Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

The Village Idiot
=================

Once upon a time there was a village named Egoville hidden away
in the mountains. Now, this village, like most villages, had
their own idiot. His name was Hugh Millety.

Hugh, the village idiot, was the ridicule of Egoville.
The towns folk would often set him up with silly choices in order
to laugh mercilessly at him when he made the wrong choice.

"Hugh," they'd say, "would you rather have this shiny new
quarter or this dirty old torn dollar bill?"

"I'd like the shiny quarter," Hugh would reply. His tormentor
would give him the quarter and walk away laughing, declaring
Hugh a true village idiot. Hugh would just shrug and go about
his business.

Even though it was a poor village with little opportunity, this
was repeated several times a day by many people. As the years
went by, the ridicule became a ritual that dozens of townies
took part in. The towns folk had little to their names, but at
least they could feel better about themselves in comparison to
the village idiot this way. It was their small comfort in the
lap of poverty.

Not everyone would make fun of Hugh though. A few felt sorry for
him and gave him hand-me-down clothes, leftover food, and even
an old shack to live in at the edge of town. Hugh lived off of
the handouts of the charitable few.

One day, Hugh showed up at the village square wearing a brand new
suit. Everyone was amazed, for few people in the town could
afford new clothing, let alone a nice suit. The small village
didn't even have a new clothing store, only a used clothing store.

One of townsfolk asked Hugh where he got his new suit, thinking
he must have stolen it. He bought it, he told them. And
furthermore he added, the fine new house being built on the
mountainside that everyone was wondering about, that was his.

When questioned where he got the money, he told them it was the
money they gave him. With people giving him food, clothing, and
shelter, he simply saved and invested everything they gave him.
"I may be your village idiot," he smiled and said,
"but I'm no fool."

But why then, they asked, did he always take the lesser amount
of money they offered him if he was so cunning?

Hugh replied that if he had taken the greater amount of money,
they would have stopped offering it to him. He earned his money
by letting them laugh at him, but he knew the first time he took
the greater amount they'd stop offering him money and find
something else to laugh at him about.

"Now," said Hugh, "I'm the richest person in town and have all
the money I need. I didn't waste money amusing myself at the
expense of someone I falsely perceived to be a lesser person.
And you, all of you, have little more now than you had when you
started ridiculing me. So tell me, who is the village idiot now?"

Hugh smiled again, then handed out hundred dollar bills to those
who had been kind to him. The townsfolk were shocked. It was
true though, they had frittered away their money a little at a
time, trying to make themselves feel big by comparison to the
village idiot.

It just goes to show you, if you live in Egoville, take care not
to become the village idiot by your vain perceptions. On the
other hand, if you follow the wisdom of Hugh Millety, you might
just become the richest person in town.

 

[beensetfree]

Too Heavy


A young man was at the end of his rope.

Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.
"Lord, I can't go on," he cried. "I have too heavy a cross to
bear."

The Lord replied, "My Son, if you can't bear its weight, just
place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door
and pick out any cross you wish."

The man was filled with relief and said "Thank You, Lord," and
he did as he was told.

Upon entering the other room, he saw many crosses.
Some were so large that the tops were not even visible.
He spotted a tiny cross leaning against a wall.
"I will take that one, Lord," he said.

The Lord replied, "My Son, that is the one you just brought in."

When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around
and see what other people are dealing with.

You may consider yourself much better off than you imagined.

 

[drifteri]

Teach Boys to Murder



"They were my brothers!" Gideon exclaimed. "As surely as the LORD lives, I wouldn't kill you if you hadn't killed them." Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, "Kill them!" But Jether did not draw his sword, for he was only a boy and was afraid. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, "Don't ask a boy to do a man's job! Do it yourself!" So Gideon killed them both and took the royal ornaments from the necks of their camels. (Judges 8:19-21 NLT)

 

[Frodo]

Teach Boys to Murder



"They were my brothers!" Gideon exclaimed. "As surely as the LORD lives, I wouldn't kill you if you hadn't killed them." Turning to Jether, his oldest son, he said, "Kill them!" But Jether did not draw his sword, for he was only a boy and was afraid. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said to Gideon, "Don't ask a boy to do a man's job! Do it yourself!" So Gideon killed them both and took the royal ornaments from the necks of their camels. (Judges 8:19-21 NLT)

Does AIVA know WHY murder is morally wrong?

 

[beensetfree]

The Twisty Path

"Name one person in the Bible who had a simple life without
twists," I asked Puddin (my wife).

Puddin was responding to a major change that we were making in
buying a house. We were moving to an entirely different
neighborhood and not building on the property that we bought.

It was a Divine direction that I was absolutely sure about.

"Why does life have to be so twisty and why can't God just make
it simple?" was Puddin's question. It was a very good question.

I had already asked God that question.

Thus, my response, name one person whose life had any written
detail in the Bible where it was simple and clear-cut.

"John," Puddin said.

"John!!!" I replied.

John lived in the wilderness eating bugs and honey.
Puddin would have undoubtedly considered locusts bugs.

"How many grasshoppers could you eat?" I asked Puddin.
I am sure many considered John crazy because his behavior and
lifestyle were so far from the norm.

Then there was John's father Zacharias whom God made unable to
speak because he didn't believe the angel about John.
Both Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were old,
and he just didn't believe.

Finally, John was imprisoned then he had his head cut off.
Yet Jesus said there had been none greater than John.
Don't you think John thought his path was twisty at times?

I often wonder why couldn't life be simpler.
Why couldn't all revelation be straightforward.
Why does stuff have to be cryptic?
Why the twists and turns.

Although I wonder, God has always brought us through.
Right on time, in right order, and learning the right lessons.

God will take you through the twists and turns,
if you stay on the straight and narrow.

 

[beensetfree]

Health and Cheerfulness

"Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other."

~Joseph Addison~

 

[beensetfree]

Mandela


I was watching a news clip of Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.
There were over 100 Heads of State at this ceremony and
multiple nationalities of people represented. The news reporter
said it was the first time that so many dignitaries had
gathered in one place for one event. Even Raul Castro was there.

What did this one event signify? It was nothing short of the
celebration of the way one person lived his life so
unselfishly and the celebration of voluntary pain without
resentment towards those that brought about the pain.

What a testimony to one person’s life!

I hope you will dedicate one issue of Mountainwings to show
some of Mandela’s quotes. It would not only be an honor to his
legacy, but a treat for the Mountainwings family to read.

Recently you published a quote by Emerson. It stated,
“The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our
spoons.” This was a superb quote. I thought about how so
unlike Mandela that this quote was. I never heard him talk
of his honors, but yet he was a MAN that could be trusted
with the welfare of all of mankind. In essence, there was
never a need for those in his presence to count their spoons.

~Wendy Eason~

Here are some of Mandela’s quotes to ponder:

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

"If I had my time over I would do the same again.
So would any man who dares call himself a man."

"I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to
make you see problems from all angles."

"Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of
their people."

"Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success
if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do."

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to
change the world."

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the
triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel
afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill
your enemies."

"Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front."

"Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times
I fell down and got back up again."

"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination."

 

[beensetfree]

The Gnat
========

A few years ago, I worked for a company that sent me out on the
road to some of their remote sites to do maintenance work.
These sites were, for the most part, open fields approximately
100 to 160 acres in size.

On these sites were huge piles of metallic ores such as manganese,
beryllium, chromium, ferrochrome, and many others.
Occasionally, these fields would have to be mowed and the
buildings would need repairs, so I would go out and do the
repairs, and if the weeds and grass hadn't gotten too much out
of control, I would use a tractor with a brush hog type mower
and cut it back down.

Sometimes though, I'd have to call contractors to come into the
fields to mow the waist-high grass and weeds with their heavier
equipment.

This one particular site was in an isolated area of central
Pennsylvania that was prone to heavy rainstorms with an
extraordinary amount of lightning, possibly attracted to the
area by all the ore piles. It was surrounded by a 10-foot high
cyclone fence for security, with gates to allow access to a road
that went through the center of the property.

That day was another very hot, mid-August day, and I could see
Kevin (the contractor) on the far side of the road, traveling
back and forth across the field, baking in the hot sun.

Around 1:30 P.M., I noticed some very heavy rain clouds coming
over the nearby hills and knew that another storm was coming.
I waited awhile to make sure that we actually were going to get
rained out before calling Kevin in from the open area, hoping
to let him get as much mowing done as possible.

When the sky started to darken and the wind picked up, I hopped
into my pick-up truck and went out to the field to call him back
to the building.

As I stood by the edge of the field waving to Kevin, signaling
him to get back to the shop building, the first few heavy
raindrops began falling. Then, as the first burst of lightning
lit up the sky and the first crash of thunder shook the air,
Kevin sailed passed me on his tractor like an eighteen wheeler
on Interstate 80.

After locking the gate on that side of the road, I got back into
my pick-up and pulled inside the second gate. The latch was
broken on this gate and I had to wrap a short length of chain
around the gatepost and then through the edge of the gate.

By then the lightning was closer and the rain was just starting
to get a little heavier. I shoved the thick chain around the
post and threaded it through the diamond-shaped openings in the
fence on the gate and held both ends in my one hand.

Next I took the open lock off the fence, where it had been
hanging, with my other hand. Just when I was about to put the
lock on the chain, a gnat flew into my open right eye.

That stung!

It stung so much that I instantly dropped the lock and the chain
and put my hands to my eye, taking one step back at the same time.

Not a second later, lightning struck that fence somewhere close
by, and I saw the whole fence in front of me light up and glow
bright blue.

That beautiful but lethal shade of light blue from high-voltage
radiation nearly filled in all those little diamond-shaped
openings in the fence.

I stood there awe struck as I realized what had just happened.

I was standing, wet, in rain, holding onto a chain that was
threaded through a metal fence that was just about to be struck
by lightning, when an insignificant insect, an annoying pest, a
bug, flew into my eye and saved my life.

I was completely unharmed, not even a tingle.

Now, I've always believed that we each have a guardian angel,
but I don't know for sure how they do their work. At night
when I lie down to go to sleep, I thank those guardian angels
for the work that they do. Who knows how many times they saved
my life and I don't even know about it.

 

[septuagint]

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

 

[beensetfree]

Daddy Daycare

I respect all mothers in the world.

Just one day with my three boys made me feel like I was a Boy
Scout leader.

I told myself I would take the kids off my wife's hands for a
day just to let her get a break; what I didn't realize was it
would almost break me.

I handle computers and people all day long; this would be a
breeze for me.

What I didn't understand was, there is a difference in handling
"big people" and "little people" all day.

Big people may roll their eyes and mumble at their desk; little
people will fall flat on the floor and start kicking and
screaming to the top of their lungs, and in public at that.

Big people leave their desks junky; little people have you
wondering if there is a desk in the room.

Big people will leave crumbs from eating at their desk; little
people leave apple sauce on the desk and leave whole chips and
cookies on it.

Anyway, I took my kids to the mall and decided to wear them out.
I just figured, I get tired pretty quick if I go with my wife to
the mall while she is shopping, maybe the same phenomena will
happen to the boys.After all they're just a smaller version of
a man, right?

Wrong!

In the mall they are a bigger version of a man, compressed down
in such a manner that all of the extra size gets converted into
energy.I think I have just finally understood E=mc2.

It should have dawned on me that it wasn't a good idea when I
entered the mall with them and the first store employee I saw,
who was a mother herself, asked where their mother was.

I told her, "At home, they have their father here, that's all
that matters." All she said as she saw the boys revving their
engines was, "Let me know how you do it on the way out because I
can't do it."

Just to let you know, the boys are ages 5, 3, and 2.

As I turned around to get going in the mall, with the pride of a
father handling things, I saw the 3 and 2-year-old, but didn't
see the 5-year-old.I asked them where their brother was and
they shrugged their shoulders as to say, "You're the daddy, am I
my brother's keeper?" After frantically searching for him,
I finally found him playing hide and go seek under a mannequin.

The rest of the time in the mall was as your imagination could
see it.I wouldn't have time to chronicle the whole experience
unless I was writing a complete book.On the way out I saw the
same lady and she asked how I did it again; my answer was, "All
I can tell you is I won't be doing it again."

On the way home, just glad to have them fastened in the
seatbelts, the five-year-old says, "Dad I have to use the
bathroom." I told him we would be home in about five minutes
and kept driving.

At the next light he informed me, "Dad I just want to let you
know, my pee pee is coming out." Needless to say I pulled over
in the middle of road into a car wash and not seeing a bathroom
in pee peeing distance, I had to let him use the car wash
drains.I figured, if he doesn't go right now it will be in the
car, and I will have to wash it down the drain anyway.

Even though it may have looked like a good idea in a movie, you
don't have to worry about this dad opening up a daycare any time
soon

 

[beensetfree]

Burned Bridges
==============

Sometimes burning bridges isn't a bad thing...

It prevents you from going back to a place you should never have
been to begin with.

 

[septuagint]

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

 

[beensetfree]

What Beauty Is


What beauty is, I know not, though it adheres to many things.

When we wish to bring it into our work we find it very hard.

We must gather it together from far and wide, and especially in
the case of the human figure throughout all its limbs from before
and behind.

One may often search through two or three hundred men without
finding amongst them more than one or two points of beauty which
can be made use of.

You, therefore, if you desire to compose a fine figure, must take
head from some, the chest, arm, leg, hand, and foot from others;
and, likewise search through all members of every kind.

For from many beautiful things something good many be gathered,
even as honey is gathered from many flowers.

~Albrecht Drer (1471-1528), painter, on the ideal of beauty~

 

[beensetfree]

People Say


People say that religion is a crutch.

But there are times in all our lives where our circumstances
cripple us and in those times,

I'd much rather have God to lean on
than any number of less savory alternatives

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;SAhlIHCZw5A]http://youtu.be/SAhlIHCZw5A[/video]

 

[beensetfree]

The Littlest Things


So Christmas is in or rather in a few days, but this actually
happened about a week or so ago. Actually, more like 3 years
ago but that's besides the point.

I'm 14 and I go to that public school in my neighborhood; you
know...the high school everyone goes to: The druggies, the
alcoholics, and the drop outs. I'm not any of those, but I do
fit in much more here than I did at the catholic schools.

Anyway, so you'd think that with that as my environment, I
wouldn't know anything nice right? Well, here we go.

This story isn't really about me; it's actually not about me at
all. It's more or less about my younger sister, Theresa.

She's 10, and well, most of the time a real brat. She's
overly bossy, mean, and hurtful, but I just try to find the good
in her ya know.

I'm a "punk" as everyone says and I just try to ignore it. It's
rare to see my sister do something nice unless she's trying to
impress someone. But this year, it was weird.

See well, like I said, three years ago it started. My sister
makes friends with EVERYONE; she's very social. She made friends
with Cathy, an elderly lady down the street from us. She spent
hours there helping her in the garden and everything.

All of the elderly lady's family is deceased and well her friends
are very few. So, she was telling my sister how Santa doesn't
come to her very often. Teresa, (my sister) decided to be her
Secret Santa for the next 12 days of Christmas (it just so
happened to be the beginning of this). Everyday she has left a
little candy or an ornament she's made.

Now, I know Cathy (The lady) knows, but Teresa is having fun
with this and loves the secrecy of it all. Of all the people I
know, as annoying and rude as my sister can be, she has to be
the sweetest.

On Christmas she is giving her the biggest present she has
saved, none of us knows what it is, but sure enough, it's
making this lady's day. It just goes to show you what the
littlest things can do.

 

[beensetfree]

What Your Children Need


Your children need your presence more than your presents.
~Jesse Jackson~

 

[beensetfree]

P.U.S.H.
=======

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room
filled with light and God appeared. The Lord told the man He
had work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of
his cabin.

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock
with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day.
For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders
set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving
rock, pushing with all of his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out,
feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan),
decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary
mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it
hasn't moved."

Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task was
impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts
discouraged and disheartened the man.

Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your
time, giving just the minimum effort, and that will be good
enough. That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to
make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to
the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service,
putting all my strength to do that which you have asked.
Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by
half a millimeter.

What is wrong?

Why am I failing?”

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you
to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to
push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have
done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it.

Your task was to push.

And now you come to Me with your strength spent,
thinking that you have failed.

Is that really so?

Look at yourself.

Your arms are strong and muscled,
your back sinewy and brown;
your hands are callused from constant pressure,
your legs have become massive and hard.
Through opposition you have grown much,
and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.

True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be
obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My
wisdom. That you have done.

Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own
intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God
wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains,
but know that it is still God who moves mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong...just

P.U.S.H.!

When the job gets you down... just P.U.S.H.!

When people don't react the way you think
they should... just P.U.S.H.

When your money is "gone" and the bills are due... just P.U.S.H!

When people just don't understand you... just P.U.S.H.

P= Pray
U= Until
S= Something
H= Happens

 

[beensetfree]

To my dearest family, some things I'd like to say,

To my dearest family some things I'd like to say,
But first of all to let you know that I arrived okay.
I'm writing this from Heaven, where I dwell with God above,
Where there are no tears or sadness, there is just eternal Love.

Please do not be unhappy, just because I'm out of sight,
Remember that I'm with you, every morning, noon and night.
That day I had to leave you, when my life on earth was through,
God picked me up and hugged me, and said, " I welcome you".

"It's good to have you back again.
You were missed while you were gone.
As for your dearest family, they'll be here later on.
I need you here so badly as part of my big plan.
There's so much that we have to do, to help our mortal man".

Then God gave me a list of things he wished for me to do.
And foremost on that list of mine, is to watch and care for you.
I will be beside you, every day of the week and year,
And when you're sad I'm standing there, to wipe away the tear.

And when you lie in bed at night, the day's chores put to flight,
God and I are closest to you in the middle of the night.
When you think of my life on Earth, and all those loving years,
Because you're only human, there's bound to be some tears.

One thing is for certain, though my life on Earth is over,
I am closer to you now than I ever was before.
And to my many friends, trust God knows what is best.
I am not far away from you, I'm just beyond the crest.

There are rocky roads ahead for you and many hills to climb,
Together we can do it, taking one day at a time.
It was my philosophy and please I'd like for you,
To give unto the world, so the world will give to you.

If you can help someone who's in sorrow or in pain,
Then you can say to God at night, my day was not in vain.
And now I am contented that my life it was worthwhile,
Knowing as I passed along the way, I made somebody smile.

When you're walking down the street and I am on your mind,
I'm walking in your footsteps, only half a step behind.
And when you feel a gentle breeze of wind upon your face,
That's me giving you a great big hug, or just a s oft embrace.

When it's time for you to go from that body to be free,
Remember you are not going, you are coming home to me.
I will always love you, from that place way up above,
I will be in touch again soon.

P.S. God sends his love.

~ Unknown

 

[septuagint]

[video=youtube_share;4eMO5aut7eI]http://youtu.be/4eMO5aut7eI[/video]