LUNCH WITH GOD

There once was a little boy who wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer, and he started his journey.


When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry so he offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her a root beer. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.


As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave but before he had gone more than a few steps; he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"


Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."


Too often we under estimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

THE LONELY GIRL

Bare foot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak, she never said a word. Many people passed, but never did one person stop. Just so happens, the next day I decided to go back to the park, curious if the little girl would still be there. Right in the very spot as she was yesterday, she sat perched on high, with the saddest look in her eyes.


Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. As we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young children to play alone. As I began walking towards her, I could see the back of the little girl's dress indicated a deformity. I figured that was the reason the people just passed by and made no effort to help. As I got closer, the little girl slightly lowered her eyes to avoid my intent stare. I could see the shape of her back more clearly. It was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form.


I smiled to let her know it was OK, I was there to help, to talk. I sat down beside her and opened with a simple Hello. The little girl acted shocked and stammered a "hi" after a long stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked 'til darkness fell and the park was completely empty. Everyone was gone and we at once were alone.


I asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me and with a sad face said, "Because I'm different."


I immediately said "that you are!" and smiled.


The little girl acted even sadder, she said, "I know."


"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."


She looked at me and smiled, slowly she stood to her feet, and said, "Really?"


"Yes, dear, you're like a little guardian angel sent to watch over all those people walking by."


She nodded her head "yes" and smiled, and with that she spread her wings and said, "I am. I'm your guardian angel," with a twinkle in her eye.


I was speechless. Surely I was seeing things. She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself, my job here is done."


Immediately I stood to my feet and said, "Wait, so why did no one stop to help an angel?"


She looked at me and smiled, "You're the only one who could see me, and you believed it in your heart." And She was gone.


And with that my life was changed dramatically. So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.


Mine was.

A MOUNTAIN OF LAUNDRY

My husband and I became foster parents after we had been married for two years. Our first placement was two little boys, brothers, who we adopted after they were with us for eighteen months. When our boys were two and three, we were asked to take one and three-year-old sisters into our home. For the following two years we had our own little in-house, full-time daycare.

After the girls had been with us for about six months, I attempted to get involved in a Bible study group at our church. One thing or another always seemed to prevent me from attending. I was feeling a little discouraged, but I’d purchased devotional tapes and a study guide and thought I could keep up with the Bible study by myself at home.

One afternoon, after I’d put the children down for their naps, I tackled a mountain of laundry that had piled up on the sofa and needed folding. As I was folding, I began discussing my plight with the Lord. “You know, Lord, I’ve started attending this Bible study and I’m trying to find time for You and everything I need to do, but I just can’t seem to find any time. I’ve tried getting up before daylight, but one of the kids always hears me and gets up wanting my attention and by bedtime I’m exhausted. I guess I could do them during naptime, but that’s the only time I have to get caught up with the housework…mainly the laundry. I seem to be able to keep up with most everything but this laundry! Well, I guess You know all about it. You gave me all of these little kids to care for and You know they need clean clothes to wear. You know how much work this takes and I know You understand.”

The following Sunday my husband and I were sitting in Sunday School class waiting for the teacher to begin, when our family’s adopted grandmother, Betty, came and sat down beside me. Betty is a widow who has raised five children. She’s a wonderful woman who’s always helping someone, and had personally blessed our family on many occasions, but I was totally unprepared for what she had to say on that particular day!

She leaned toward me and said, “I have a proposition for you.”

My curiosity was aroused. “O.K., what is it?” I answered back.

She sweetly and softly replied, “I really think this is the Lord, but would you let me do your laundry?”

As I sat gaping at her with my mouth hanging open, my mind was racing trying to think who could I have told about my laundry situation. I knew I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, not even my husband, Rodney. “Do you know how much laundry I have?” I whispered back as my eyes started to fill.

“Honey, I’ve raised five children and I know how much laundry you have,” was her response. Then she continued, “You know, what you and your husband are doing raising these little children is wonderful, but I know it’s hard work. I’m an old woman and I don’t watch other people’s children anymore, but I can do your laundry. You just have Rodney drop it off on his way to work, and pick it up on his way home. I’ll wash it, dry it, iron it, fold it; whatever is needed.”

Shame on me, because the whole time she was speaking, I was thinking, “Oh, Lord, not the underwear! I can’t send our underwear to someone else to do!”

Betty was still talking, “Last week I noticed you up on the platform during praise and worship and you looked very tired. I was thinking about you all week and then I felt the Lord telling me to, `Ask Ronni if she’ll let you do her laundry,’” then she finished with, “Now, don’t you rob me of this blessing!”

At the time I didn’t know how to respond. Not wanting to hurt Betty’s feelings, I let her know I would think about her offer. Even though I had poured out my heart about how difficult it was to keep up and how I missed my devotional time with Him, I was unprepared for God to actually do something about it. He had given me the task of caring for these little ones and I was a little put out that He’d taken me seriously when I said I was having trouble keeping up. So I thought, “If I just get a little more organized, I can take care of this myself.”

As I walked in and surveyed the laundry room a couple of weeks later, I sagged against the washer. The mountain of laundry hadn’t diminished a bit with my efforts to take care of things myself. As a matter of fact, it was now bigger than ever. “Well, Lord,” I said, “I guess I could send everything but the underwear.”
Very clearly, I heard that still small voice say, “When I ask you for your dirty laundry, I want all of it, even the underwear.”

That’s when I broke. That mountain of laundry now represented the mountain of pride in my life. Who was I to look disdainfully on a gift offered in love?

As I picked up the phone my eyes were filling with tears and when I heard sweet little Betty’s voice on the other end, my own voice shook as I said, “Betty, do you still want to help me with my laundry?”

My tears quickly turned to laughter at her ready response of, “Bring it on over, Honey, bring it on over!”

Our clothes were never cleaner, brighter, or less wrinkled than during the almost two years that Betty faithfully and lovingly did our laundry. Then when our little foster daughters were placed in their “forever home” through adoption, we both knew it was time for me to resume the task, and although she no longer does our laundry, our friendship remains strong. She laughed one day when I told her I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. I still do.

by Ronni Wintermote MountainWings.com

BEAUTIFUL BLESSINGS

One day a very wealthy father took his son to a very humble farm home. The father wanted the son to see and appreciate everything they have. For the son was never near poverty. The father decided to spend one day and one night with his son at this very humble home. On the next day after spending the night and returning to their beautiful mansion. The father wanted to hear his son’s reaction towards the educating trip.

Father: So son what do you think about the trip. Did you see how poor people live?

Son: Yes father.

Father: What do you think? What have you learn from this trip?

Son: I have learn that they have four dogs and we only have one. I have learned that we have a small garden and they have an entire forest. I have learned that we have a small stream on our back yard and they have a full river that has no end. I have learned that our back yard goes to the end of our property and they have an entire horizon. I have learned that we have lamps on our back yard to keep us from the dark and they have the stars.

The son continues his reply and said: Thank you father for showing me how poor we really are. We sometimes don’t realize the blessings of our heavenly father. And that is why we need to be like kids in order to enter into heaven.(Luke 18:17) Lets not worry about what we have or what we need, have faith in God and he will provide.(Luke 12:22)

EXPERIENCING GRACE

I left work early so I could have some uninterrupted study time right before the final in my Youth Issues class. When I got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying. The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test. We went through the review, most of it right on the study guide, but there were some things he was reviewing that I had never heard of. When questioned about it, he said that they were in the book and we were responsible for everything in the book. We couldn’t really argue with that.

Finally it was time to take the test.

“Leave them face down on the desk until everyone has one and I’ll tell you to start,” our professor instructed.

When we turned them over, every answer on the test was filled in! The bottom of the last page said the following:

“This is the end of the Final Exam. All the answers on your test are correct. You will receive an ‘A’ on the final exam. The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you. All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A. You have just experienced…grAce.”

He then went around the room and asked each student individually, “What is your grade? Do you deserve the grade you are receiving? How much did all your studying for this exam help you achieve your final grade?”

Now I am not a crier by any stretch of the imagination, but I had to fight back tears when answering those questions and thinking about how the Creator has passed the test for me.

Discussion afterward went like this: “I have tried to teach you all semester that you are a recipient of grace. I’ve tried to communicate to you that you need to demonstrate this gift as you work with young people.

Don’t hammer them; they are not the enemy. Help them, for they will carry on your ministry if it is full of grace!”

Talking about how some of us had probably studied hours and some just a few minutes, but had all received the same grade, he pointed to a story Jesus told in Matthew 20. The owner of a vineyard hired people to work in his field and agreed to pay them a certain amount. Several different times during the day, he hired more workers. When it was time to pay them, they all received the same amount. When the ones who had been hired first thing in the morning began complaining, the boss said, “Should you be angry because I am kind?” (Matthew 20:15).

The teacher said he had never done this kind of final before and probably would never do it again, but because of the content of many of our class discussions, he felt like we needed to experience grace.

Have you thanked your Creator today because of the grace you have experienced?

TRAGEDY OR BLESSING?

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Clark and his wife 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 fourteen 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 – without the Clark family. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and God for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland – the mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. 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.

HOW THE INTERNET BEGAN

In ancient Israel, it came to pass that a trader by the name of Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dot.

And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg. Indeed, she had been called Amazon Dot Com.

She said unto Abraham, her husband, “Why doth thou travel far from town to town with thy goods when thou can trade without ever leaving thy tent?”

And Abraham did look at her as though she were several saddle bags short of a camel load, but simply said, “How, Dear?”

And Dot replied, “I will place drums in all the towns and drums in between to send messages saying what you have for sale and they will reply telling you which hath the best price. And the sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah’s Pony Stable (UPS).”

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with the drums. The drums rang out and were an immediate success.

Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever moving from his tent.

But this success did arouse envy. A man named Maccabia did secret himself inside Abraham’s tent and was accused of insider trading. And the young men did take to Dot Com’s trading as doth the greedy horsefly take to camel dung. They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Siderites, or NERDS for short.

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were going to the drum maker, one Brother William of Gates, who bought up every drum company in the land. And indeed did insist on making drums that would work only with Brother Gates’ drumheads and drumsticks.

Dot did say, “Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken over by others.”

And as Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel, or as it came to be known “eBay” he said, “We need a name that reflects what we are.”

And Dot replied, “Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators.”

“YAHOO,” said Abraham.

And that is how it all began. It wasn’t Al Gore after all.

INSPIRING PICTORIAL QUOTES

UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.

“Reverend,” said the young man, “sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip.”

The minister chuckled, “I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business.”

CALL FROM 'ALMIGHTY GOD'

This story involves a pastor of a storefront church. The pastor’s church is called The Almighty God Tabernacle. On a Saturday night not long ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn’t answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn’t answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.

When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn’t answered before, but she said that it hadn’t rang at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and didn’t give it a second thought.

The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he’d used that Saturday night.

The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he’d called on Saturday night. The pastor couldn’t figure out what the guy was talking about. Then the guy said, “It rang and rang, but I didn’t answer. “The pastor then remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he intended to call his wife.

The man said, “That’s OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, ‘God if you’re there, and you don’t want me to do this, give me a sign now.’ At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, ‘Almighty God’. I was too afraid to answer!”

INSPIRING WEDNESDAY QUOTES

We can never live in God's will if we haven't learned to say "yes" whenever God gives us direction for our lives || Stormie Omartian

Guard within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, and lose without regret, and to acquire without meanness.

Gratitude is being more aware of what you do have than what you don't. It is recognition of the treasures in simple things.

The willingness to trust will always be the foundation of a meaningful life.

When a nail grows we cut the nail, not the finger. When hair grows we cut the hair not the head. Similarly, when we are angry we must cut the anger, not the relation!

Gratitude is being more aware of what you do have than what you don't, it is recognition of the treasures in simple things.

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream || C.S. Lewis

The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives || Billy Graham

Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be turned into a burden || Corrie Ten Boom

Although God demands a whole heart, He will accept a broken one if He gets all the pieces.

The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love || William Wordsworth

Nothing is hard if the heart has love,

Nothing is impossible when the heart understands,

Nothing is heavy when God is in your heart.

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience from bad judgment.

It takes courage for people to listen to their own goodness and act on it.

God keeps on adding one more day in our life not only because you need it but because someone else need you every day!

In God's eyes, love is never absent. In God's heart, forgiveness is always possible. In God's embrace, no one is ever alone or forgotten.

Talk happiness. The world is sad enough without your woe || Orison Swett Marden

If times are hard and you find yourself battling on wearily, keep on believing, keep on dreaming until the task is done || Huithiang

When you are lost and your burden heavy - be encouraged and know that what is hidden from you is not hidden from God || Huithiang

When you have done all you can and it's still not working, you have to realize that what you want may not be what God wants for you.

Worry is the abuse of imagination and lack of faith in God || Huithiang

Much of the beauty in life would not be there if there were no pain, and no struggle. We must understand that they add colour and meaning to life || Huithiang

FINDING COPPER PENNIES

There was a small boy who when walking down the street one day found a bright copper penny. He was so excited that he found money and it didn’t cost him anything. This experience led him to spend the rest of his days walking with his head down, eyes wide open, looking for wealth.

During his lifetime he found 1,296,000,000 pennies, 480 nickels, 1900 dimes, 16.000 quarters, 200 half dollars and thousands of crinkled dollar bills. He accumulated quite a bank account in his lifetime. He prided himself in the fact that he spent his life getting his fortune from nothing.

Yes, the boy now old man, spent his life collecting money for nothing. Except that in his lifetime he missed the breathless beauty of 31,369 sunsets, the colorful splendor of 157 rainbows, the fiery beauty of hundreds of maples nipped by autumn’s frost. He never saw the thousands of white clouds drifting across blue skies, shifting into various wondrous formations. Birds flying, sun shining, and the smiles of a hundreds of thousands people that passed through his life. All of this is not a part of his memory. Nor did this man-boy have any time to build a successful family or circle of true friends. No one cried for him when he passed on, in fact, many were glad to see him leave this world.

Who do you know that is living like this? Head is bent down burdened with the task of achieving wealth. Someone who has never had the time to develop friends, family or true wisdom. Someone who is totally consumed with greed and never understands “the best things in life are free”. People that have spent their whole life searching for those copper pennies above all things.


People are like stained-glass windows.
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in,
their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within || Elizabeth Kübler-Ross