.

He was getting closer to the core.

Unknown what He would find there.

I simply gave it to Him in prayer.

As another layer was removed, He started to cry;

Pulling this layer brought pain to my Father on High.

And I was crying over the sadness I felt;

The brokenness and all of the guilt.

Past memories that I thought were gone;

They were buried under layers disguised in a fragrance so strong.

As onions peel more and more;

And they put tears in our eyes as we get close to the core;

So my Father wept over my pain;

Giving me a balm of comfort and strength to sustain.

"No More Layers." I would scream.

As He continued to peel them off of me.

"I'll have nothing left my Lord, what will I do?

I'll be nothing but a worthless core to you. "

But He just said "Trust me," and continued to peel

I was sure He was blinded to my pain that was so real.

Year after year I shrunk more and more;

Until all that was left of this onion was a core.

It was then that I began to understand;

As the Lord embraced me in His loving hand.

He said, now and only now can you be;

The creation that will minister before me.

Clothed with the righteousness only from above;

Gone are your layers of self so you can be filled with my love.

He took my layers of sin, hurt and pain;

And clothed me with love, truth and mercy in His name.

Yes, we are all onions, learning with each day;

How to overcome as each layer is taken away.

Some layers tear and pull at our heart;

While others grieve us to our innermost part.

But we are nothing but an ugly onion without Christ.

Layers upon layers of pride, sin and strife.

Only God can take those layers away.

And clothe us with His righteousness in that final day.

-- Author Unknown

THE SEED

THE SEED


In the Far East the emperor was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided to do something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."


The children were shocked, but the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today - one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor."


One boy, named Ling, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it, carefully. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Ling didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by -- still nothing in Ling's pot.


He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened.


Ling felt sick at his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other children laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey, nice try."


When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"


All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. He thought, "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"


When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"


Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?


Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he Is the one who will be the new emperor!"


If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory. If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. If you plant faith, you will reap miracles. So be careful what you plant, now; it will determine what you will reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter will make life worse or better for you or for the ones who will come after you. Someday you will enjoy the fruits or you will pay for the choices you make.


Two thousand years ago someone else told the same story with fewer words, "What you sow, so shall you reap". If you know who said this, nothing else needs to be said.


-- Author Unknown

THE WINNER

THE WINNER

I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game - - a serious game _ two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn't know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the distraction of being anxious about winning or losing - I wished the parents and coaches could have done the same.

The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. The kids were hilarious. They were clumsy and terribly inefficient. They fell over their own feet, they stumbled over the ball, they kicked at the ball and missed it but they didn't seem to care. They were having fun.

In the second quarter, the Team One coach pulled out what must have been his first team and put in the scrubs, except for his best player who now guarded the goal.

The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even when you're five years old -- because the Team Two coach left his best players in, and the Team One scrubs were no match for them. Team Two swarmed around the little guy who was now the Team One goalie. He was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were also very good. Team Two began to score. The lone goalie gave it everything he had, recklessly throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying valiantly to stop them.

Team Two scored two goals in quick succession. It infuriated the young boy.  He became a raging maniac -- shouting, running, diving. With all the stamina he could muster, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he repositioned himself, it was too late -- they scored a third goal.

I soon learned who the goalie's parents were. They were nice, decent-looking people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office -- he still had his suit and tie on. They yelled encouragement to their son.  I became totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field and his parents on the sidelines. After the third goal, the little kid changed. He could see it was no use; he couldn't stop them.

He didn't quit, but he became quietly desperate futility was written all over him. His father changed too. He had been urging his son to try harder - yelling advice and encouragement. But then he changed. He became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay - to hang in there. He grieved for the pain his son was feeling.

After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. I've seen it before.  The little boy needed help so badly, and there was no help to be had.  He retrieved the ball from the net and handed to the referee - and then he cried. He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees and put his fists to his eyes - and he cried the tears of the helpless and brokenhearted.

When the boy went to his knees, I saw the father start onto the field. His wife clutched his arm and said, "Jim, don't. You'll embarrass him." But he tore loose from her and ran onto the field. He wasn't supposed to - the game was still in progress. Suit, tie, dress shoes, and all – he charged onto the field, and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was his boy, and he hugged him and held him and cried with him. I've never been so proud of a man in my life.

He carried him off the field, and when he got close to the sidelines I heard him say, "Scotty, I'm so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son." "Daddy," the boy sobbed, "I couldn't stop them. I tried, Daddy, I tried and tried, and they scored on me."

"Scotty, it doesn't matter how many times they scored on you. You're my son, and I'm proud of you. I want you to go back out there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can't. And, son, you're going to get scored on again, but it doesn't matter. Go on, now." It made a difference - I could tell it did.

When you're all alone, and you're getting scored on - and you can't stop them - it means a lot to know that it doesn't matter to those who love you.  The little guy ran back on to the field - and they scored two more times - but it was okay. 

I get scored on every day. I try so hard. I recklessly throw my body in every direction. I fume and rage. I struggle with temptation and sin with every ounce of my being - and Satan laughs. And he scores again, and the tears come, and I go to my knees - sinful, convicted, helpless.

And my Father - my Father rushes right out on the field - right in front of the whole crowd - the whole jeering, laughing world - and he picks me up, and he hugs me and he says, "I'm so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son, and because I control the outcome of this game, I declare you -- The Winner."

-- Author Unknown

HUGS

HUGS

No moving parts, no batteries.

No monthly payments and no fees;

Inflation proof, non-taxable,

In fact, it's quite relaxable;

It can't be stolen, won't pollute,

One size fits all, do not dilute.

It uses little energy,

But yields results enormously.

Relieves your tension and your stress,

Invigorate your happiness;

Combats depression, makes you beam,

And elevates your self esteem!

Your circulation it corrects

Without unpleasant side effects

It is, I think, the perfect drug:

May I prescribe, my friend,... the hug!

(and, of course, fully returnable!)

-- Author Unknown

I ASKED GOD

I ASKED GOD

I asked God to take away my pride.

God said "No".

It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.

God said "No".

Her spirit was whole, her body was only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.

God said "No".

Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness.

God said "No".

I give you blessings, happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.

God said "No".

Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.

God said "No".

You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.

God said "No".

I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me.

God said... Ahhhh, finally you have the idea!