Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

Borgs


I looked around the restaurant. There were five tables,
counting mine, within sight. At every table (my table was the
exception), there was at least one person on a cell phone.

I thought as I surveyed the scene, "Is this what we've come to?
Permanently tethered to an invisible electronic line? Are we so
caught up that we can't even eat without being involved with
some electronic device?"

What a shame. What have we succumbed to? Are we becoming like
the Star Trek Borg creatures? Creatures who cannot exist without
being electronically tied into the collective?

I was so disturbed by the thought that I just refused to witness
it further.

Someone has to take a stand!

So I closed up my notebook computer and walked out.

 

[PUNISHER]

To It and Thru It


I am one of the survivors of the recent hurricane.

As the storm approached, I prayed that God would steer it in
another direction because I live in a mobile home as do my
parents. But God did not honor that request and set it on a path
straight to us.

My father is dying of cancer and could not possibly go to a
shelter so we opted to ride out the storm all together in my
mobile home.

As the winds blew, I sat and prayed and wondered if God knew
what He was doing? He kept firmly in my mind that if He brings
me to it, He will surly bring me thru it.

The most we suffered was a blown out screen on a porch
enclosure. As thousands were without power, we never lost ours
which was a TRUE blessing as my father would not have survived
the heat.

My mother who was in need of a new roof on her home (but unable
to afford it) was blessed (yes blessed) to have a tree come
through her roof. Now insurance will provide the new roof.

The moral of this story?

When you think God does not hear let me assure you that He does

...maybe just not the way you want.

Brother another misguiding message . The moral of the story is praise god for everything bad things that happens to you at the same time lie to yourself that god still love you which is unbelievable .

 

[PUNISHER]

Thank you bro, and this post is for you :



What Is Love?
==============

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of
4-to 8-year-olds, "What does love mean?" The answers they got
were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and
paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her
all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's
love." (Rebecca - age 8 )

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
(Billy - age 4 )

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving
cologne and they go out and smell each other."
(Karl - age 5 )

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your
French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
(Chrissy - age 6 )

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
(Terri - age 4 )

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a
sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
(Danny - age 7)

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of
kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My
Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss,"
(Emily - age 8)

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop
opening presents and listen." (Bobby - age 7)

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a
friend whom you hate." (Nikka - age 6)

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, and then he
wears it everyday." (Noelle - age 7)

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are
still friends even after they know each other so well."
(Tommy - age 6)

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared.
I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving
and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared
anymore." (Cindy - age 8)

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else
kissing me to sleep at night." (Clare - age 6)

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
(Elaine-age 5)

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says
he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
(Chris - age 7)

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him
alone all day." (Mary Ann - age 4)

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her
old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." (Lauren - age 4)

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and
little stars come out of you."
(Karen - age 7)

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she
doesn't think it's gross." (Mark - age 6)

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it.
But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
(Jessica - age 8)

And the final one to melt anybody's heart: Author and lecturer
Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor
was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon
seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's
yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother
asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
"Nothing, I just helped him cry."


~Authors Unknown~

?????? What have it got to do with god ? Those kids talk about human love and not god love .. this is misleading .

 

[PUNISHER]

Took Off


I am blessed to be working for a construction company in the
Lehigh Acres area. One day I was doing punch-out work on a
home - the only home on the street - in a relatively secluded
part of Lehigh.

Quite often while I work I pray that the Lord set up divine
appointments to share God's word with people. This prayer has
been answered many times.

I wrapped up what I was doing, and after loading the truck, was
backing into the street. I glanced in the rear view mirror and
happened to notice a tiny speck that resembled a small child in
a diaper way off down the road. I couldn't believe my eyes, so
I rubbed them and looked again. Yep - a toddler in a diaper!

We were in the woods on a deserted road with no houses in sight!
I didn't want to scare the child, so I slowly backed down the
road to where he was playing. There were still no houses in
sight except the one I had been working on moments ago. It was
a very hot day and the sun was beaming down on this shoeless boy
who was clothed in nothing but the diaper.

He took little notice of me other than to show me the stick he
was playing with. There was absolutely no fear in him. With no
houses, and no people in sight, and this child all alone,
a thousand things were running through my mind. What was I
going to do to help this helpless boy?

I prayed for the Lord to guide me and help me to find this
child's home. Sure enough the answer came: "Go to this street,
turn left, and it's the second house on the right, the one with
the garage door open."

I nervously picked the boy up (still no fear; he came right to
me) and placed him on my lap while I drove him home. Upon
arriving at the house, I saw a teenager frantically looking
around the yard.

After verifying that this was the boy's home, I learned that the
young toddler had recently learned how to open doors and was
supposed to be down for a nap, but instead opened the door and
took off. I gave the family our church card with an open
invitation to attend, and I thanked God that He had used me and
that no harm had come to this precious and innocent child.

This was a MountainWings Moment. For anyone out there who may
have doubts about their being needed in this hectic and
confusing world, rest assured, you are here for a reason.

There are no accidents in God's kingdom. Praise God continually,
He is worthy!

The funny thing is I'm an atheists and I always insulted " god " but good things still happens to me without me praying for it . And I never praise god in my whole entire life !! That's the best part .

 

[beensetfree]

Trying to Keep It Pretty


My grandmother once told me that it didn't matter to her what
size I was, "just keep it pretty." Most of you know I have
tried to "just keep it pretty." Unfortunately the more I aged,
the more weight I gained, in spite of trying to watch what I
ate and trying to stay active. Keeping it pretty wasn't enough
to thrive in the world we live in.

One year ago today, I had gastric bypass surgery. My body has
changed quite a bit, but I've got a lot of work ahead of me
still. This journey has been both exciting and emotionally
overwhelming. But... I've learned so much about myself, people
(especially men) and relationships. It's really been amazing
and disappointing. :o)

Each of us is impacted by body image, whether our own or someone
we know. We place so much importance on what we see and what
we find physically attractive.

Don't get me wrong, we should all take good care of our bodies
but often we fail to consider the heart and spirit of the people
who live inside bodies that are challenged by obesity, physical
impairments or handicaps.

Most of the time perceptions are not the true reality. We make
a LOT of assumptions about people based on how they look, and
those who dare to get behind the shell of the physical still
struggle with what is seen.

Today I ask each of you to take a second look at the obese lady
in the grocery store, the man in the wheel chair or even a child
who has a physical or mental disability.

Look into their eyes, speak or just smile - it means a lot.

 

[beensetfree]

You are correct. This post was about human love. Not all my posts on this thread are religious ones. Some are just general posts and there are a few jokes

too.

?????? What have it got to do with god ? Those kids talk about human love and not god love .. this is misleading .

 

[PUNISHER]

You are correct. This post was about human love. Not all my posts on this thread are religious ones. Some are just general posts and there are a few jokes

too.

Ok cool bro . Thanks for explaining . cheers

 

[beensetfree]

A Sure Thing


I had to watch. There was so much being made of this event,
that I had to see how it all turned out.

Of course, I wanted the best one to win, but I also wanted to
see a great story become even greater.

We watched the Kentucky Derby.

I don't know a thing about horse racing, but I know plenty about
winning and losing.

As the odds changed and the tension mounted, I paid little
attention to who owned what and how much they made in the past
three years. The odds makers were having a field day with all
the possibilities. I am sure there was a small fortune to be
made if you had the right combination and your horse came in.

From what I remember the winning horse would bring a hefty five
million dollars to the owner.

As the horses approached the starting gate, the announcer read
all the statistics, but none of it made any sense to me. All I
saw were horses and people. As the camera scanned along the
line, I wondered what each jockey was thinking. They all have
won races before, some even won the Derby, but each race is
different, new, and fresh. They weren't there to lose.
They started the race as winners.

There were to be 18 horses in this race, but a few were "scratched,"
dropped out for whatever reason before the race was announced.

One by one they took their places.

"They're off!"

It was a muddy race track, "sloppy" they said. As they bolted
from the gate I saw the crowded field tighten up as each rider
fought to get their position. They were literally touching
sides, some six or seven deep. That is until they suddenly
slipped into place.

As they headed into the first turn I focused not on who was in
the lead, but all the horses that were behind.

The leader was clean and almost untouched by the m&d and rain.
All the horses behind were soaked and dirty. I saw that as the
first obvious advantage of being the leader in the race.

I know it doesn't always work this way, but I've discovered that
the one in the lead early on often times burns out too soon.
The great story, the excitement in the race happens when a horse
lost in the crowd suddenly bursts forth.

Life is like that race.

I know many who started out in the lead and because of all too
many bad turns, poor positioning and perhaps foolish pride, are
headed for the finish line falling far behind.

Still others were scratched from the race all too soon.
Life happens that way.

I'm not sure how long the race I'm in will run. At 54 I'm more
than half way there. I'm certainly well past the first turn.
But then again, I could also be in the final stretch.

I can tell you I've been in the lead and I've been the very
last. Right now I'm running with a lot of m&d in my face
somewhere in the middle.

No matter where you are, the race isn't over until the Great
Announcer says it's over.

That means whether you're running second, last or somewhere in
the middle like me, there's plenty of room to find your place.

But you don't have to be number one to win. You see in life,
never giving up, finishing no matter how long it takes, having
had the chance to run at all, makes you a winner.

Win, place or show, if I were a betting man, my money would
be on you. You see, God only makes winners,
so you're "a Sure Thing!"

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;y-j7CFfDvHc]http://youtu.be/y-j7CFfDvHc[/video]

 

[drifteri]

Bible Quote for January 21



Sampson and the Spirit of the Lord

"The spirit of the Lord came upon him (Sampson), and he went down to Ashkelon, where he killed thirty of their men and despoiled them; he gave their garments to those who had answered his riddle." (Sampson used the garments to pay off a bet he lost.) Judges 14:19 NAB

 

[Ritchie]

Don't get me wrong, we should all take good care of our bodies
but often we fail to consider the heart and spirit of the people
who live inside bodies that are challenged by obesity, physical
impairments or handicaps.

Exactly true. Compassion and loving kindness of all. As nothing remains besides compassion with all from loving kindness within.

 

[fishbuff]

1 Samuel 15
15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the LORD.
15:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from Egypt.
(15:2-3) "Thus saith the LORD of hosts ... slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass."
God orders Saul to kill all of the Amalekites: men, women, infants, sucklings, ox, sheep, camels, and asses. Why? Because God remembers what Amalek did hundreds of years ago.
15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.

 

[beensetfree]

Whenever someone leaves, let them go and focus all of your
energy on those who remain; waste no energy on those who leave."

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;ecR2OSlNkLY]http://youtu.be/ecR2OSlNkLY[/video]

 

[beensetfree]

You Are Where God Wants You To Be


The next time your morning seems to be going wrong and the kids
are slow getting dressed and you can't seem to find the car keys
and you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated.
Praise God instead, because God is at work watching over you.

After Sept. 11, I happened to call a man on business whom I
didn't know and haven't, nor will probably ever talk to again.
But on this particular day, he felt like talking. He was the
head of security for a company that had invited the remaining
members of another company who had been decimated by the attack
on the Twin Towers to share their office space.

With his voice full of awe, he told me stories of why these
people are alive and their counterparts no longer were. In the
end, all the stories were just about little things that happen
to us.

You might know the head of the company got in late that day
because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow is alive because it was his turn to bring
donuts. There were other stories that I hope and pray will
someday be gathered and put in a book. The one that struck me
was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took
the various means to get to work but before he got there, he
developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to
buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to
answer a ringing telephone... all the little things that annoy
me, I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to
be at this very moment.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little
things.

 

[beensetfree]

No Admittance


Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano,
a mother took the small boy to a Paderewski concert. After they
were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and
walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert
hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way
through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE."

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin,
the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her son was
missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and the spotlights focused on the
impressive Steinway on stage.

In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the piano,
innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that
moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved
to the piano and whispered in the boy's ear,

"Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand
and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right hand reached
around the other side of the child and he added a running
obbligato.

Together, the old master and the young novice transferred a
frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is with God.

What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try
our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music.

With the hand of God, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
So the next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen
carefully and you can hear the voice of God whispering in your
ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are
playing the concerto of your life.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called.

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach
of God's grace.

And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the
reach of God's grace.

Don't Quit – Keep Playing

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;3FrEmqyM4-k]http://youtu.be/3FrEmqyM4-k[/video]

 

[drifteri]

Bible Quotes for January 22



Slave Beating



"When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property." Exodus 21:20-21 NAB

 

[beensetfree]

Beyond


Today it's windy, dark and raining.

I wake up every morning by saying it's a beautiful day no matter
how the day looks or what's in store for me.

It does not matter.

It's a beautiful day.

Today, as I woke up and looked outside at the sky,
the trees were moving to the rhythm of the wind
and the rain was coming down fast.

There are many times in our lives that we feel we are in the
dark.

We are in chaos.

We are in a whirlwind

We feel completely helpless and we feel blown away by the winds
and forces in our lives.

But the truth remains that beyond all the dark clouds,
the heavy rain and
the wind,
the sun is still shining,
but we can not see it.

The sun, the blue sky, is always there.

We just have to look beyond the clouds to see it
and to also know that they will eventually clear.

That this too will pass.

Life is beautiful

Everyday is beautiful

We just have to look beyond.

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;kgQ9ER-fdWQ]http://youtu.be/kgQ9ER-fdWQ[/video]