24 THINGS TO ALWAYS REMEMBER

24 Things to Always Remember. . .

and One Thing to Never Forget

Your presence is a present to the world.

You’re unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be what you want it to be.

Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You’ll make it through whatever comes along.

Within you are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don’t put limits on yourself.

So many dreams are waiting to be realized.

Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.

Don’t take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.

Remember that a lot . . . goes forever.

Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

Life’s treasures are people . . . together.

Realize that it’s never too late.

Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Have heath and hope and happiness.

Take the time to wish upon a star.

And don’t ever forget . . .

For even a day . . .

How very special you are!

EMPTY EGGS

The Rev. Harry Pritchett, Junior, is rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta. His church includes specific ministries for the poor, for street people, for college students. It is Dr. Pritchett who called my attention to a boy named Philip.

He was nine – in a Sunday School class of eight-year-olds. Eight-year-olds can be cruel.

The third-graders did not welcome Philip to their group. Not just because he was older. He was “different.” He suffered from Down’s syndrome and its obvious manifestations: facial characteristics, slow responses, symptoms of retardation.

One Sunday after Easter the Sunday school teacher gathered some of those plastic eggs – the kind in which some ladies pantyhose are packaged. Plastic eggs which pull apart in the middle.

The Sunday school teacher gave one of these plastic eggs to each child.

On that beautiful spring day each child was to go outdoors and discover for himself some symbol of “new life” and place that symbolic seed or leaf or whatever inside his egg. They would then open their eggs one by one, and each youngster would explain how his find was a symbol of “new life.”

So…

The youngsters gathered around on the appointed day and put their eggs on a table, and the teacher began to open them.

One child found a flower. All the children “oohed” and “aahed” at the lovely symbol of new life.

In another was a butterfly. “Beautiful,” the girls said. And it’s not easy for an eight-year-old to say “beautiful.”

Another egg was opened to reveal a rock. Some of the children laughed.

“That’s crazy!” one said. “How is a rock supposed to be like new life?”

Immediately the boy spoke up and said, “That’s mine. I knew everybody would get flowers and leaves and butterflies and all that stuff, so I got a rock to be different.”

Everyone laughed.

The teacher opened the last one, and there was nothing inside.

“That’s not fair!” someone said. “That’s stupid!” said another.

Teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was Philip. Looking up he said, “It’s mine. I did do it. It’s empty. I have new life because the tomb is empty.”

The class fell silent.

From that day on Philip became part of the group. They welcomed him. Whatever had made him different was never mentioned again.

Philip’s family had known he would not have a long life; just too many things wrong with the tiny body. That summer, overcome with infection, Philip died.

On the day of his funeral nine eight-year-old boys and girls confronted the reality of death and marched up to the altar – not with flowers.

Nine children with their Sunday school teacher placed on the casket of their friend their gift of love – an empty egg.

~Paul Harvey

SATAN'S GARAGE SALE

Once upon a time, Satan was having a garage sale. There, standing in little groups were all of his bright, shiny trinkets. Here were tools that make it easy to tear others down for use as stepping stones. And over there were some lenses for magnifying one's own importance, which, if you looked through them the other way, you could also use to belittle others, or even one’s self. Against the wall was the usual assortment of gardening implements guaranteed to help your pride grow by leaps and bounds: the rake of scorn, the shovel of jealousy for digging a pit for your neighbor, the tools of gossip and backbiting, of selfishness and apathy. All of these were pleasing to the eye and came complete with fabulous promises and guarantees of prosperity. Prices, of course, were steep; but not to worry! Free credit was extended to one and all. “Take it home, use it, and you won’t have to pay until later!” old Satan cried, as he hawked his wares.

The visitor, as he browsed, noticed two well worn, non-descript tools standing in one corner. Not being nearly as tempting as the other items, he found it curious that these two tools had price tags higher than any other. When he asked why, Satan just laughed and said, “Well, that’s because I use them so much. If they weren’t so plain looking, people might see them for what they were.” Satan pointed to the two tools, saying, “You see, that one’s Doubt and that one’s Discouragement — and those will work when nothing else will.”

ISN'T IT STRANGE?

Isn’t it strange how a $100 dollar bill seems like such a large amount when you donate it to the church, but such a small amount when you go shopping?

Isn’t it strange how endless an hour seems when we are serving God, but how short it is when we watch a Football game for 60 minutes?

Isn’t it strange how 2 hours seem so long when you’re at the church and how short they seem when you’re watching a good movie?

Isn’t it strange that you can’t find things to say when you’re praying, but you have no trouble on thinking what to talk about with a friend?

Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants front-row-tickets to concerts or games, but they do whatever is possible to sit at the last row in the church?

Isn’t it strange how we need to know about an event for the church 2-3 weeks before the day so we can include it in our agenda, but we can adjust it for other events in the last minute?

Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to learn, understand, extend and repeat gossip?

Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say, but we question the words in the Bible?

Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?

Isn’t it strange how we send jokes in e-mails and they are fowarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?

IT’S STRANGE, ISN’T IT?

Are you laughing?

Are you thinking about it?

Spread the word, and thank God, because He loves you.

IT'S UP TO YOU!

One song can spark a moment,

One flower can wake the dream.

One tree can start a forest,

One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,

One handclasp lifts a soul.

One star can guide a ship at sea,

One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,

One sunbeam lights a room,

One candle wipes out darkness

One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,

One word must start each prayer.

One hope will raise our spirits,

One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,

One heart can know what’s true,

One life can make the difference,

You see, it’s up to you!

THE WISE OLD MAN

Happiness does not depend on something around us, it depends on how we choose to see, feel and live life!

A man of 92 years, short, very well presented, who takes great care in his appearance, is moving into an old people's home.

His wife of 70 has recently died, and he is obliged to leave his home.

After waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby, he gently smiles as he is told that his room is ready.

As he slowly walks to the elevator, using his cane, I describe his small room to him, including the sheet hung at the window which serves as a curtain.

"I like it very much", he says, with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old boy who has just given a new puppy.

"M.Gagne, you haven't even seen the room yet, hang on a moment, we are almost there".

"That has nothing to do with it", he replies.

"Happiness is something I choose in advance. Whether or not I like the room does not depend on the furniture, or the decor - rather it depends on how I decide to see it".

"It is already decided in my mind that I like my room. It is a decision I take every morning when I wake up".

"I can choose. I can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that I have with the parts of my body that no longer work very well or I can get up and give thanks to heaven for those parts that are still in working order".

"Every day is a gift, and as long as I can open my eyes, I will focus on the new day, and all the happy memories that I have built up during my life".

"Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw in later life what you have deposited along the way".

Deposit all the happiness you can in your bank account of memories.

Thanks you for your part in filling my account with happy memories, which I am still continuing to fill...

Remember these simple guidelines for happiness :

~Free your heart from hate

~Free your mind from worry

~Live simple

~Give more

~Expect less

THE CALL OF THE BARNYARD

A flock of wild ducks were flying in formation, heading south for the winter. They formed a beautiful 'V' in the sky, and were admired by everyone who saw them from below.

One day, Wally, one of the wild ducks in the formation, spotted something on the ground that caught his eye. It was a barnyard with a flock of tame ducks who lived on the farm. They were waddling around on the ground, quacking merrily and eating corn that was thrown on the ground for them every day. Wally liked what he saw. “It sure would be nice to have some of that corn,” he thought to himself. “And all this flying is very tiring. I’d like to just waddle around for a while.”

So after thinking it over a while, Wally left the formation of wild ducks, made a sharp dive to the left, and headed for the barnyard. He landed among the tame ducks, and began to waddle around and quack merrily. He also started eating corn. The formation of wild ducks continued their journey south, but Wally didn’t care. “I’ll rejoin them when they come back north in a few months,” he said to himself.

Several months went by and sure enough, Wally looked up and spotted the flock of wild ducks in formation, heading north. They looked beautiful up there. And Wally was tired of the barnyard. It was muddy and everywhere he waddled, nothing but duck doo. “It’s time to leave,” said Wally.

So Wally flapped his wings furiously and tried to get airborne. But he had gained some weight from all his corn-eating, and he hadn’t exercised his wings much either. He finally got off the ground, but he was flying too low and slammed into the side of the barn. He fell to the ground with a thud and said to himself, “Oh, well, I’ll just wait until they fly south in a few months. Then I’ll rejoin them and become a wild duck again.”

But when the flock flew overhead once more, Wally again tried to lift himself out of the barnyard. He simply didn’t have the strength. Every winter and every spring, he saw his wild duck friends flying overhead, and they would call out to him. But his attempts to leave were all in vain.

Eventually Wally no longer paid any attention to the wild ducks flying overhead. He hardly even noticed them. He had, after all, become a barnyard duck.

Sometimes we get tired of being wild ducks-followers of Jesus Christ. It’s not always easy to be obedient to God and to discipline ourselves to hang in there for the long haul. When we are feeling that way, that’s when Satan tempts us to “fall out of formation” and to join the barnyard ducks – the world.

But look what happened to Wally. He thought he would just “check it out” for awhile and then leave when he wanted to. But he couldn’t do it. Sin is like that. Sin is a trap, and it has a way of changing us into people we don’t even want to become. Eventually we lose touch with who we really are–the sons and daughters of the Most High. We become barnyard ducks.

INSPIRE A FIRE

These days I meet a lot of discouraged people. Times are tough. You probably know folks in your inner circle, as I do, facing struggles like unemployment, debt, medical concerns, lack of access to education, military deployment of loved ones, divorce, anxiety, depression...the list goes on and on. Maybe you’re facing some of those lemons too.

I was swapping stories with some friends and we were talking about times when we felt burned out, frustrated, and alone. Then a funny thing happened: our conversation switched to stories about the remarkable things that have happened in our times of great need—the perfect job at just the right time, an anonymous donation, reconciliation with a loved one. I was so encouraged. Sometimes it’s when we think life can’t get any more sour that something sweet surprises us with hope.

Even when we can’t physically fix the problems in our friends’ lives—and if we can, we should!—we can always give each other the gift of encouraging stories. You may not be able to help pay your friend’s medical bills or provide a job, but you can talk about the times in your life when you unexpectedly discovered hope.

I call those lemonade stories, and I recently created a book project called God Makes Lemonade to share hope across America. I’ve read hundreds of true stories about everyday folks who are surprised by unexpected sweetness in the midst of sour circumstances…and more stories are arriving on my desk every day.

As a result of God Makes Lemonade, we’re spreading hope by supporting a better quality of life for single moms and their children too. When my wife and I were talking about a worthy cause where we could send the royalties from the book, nothing made sense to us like giving those royalties toward supporting single moms. They endure more stress and heartache than most of us can imagine—I really believe single moms and their children are the widows and orphans of our day and I love being able to support them in this way.
If you need some encouragement or if you know someone else who does, take some time today to think about your story. When were you afraid things would never work out? When were you surprised by hope? Do you have a lemonade story? Share it. There are millions of people out there who need hope and inspiration.

An Interview With Don Jacobson

Don Jacobson is the creator of Lemonade Books, a series of books that tell true stories about everyday folks discovering something sweet amidst sour circumstances. He’d love to hear your story and he pays for stories approved to be published in future books. Find out how to purchase a copy of God Makes Lemonade or submit your story at their website. Also, follow God Makes Lemonade on Facebook and Twitter.

Huithiang: Where do you live?

Don: My wife, Brenda, and I have been living in Central Oregon for over 22 years. We’re currently living in Bend, near Mount Bachelor. We have four adult children and one son-in-law. They’re scattered across the West Coast, from British Columbia to Portland to Southern California.
 
Huithiang: What are you up to these days?

Don: After selling Multnomah Publishers in 2006, I started DC Jacobson & Associates, an author management company. I’ve always loved interacting with authors and developing creative book ideas—after working with hundreds of authors and over 1,000 books, I still love it! I decided to start my own publishing company last year, publishing true stories, starting with God Makes Lemonade. This is the first book I have ever published as an author/creator, and it’s been an exhilarating process.
 
Huithiang: Tell us more about God Makes Lemonade. What inspired you to begin the project?

Don: Well, are you ready for a story? [Smiles] I started God Makes Lemonade because people need hope. I know so many people who are really hurting right now. And I know what they’re going through. I’ve experienced some tough times, too, but the thing is, I really wouldn’t erase those tough times because so many good things have come out of the bad. Sometimes the only thing we can do for each other during those difficult times is share our stories. Really, I’m a walking-talking lemonade story, and every day my goal is to inspire and encourage others to not lose heart amidst the lemons that life hands us. I want God Makes Lemonade to do just that—bring hope to people one story at a time. 
Huithiang: Aren’t you giving away the royalties for God Makes Lemonade?

Don: Yes. Brenda and I knew we wanted to send all of the royalties for God Makes Lemonade toward a worthy cause. We went back and forth for a couple weeks trying to find the cause, and then it hit us: single moms and their children. I can’t think of a more worthy cause, actually. My sister has been a single mom for 15 years, and Brenda and I have a number of friends who are single moms. The amount of work they have to do every day is almost incomprehensible to me. I remember times when Brenda went on quick trips and left me alone with the young kids for a couple days. She’d return and I’d say, “Well, now that I’ve had the kids for two days by myself, I need a two-month vacation to recover!” We discovered that there are upwards of 10 million single mothers in the U.S. and no nationwide organization solely dedicated to increasing quality of life for single mothers and their children. Moms wake up every day alone, hurting from a broken relationship, and looking for hope. If you want to know more about where we send the royalties, see this link: Lemonaid Foundation.

Huithiang: God Makes Lemonade is a collection of stories, right? Could my readers submit stories for your book? 

Don: I hope they do! Our website has more detailed guidelines for story submissions, but basically we’re looking for stories about those times when sour circumstances were unexpectedly sweetened by something—picture Cinderella toiling away at her housework until a surprising visit to the ball leads to her marrying the prince. Some lemonade stories are dramatic, and some are simple and sweet, but all of them help spread hope and inspiration.

Huithiang: I’ve heard you’re collecting stories for God Makes Lemonade 2. Is that true? What other projects are you working on?

Don: We’re having fun promoting God Makes Lemonade right now, and yes, we’re already working on book two. We’ve got quite a few stories in already, but we’d love for your readers to send us more. And we have a brand new series that we’re excited about announcing soon!

WHEN THE BOTTOM DROPS OUT by ROBERT BUGH

All of us, without exception, go through different phases in life. Life is a mixed bag of joy and sadness. As it is with the sun that appears to shine ever brighter after rain, the journey of life has its ups and downs.

While the depth and intensity of the setbacks that we face in life may differ from person to person, and from one culture to another, no one can escape from the reality of the devastation that life can bring at some point in life. On a more personal note, when cancer visited my family I was shaken but not broken. Certain thoughts did creep in but deep down in my heart of hearts hope was still burning. But after two years of painful treatment and quite of tidy sum of money was spent in vain – and when my wife went home to be with the Lord – leaving me to take care of our four young girls, I was totally devastated.

I am well aware that my personal experience is the story of many families. And if such a time comes, what would be your reaction? How would you respond to such a situation in life? And for those who have experienced life laid bare, how did you react or respond?

When the Bottom Drops Out: Finding Grace in the Depths of Disappointment by Robert Bugh, a Pastor and theologian, is a must read book for all Christians who are keen to find and hold onto Christ even through the most painful episodes of life.

The book will teach the readers that God’s grace is available in abundance even during the tough and rough patches of life.

Paperback, 256 pages

Published October 1st 2011 by Tyndale House Publishers

ISBN 1414363494 (ISBN13: 9781414363493)

Price: $ 14.99

Robert Bugh is a graduate of Southern Methodist University. He received a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctorate of Ministry at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  He has served as the Senior Pastor at Wheaton Bible Church in West Chicago, Illinois since 1994. Rob also serves as the chairman of the board of Greater Europe Mission. 

Following the death of his first wife, Rob married a long-time family friend, Dr. Rhonda Williams, a pediatrician who previously lost her husband to cancer.  Rob and Rhonda's crazy step family includes six young adults (3 are married) and one teenager.

Disclaimer: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary review copy of the book.