Dads Blessings

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss Spirit's blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?

TODAY'S's affirmation: "Today I look beyond the obvious and allow miracles to be created in my life."



http://www.indianchild.com/dads_blessings.htm

Though the beginning of love bringeth delight, the end bringeth destruction. For, as the first drought of wine doth comfort the stomach, the second inflame the liver, the third fume into the head, so the first sip of love is pleasant, the second perilous, the third pestilent.


By: John Lyly

Alexander Fleming

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slowand terrifying death. The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved."I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life.""No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel."Is that your son?" the nobleman asked. "Yes," the farmer replied proudly."I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education.If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill.His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said what goes around comes around.

http://www.indianchild.com/alexander_fleming.htm

A Box Full of Kisses

The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty. He yelled at her, stating, "Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside? The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They're all for you, Daddy."The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends, and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this.

http://www.indianchild.com/a_box_full_of_kisses.htm

The 4 Wives

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.

The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !"

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

c. The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament.

http://www.indianchild.com/4_wives.htm

As long as...

As long as we've got water, where the fish swims
As long as we've got land, where the deer goes to and glazes
As long as we've got jungles, where the wild animals can hide themselves
Are we safe on this earth.

When the hide place is gone and the planes are destroyed
- Where shall we be then?

Our own land, our living bread, has got smaller
Mountain waters have sunk
Rivers have dried out
The streams are singing with sorrow in their voice
The fields are getting black, the grass is withering
The birds are quiet and flying.

Things we've earned
Don't touch our hearts
The thing that was supposed to make everything so easy
Have no value.

Painfull, is walking
On hard stoneways
Silently, are mountain people crying
While the time hurries
Dilutes the blood
The language doesn't ring anymore
The water stops waving.


Poem by: Paulus Utsi (1918-1975)
Translated by: Atousa Gharvan

Find Out Whether You Are Spoiled or Not!

Check each that applies:
Do you have:

[ ] Mother
[ ] Father
[ ] Step-Mother
[ ] Step-Sister
[ ] Step-Brother
[ ] Half-Brother
[ ] Nephew
[ ] Niece
[ ] Cell phone
[ ] Own bathroom
[ ] Own room
[ ] Swimming pool
[ ] Hot tub
[ ] Guest room
[ ] Computer in a Computer Room
[ ] TV
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Fullsize or bigger bed
[ ] More than 8 pairs of shoes
[ ] Sunglasses
[ ] Watch
[ ] MP3 Player/iPod
[ ] PS2
[ ] Xbox
[ ] Nintendo DS or PSP
[ ] Gameboy/ Advance
[ ] Gamecube
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Basketball hoop
[ ] Air hockey table
[ ] Pool table
[ ] Ping pong table
[ ] Fooseball table
[ ] Trampoline
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Nightstand
[ ] Stereo in bedroom
[ ] DVD player
[ ] Have something from Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister
[ ] Parents give you credit card
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Job
[ ] Goes shopping at least once a week
[ ] Expensive cologne/perfume
[ ] AIM/MSN
[ ] Camera or phone
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Electric or gas scooter/motorcycle/car
[ ] Guitar/Drums/Bass guitar
[ ] Piano/Keyboard
[ ] Any other instrument
[ ] Been on a cruise
[ ] Travelled out of the province
[ ] Had a personal trainer
[ ] Expensive jewellery
[ ] Met a celebrity
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Straightener/curling iron
[ ] Have been to a batting cage
[ ] Have $100 on you right now (in mixed currency)
[ ] Credit card or bank card
[ ] Been to Europe
[ ] Been to Hawaii
[ ] Been to NYC
[ ] Been to LA
[ ] Been to Florida
[ ] Been to Las Vegas
[ ] Been to the Bahamas
[ ] Been to South America
TOTAL SO FAR: {?}

[ ] Parents have a car
[ ] Jet Ski/boat
[ ] Camper
[ ] Been to 5+ countries in the Europe
[ ] 100+ buddies on your cellphone
[ ] More than one house (appartment is same as house, as long as it's home)
TOTAL: {?}

[ ] Home cooked meal almost every day
[ ] Been in a limo
[ ] Been in a helicopter
[ ] Own a camcorder
[ ] Own a laptop computer
TOTAL: {?}

1 - 22 = Ghetto
23 - 33 = Average
34 - 44 = Spoiled
45+ = Upper Class/R


Source: Unknown