Perfect Timing

All in the Timing

"Obedience Made Easy"

“And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them.” (1 John 3:23-24a)

These verses expand the meaning of Jesus’ two great commands: Love God and love people.

You show your love for God by believing in Him and placing your life in Jesus’ hands. You love others by sacrificially loving them more than yourself.

1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”

Both of these commands are fulfilled in obedience.

John 15:10 says, “If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love.”

Obedience is a circular activity. Your obedience places your faith in Jesus resulting in the work of the Holy Spirit being released in you. Releasing more of the Holy Spirit enables you to continue living in obedience. Obedience comes easier when you have cultivated a lifestyle of learning to remain (dwell) in Jesus.

John 15:4 says, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”

Your growing relationship with Jesus will not only help grow your faith, but will also help you make Jesus the Lord of your life. Walk with Jesus daily in prayer and Bible reading so that He grows to be the “hub” of your life – arming you for obedience!

1 John 2:3-6 -- “We know that we have come to know him if we obey His commands. The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But if anyone obeys His word, God's love is truly made complete in Him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.”

Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day brings good thoughts and pride in my country. Those who have served our country deserve honor. God reminds us that we should honor everyone, but we honor Veterans on this day. Romans 13:7 says, "Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans, that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I (Also known as the Great War) ; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day; Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, while Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who gave their lives and those who perished while in service.

Why do we celebrate Veterans Day on Nov 11?

In the USA, Veterans Day annually falls on November 11. This day is the anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which ended the World War I hostilities between the Allied nations and Germany in 1918. Veterans are thanked for their services to the United States on Veterans Day.

Why Do We Celebrate Veterans Day?

While both honor our military personnel, the former is a day to remember and pay respect to all the men and women that died serving our country in a war, while Veterans Day is to celebrate the soldiers who are still alive and served in the forces at anytime, during peace or war.

Why is it important to honor Veterans Day?

“Veterans Day shows respect for those who were willing to give their lives to the country and to serve their country. It shows that we appreciate the veterans.” “Veterans Day is important to me because it is a time to recognize and honor those that have served their country in the armed forces.

When does the federal government celebrate Veterans Day?

Celebrating Veterans Day. If the November 11 holiday falls on a non-workday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).

Observance

Veterans Day is intended to honor and thank all military personnel who served the United States in all wars, particularly living veterans. It is marked by parades and church services and in many places the American flag is hung at half mast. A period of silence lasting two minutes may be held at 11 am. Some schools are closed on Veterans Day, while others do not close, but choose to mark the occasion with special assemblies or other activities.

Veterans Day is officially observed on November 11. However, if it falls on a week day, many communities hold their celebrations on the weekend closest to this date. This is to enable more people to attend and participate in the events. Federal Government offices are closed on November 11. If Veterans Day falls on a Saturday, they are closed on Friday November 10. If Veterans Day falls on a Sunday, they are closed on Monday November 12. State and local governments, schools and non-governmental businesses are not required to close and may decide to remain open or closed. Public transit systems may follow a regular or holiday schedule.

History

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations came into effect. On November 11, 1919, Armistice Day was commemorated for the first time. In 1919, President Wilson proclaimed the day should be "filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory". There were plans for parades, public meetings and a brief suspension of business activities at 11 am.

In 1926, the United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I and declared that the anniversary of the armistice should be commemorated with prayer and thanksgiving. The Congress also requested that the president should "issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples."

An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) was approved on May 13, 1938, which made November 11 in each year a legal holiday, known as Armistice Day. This day was originally intended to honor veterans of World War I. A few years later, World War II required the largest mobilization of service men in the history of the United States and the American forces fought in Korea. In 1954, the veterans service organizations urged Congress to change the word "Armistice" to "Veterans". Congress approved this change and on June 1, 1954, November 11 became a day to honor all American veterans, where ever and whenever they had served.

In 1968 the Uniforms Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) made an attempt to move Veterans Day to the fourth Monday of October. The bill took effect in 1971. However, this caused a lot of confusion as many states disagreed with this decision and continued to hold Veterans Day activities on November 11. In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which stated that Veterans Day would again be observed on November 11 from 1978 onwards. Veterans Day is still observed on November 11.

"You Are Ready"

“At once, he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20)

The Gospel of Mark ends with Jesus saying in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

Jesus had completed His mission on earth and had now imparted that mission to His disciples. Jesus died for us so that all might be saved and come into relationship with God.

1 Timothy 2:4 says, “Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

In Acts 9:7 Paul was blinded by God during his quest to persecute followers of Christ. For three days Paul was blind until Ananias (in Acts 9:18) was sent by God to heal Paul. Paul had fervently practiced his Jewish faith all his life.

Galatians 1:14 says, “I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

Yet upon the restoration of Paul’s eyesight, he instantly began proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ!

Here is a man who was totally immersed and indoctrinated in the Jewish faith, yet immediately without years of training, without a solid church to support him, without a Bible-based Sunday school class, or a mentor to guide him, Paul began preaching.

He let Jesus’ life naturally flow from his own. And we are called to do the same. You do not need one more sermon or one more Bible study to proclaim the good news of Jesus; you merely need to believe He is your Savior, He did live, He died for your sins, He did rise from the dead, He has equipped you with the Holy Spirit, and YES, Jesus will return, and that He desires all to be saved!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Happy Birthday - Multitrack

Just want to wish you a happy birthday!

Where to Get Free Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on Your Birthday

I continue to work on and add to each one of these to keep them active and up to date. Constantly adding my old material and adding fresh content.

Title: Click on the title below to go to blog	Brief description of each blog
Off-The-Church-Walls	Humor blog
Real Life Quotes	Growing Quote collection.
Real Life Enrichment	Practical information for everyday life.
Parable	Inspiring devotional illustrations
Preacher Points	Place for sermon outlines and resources
Kevin Rayner's Ministry to God @ The Edmond Church of Christ	Many current resources currently being used at the Edmond Church of Christ
Edmond Oklahoma SAM's	Information for helping Seniors
Rayner Resources	Hub for my information online
Magnify Jesus	A look at the Christ's life and teachings
Christ's Church	Reflecting on the followers of Christ
Real Life Conversion	How lives are changed by Christ
Oaks of Righteousness	Where to focus on becoming more fully devoted followers of Christ
"Overtime Church"	More challenging thoughts for the disciple that is most serious about Jesus. Theology for the night owl, weekend worker, or Bible student who wants to learn more.
Kevin's Komment	Online commentary and resources to better understand scripture.
Real Life Servant Maker	For the Christian growing with a Christ-like servant attitude toward others.
Becoming Great Neighbors	Encouragement to love and serve your neighbor
Edmond Church of ChristHospitality	Helping each Christian become more hospitable.

This Video Explains the Basics of Home Equity Borrowing

One big perk of being a homeowner is, ideally, you’ve got equity: this is the difference between your mortgage amount and the appraisal value of your home. Even the basics of equity can be confusing, but this video lays it out in simple terms.




What you need to know about home equity
LifeHacker

How to Stay Motivated During a Job Loss?

 Even when you see it coming, a job loss can be devastating. You go through the emotional process of changing up your routine, and if that’s not enough, the hunt for a new job can really take a toll. If you’ve been there, how did you stay motivated?

- Try to keep a normal sleep schedule/routine. 
- Use site update notification software on the job sites so you can send resumes as soon as they are posted and they are reviewed first
- keep your skills current

Click on links below for some great resources.
10 WAYS TO STAY MOTIVATED DURING YOUR FIRST JOB

http://lifehacker.com/stay-motivated-during-your-job-search-by-pursuing-a-hob-1693032263#_ga=1.21743230.458999507.1439263979

http://twocents.lifehacker.com/how-did-you-stay-motivated-during-a-job-loss-1721817324

Try Exercising at Lunch If You Never Seem to Have the Time

Finding the time to exercise can be a hassle. I’ve found that most people try to hit the gym before or after work, but that means choosing between peeling yourself away from your cozy sheets or training after a day of mental exhaustion from work. There is a third option, however: train at lunch. Read more about the benefits and how to go about it at LifeHacker.

Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender

Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 1) –
David Young



Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 2) –
David Young



Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 3) –
David Young



Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 4) –
David Young



Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 5) –
David Young



Made Whole Together: God’s Good Gifts of Sex and Gender (Part 6) –
David Young

Finding a Perfect Work-Life Balance Is Impossible, and That's Okay

How to balance Work & Life.

For more, go to one of my favorite resources at Life Hacker.

Working Over 40 Hours a Week Makes You Less Productive, Not More

Sometimes you have to crunch and work overtime. While that can give you a productivity boost and help you get needed things done, in the long term—past four weeks—long work weeks actually make us accomplish less.

The graph above is from Daniel Cook’s Rules of Productivity presentation posted on his Lostgarden blog. It shows how working 60 hours a week leads to a productivity deficit or slump—one which you’ll have to recover from. He writes:

In a 60 hour crunch people have a vague sense that they are doing worse, but never think that they should stop crunching. They imagine that working 40 hours a week will decrease their productivity. In fact, it will let them rest and increase their productivity.

This behavior is fascinating to observe. Zombies stumble over to their desk every morning. Temper flare. Bugs pour in. Yet to turn back would be a betrayal.

Other research backs this up, so if you can help it, stop working those long hours. If you’re a salaried employee who doesn’t get overtime pay, it’s basically like working for free.

Go to LostGarden.com for more information.

or

http://lifehacker.com/working-over-40-hours-a-week-makes-you-less-productive-1725646811

Google Maps' new timeline feature puts location history at your fingertips

If you've ever wanted a convenient way to keep track of your stops on your latest trip with Google Maps for Android, you may be in luck. Google appears to be quietly rolling out a new "Timeline" feature which allows you to take a look at your location history in detail.

The feature, called "Your Timeline," was pointed out to us by a reader, and places your location history in a new menu item located directly below the "Your Places" option in the hamburger menu. Overall, the timeline is presented in a relatively clean manner. You can swipe left or right to scroll between days, with a list of places you visited and how you got there sorted chronologically below a map of the day's trip.

One of the cooler aspects of the timeline is that you can select a particular stop to see not only the timespan that you were there, but also any pictures that you took while you were stopped there. Additionally, if you don't want a stop to show up on your timeline, you can tap the edit button and remove it. Going further, you can add a personal place by selecting it on the map and giving it a custom name.

Overall, this looks like a pretty great feature if you find a great restaurant or shop and want to remember where it is. The feature looks to be part of a slow roll-out, so it may take a bit to land on your device. 

More information at Androidcentral
or Phandroid
or LifeHacker

Parenting On Purpose

Presented by David Shannon
Mt. Juliet, TN

Session 1 - Parenting with a Destination in Mind

Session 2 - Parenting with another Destination in Mind

Session 3 - The 1st Non-Negotiable of Parenting

Session 4 - Training Dogs But Not Children

Session 5 - Adolescence and How to Survive It

Top 10 Better Money Habits You Can Build This Year

 The start of the year is a great time to review and revamp our financial plans, including common resolutions like "save more money" or "pay down debt." Here are some ways to develop better money habits for all year round.

True savings happen when we deviate from our habits. You might already be doing many (or all!) of the items below, but for the rest of us, it's a reminder good money habits are all about small actions and important changes in mindset.

Read More...

How to Make Your Everyday Life Feel More Like Vacation

Have you ever returned from a vacation to experience that awful feeling of coming back? It’s not the best attitude to have, but it’s easy to get anxious when vacations go by so fast. Before you know it, you’re stuck in the same grind you were in before you left. Do you want to avoid that?

Mental distance is easier on vacation—out of sight, out of mind. But when your everyday life and your work are in front of you, it’s harder. To take a proper break, I’ve found that the key is to distance myself physically so I can distance myself mentally. Here’s what helps:

• Take breaks in a natural, outdoor setting: A 2008 study published in Psychological Science found that subjects perform cognitively better after spending time in a calm, natural setting.
• Schedule lunch with a friend: A social obligation helps force me out of work-mode (unless I talk about work, which I try not to do).
• Ease into the break: An hour before my break, I switch to my laptop or work somewhere that’s not my home office. It’s easier to take a break when I’m detached from the office area.
• Leave my phone behind: Otherwise, I’m tempted to check it for time, email, or other distractions. I have to keep track of time on my own, though.

For more on this, go over to LifeHacker.

This Video Tells You How to Optimize Your Vacation Happiness  

Your Fitness Will Be Fine, Go Take That Vacation 

Top 10 Tips for Having a Perfect, Stress-Free Vacation 

How to Take a Vacation Without Stressing About Work 

Prep for Your Next Vacation with This Checklist 

What Are the Best Budget Vacation Destinations?  

Pinterest Pins

Follow this link

https://www.pinterest.com/kevin_rayner/real-life-enrichment/

5 Big Myths About Antibiotics | Consumer Reports

Android Phone Tips

You can also send notes, reminders, and alarms to your phone from Google on the web.

Go to Phandroid.com

Send A Note to Your Phone

Type "Note to Self" Into Google to Send Notes to Your Phone. This feature requires the latest version of the Google app, Google Now notifications enabled, Web & App Activity enabled, and you must be logged into your Google account. You can also use Google to set alarms on your phone.

For more information, go to
Android Police
Life Hacker

Set an Alarm Easily on Your Android Phone

You can now send yourself a note or set an alarm from a Google desktop search. With some new commands you can now set alarms and send notes to your Android device, right from a Google desktop search.

For details, go to Android Central.

Android Map Tip

Type "Send Directions" Into Google to Navigate on Your Phone

Headed somewhere? Instead of opening up your phone and searching for a location, you can now just type “Send Directions” into Google on your computer, and send those directions right to your Android device.

Follow the 2 links below for more information
Every Minute Counts
Send Directions from your browser

Walt Disney's Best Career Lessons

Prioritize Learning and Experience

Embrace Perfectionism When It Matters

Know When to Do Less, but Better

5 tips for shooting videos on Android

Go to
http://www.androidcentral.com/5-tips-shooting-videos-android

1. JUST SAY NO TO VERTICAL VIDEOS
2. DON'T COVER YOUR MICROPHONE
3. KNOW WHEN TO USE 4K
4. MIND YOUR VOLUME, AND YOUR BREATHING
5. THE SETTINGS MENU IS YOUR FRIEND

Two Cents

For money saving tips, go to
Two Cents

How to Get Your Hour Back from Daylight Savings

How to Get Your Hour Back from Daylight Savings http://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-your-hour-back-from-daylight-savings-1689782614

Why Cramming for Exams Doesn't Work

Cramming for an exam is a time-honored practice. It's stressful, sure, but it's also a technique you've come to rely on working. Except that research shows it doesn't.

For more information, go to
http://lifehacker.com/why-cramming-for-exams-doesnt-work-1642587571

and

Memory: Why Cramming for Tests Often Fails 

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Too Much

If you've just had a really big meal, there's a lot of things going on in your body. Between the stomach stretching and the chemical reactions taking place, here's an explanation of what's going on in there.



For more information, go to
http://lifehacker.com/this-video-explains-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-1663868144

Top 10 Ways to Banish Bad Smells from Your Home and Your Body

Top 10 Ways to Banish Bad Smells from Your Home and Your Body

10. Neutralize Pet Odors with Vinegar or Tea Leaves
9. Deodorize Just About Anything with Cat Litter
8. Store Newspaper in Plastic Containers to Keep Them Odor Free
7. Remove Odors from Trash Cans and Fridges with Newspapers
6. Make Your Closet Smell Fresher with Chalk
5. Get the Smoke Smell Out of Clothes and Other Items with Dryer Sheets
4. Get Rid of Garlic or Onion Smell on Your Hands by Rubbing Stainless Steel
3. Neutralize Body Odor with Baking Soda
2. Learn How to Defeat Bad Breath Once and For All
1. When in Doubt, Try Vinegar, Baking Soda, Newspapers, or Dryer Sheets

Click on More Detailed Information & Video.

Build Your Compassion with These Mental Exercises

Build Your Compassion with These Mental Exercises

Compassion is something we're all capable of, and according to a new study published in Psychological Science, it can also be trained and developed over time. All you need is 30 minutes a day.

For more on this, go to

http://investigatinghealthyminds.org/compassion.html

or

http://lifehacker.com/build-your-compassion-with-these-mental-exercises-1648668134

Paper Towel vs Hand Dryers

The Best Fitness Tracker for Every Need

Like many of you, I work in front of a computer. They're powerful devices, but they also suck your will to live and trick you into never, ever getting up and going outside. Reasons like that are why fitness trackers were invented.

For more on the research, click here to go to the full article.

Why Anxiety Wakes You Up at Night, and How to Reclaim Your Rest

Waking up in the middle of the night with anxiety can ruin anyone's night. You're panicked, frustrated, worried, and you may not sleep well even if you get back to sleep. You don't have to sit awake all night, though. The link below leads to an article on how anxiety messes with our sleep, and how you can fight back. 




http://lifehacker.com/why-anxiety-wakes-you-up-at-night-and-how-to-reclaim-y-1665854013

"Superfoods" Backed with Some Scientific Evidence

If you're doing some research on popular "superfoods" and you're wondering which ones may have some credibility, this interactive chart shows which ones have the most scientific evidence to back them up based on studies and research.

For more information, go to the links below.

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/snake-oil-superfoods/

http://lifehacker.com/this-chart-shows-the-superfoods-backed-with-some-scie-1663444143

How to Cope When a Loved One Commits Suicide

How to Cope When a Loved One Commits Suicide

It's never an easy thing to lose a loved one. When someone takes their own life, however, it can present its own set of challenges. Here, we'll discuss how to cope with this particularly difficult type of loss.

Clearing Up Some Myths About Suicide
Suicide Loss Differs From Other Types of Death
Help Yourself Grieve with These Coping Strategies
Find More Help with These Resources

Link below discusses these topics and more.
http://lifehacker.com/how-to-cope-when-a-loved-one-commits-suicide-1663171935

Prioritize Your To-Do List

Ask Yourself These Five Questions to Prioritize Your To-Do List

http://lifehacker.com/ask-yourself-these-five-questions-to-prioritize-your-to-1645867087

Shipping Thoughts before Christmas

Label Packages as "Glass" Instead of "Fragile" for Better Handling

The word "FRAGILE" does not mean anything to someone in the shipping industry, however the word "GLASS" does, because nobody wants to break it because it is a huge pain to clean up. Also if you can do so without incurring an extra charge, write "LIQUID" because liquid items cannot be entered into most automated sort machines, and may help protect it from a lot of banging around.

The "fragile" label on your box might even make it more likely to be mishandled, according to a Popular Mechanics report.

Although the way your package is handled depends on the individual carriers and handlers, but if you must ship fragile items (or restricted ones), this tip might offer better protection. Don't forget to pack it very carefully as well.

Plan for asking for help

Follow the link below...
Have a Plan Before Asking For Help to Get Better Responses 

The 7 Best and Worst Ways to Ask for Help

Computer Parts Prices

Go to

http://pcpartpicker.com/

5 Best Places to Buy Computer Parts

Rejoice

How to Move Past Failure

Creation vs. Evolution?

Link to information.

http://creation.com/ham-nye-debate

Honey

Sweeter than Honey

Almost everyone likes honey. Honey has been used throughout the history of man. It is a great food source. It acts as an antibiotic. It can help heal wounds. Children who eat honey from the area where they live will rarely have allergies to the local pollen.

But the most common way honey is used is as a sweetener. It can be put on bread. It can be mixed with butter. It can be added to food mixes. Some people just like to dip their finger in it and lick it off. The honeycomb is highly prized and is chewed as a sweet treat.

Throughout history man has hunted and searched for wild honey sources. But man has also farmed honey for thousands of years. Great effort has gone into figuring out how to best take care of bees in artificial hives. All of this because honey is such a wonderful sweet food.

But there is something that everyone should desire even more than honey. Psalm 119:103, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” The writer of Psalm 119 said God’s word was sweeter to him than honey.

So many people think it is a drudgery to study God’s word. Many avoid the Bible, as if it were something that would hurt them. Many think it is silly to read God’s word. But anyone who has really spent time studying it, has found it to be extremely good for their life. It is wonderful spiritual food. It will act as a spiritual antibiotic to help overcome spiritual evils. It aids in healing spiritual wounds. It is sweet to ‘chew on’ or just to dip one’s mind in.

Read your Bible. Learn all you can from God’s word. And if any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.

Skit Guys - 'Tis Better to Give (+playlist)

I am Second® - The Robertsons

Beauty

Think a beautiful thought. Feel a beautiful feeling.

Beauty feels good for a reason. It connects you to life's best possibilities.

Beauty is truth expressed in a way that cannot be doubted or denied. Beauty can comfort, heal, calm and inspire.

Beauty is a precious gift. Beauty is always there when you choose to experience it.

Take time to enjoy the beauty that is present in every detail. Savor the beauty in ordinary moments, and you'll keep discovering even more.

Allow the beauty that is, to touch you and transform you. Give life to beauty, and you give much beauty to life.

Quotes about Beauty:
Click Here

Judging

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

• The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. 
• The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
• The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
• The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

========================
Never Judge Anyone By Appearance

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, "What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely."

Another tree said, "Dear pine, do not be sad, we can not have everything."

The rose turned its head and remarked, "It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest." A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, "Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them."

The red rose replied, "I see everyone looking at me and admiring me." Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!" The pine tree said, "Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is you have thorns too."

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, "I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You can not compare my thorns to that of the cactus."

What a proud flower, thought the trees.

The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like "This plant is useless. How sorry I am to be his neighbor."

The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying, "God did not create any form of life without a purpose."

Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest, as the plants and animals needed water and no rain fell. The red rose began to wilt. One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed.

This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that "the birds got water from the cactus." "Does it not hurt when they make holes?" asked the rose.

"Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer," replied the pine.

The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, "The cactus has water." "Yes you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help."

The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behavior to ask for water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help. The cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose's roots.

Thus the rose learned a lesson and never judged anyone by their appearance again.  

America The Beautiful