Let It Go!
 

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and it was never intended for your life, then you need to..... LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you today..... LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back and see your worth.... LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction..... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding onto a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ..... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding to some thoughts of evil and revenge.... LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad temper or attitude..... LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better..... LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains..... LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him...... LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.... LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves..... LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed..... LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying take your hands off of it, then you need to...... LET IT GO!!!

Motivating or Insightful Stories and Quotes
 

Hi GCers,
I love to receive motivational stories, quotes, etc. I also love to pass them on. So what this thread will be is MOTIVATING or INSIGHTFUL or THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMM, WOW, or DANG!!

Here is the first one:

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
So he invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first,the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon,
everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up
over the edge of the well and trotted off!

Moral: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up!


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He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

What one hopes for is always better than what one has.

Here's my favorite. I might even add it on as my signature!

"Everything is always ok in the end, If it's not ok then it's not the end"

Here's one my Pastor says on a weekly basis:

I may have done the things that THEY say I've done, but I am not who THEY say I am.

Hi Ladies!
I came across this topic and wanted to add a couple of quotes I made up that help get me through the day...

I will not be validated through the eyes of others. I am validated because what GOD made is good and that is me.

GOD never gives us more than we can handle. For those of us who it seems have much more need to realize how blessed we are. We have been blessed with the ability to be resilient against hard times. To survive them and become much stronger beings.

I cannot and will not please everyone. As a matter of fact in this life I will probably displease more people than please them. My job is to be the best person, lover, friend, co-worker that I can be and disregard silly folk.

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...Taking control of my beauty... loving me for me...

[This message has been edited by naturalbeauty08 (edited May 10, 2001).]

FOOTPRINTS...A New Version

Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down the road together.For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace. But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns.
For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling His consistently. You
and Jesus are walking as true friends! This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones,you and Jesus are becoming one. This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large
footprints seem to grow larger. Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints they have become one.
This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints. You
are amazed and shocked. Your dream ends.

Now you pray:
"Lord, I understand the first scene with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But you walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with you."

"That is correct."

"...And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps; followed you very closely."

"Very good. You have understood everything so far."

"...When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like you in every way."

"Precisely."

"So, Lord, was there a regression or something? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first."

There is a pause as the Lord answers with a smile in his voice. "You didn't know? That was when we danced."

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to weep, a time to laugh, A time to mourn, and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4.


I ASKED GOD
I asked for a flower, He gave me a garden.
I asked for a tree, He gave me a forest.
I asked for a river, He gave me an ocean.
I asked for a friend, He gave me "YOU."


------------------
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

What one hopes for is always better than what one has.

THE BUTTERFLY STRUGGLE

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need
in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

I asked for Strength.........And God gave me
Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom.........And God gave me
Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity.........And God gave me brain and brawn to work.

I asked for Courage.........And God gave me
Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love.........And God gave me
Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors.........And God gave me
Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted........I
received everything I needed!

May your path be bright and full of light
everywhere you go. And, I pray your feet will never stumble out of God's plan.


------------------
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

What one hopes for is always better than what one has.

This should help all of us keep things in the proper perspective when storms are raging on our secular jobs :

The Lord is my boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He reminds me to pray, before I speak in anger.
He restores my sanity.
He guides my decisions that I might honor Him in all that I do. Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mail, system failures, copier jams, backordered supplies, unrealistic deadlines, staff shortages, budget cutbacks, red tape, downsizing, gossiping coworkers, whining customers, I won't give up, for You are with me. Your presence, peace and power, will see me through.

You raise me up, even when the boss fails to promote me. You claim me as your own, even when the company threatens to let me go.

Your loyalty and love are better than a bonus check Your retirement plan beats any 401K, and when it's all said and done, I'll be working for you a whole lot longer! Thanks be to God.



------------------
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

What one hopes for is always better than what one has.

I open my heart and mind to be aware…I must believe

that whatever it is, I can handle it.

You have earned the right to be exactly where you are. Whatever, the situation, circumstances, predicament or challenges that face you at this very moment, you have earned the divine right to be where you are. You have earned the right to go through what you are going through based on the way you got through, got over, went around or handled a similar situation. You learned something then that you can surely use now. Think about it! You have already demonstrated your ability to get up. You have clearly exhibited your desire to get over. You have made it perfectly clear that you can handle the rough times and hard stuff as you navigated through the tight places. Now you have the opportunity to demonstrate how your skills have improved.

With all that you have been through, have been challenged by, have confronted and have overcome, you have earned the right to live with this, make it through this, overcome this and benefit from the divine opportunity that now stands before you. Think about it! You have always been there for you. You have demonstrated you have what it takes. You know how to make it through the ups and downs, the in's and out's, the good times and the hard times. You have done it before. You will do it again! Why you? Because you are a good student. Why now? Because you have earned the right to do what it takes. Now get to it.

Until today, you may not have realized just how good you are. Just for today, see everything that lies before you as a divine opportunity to remember.

Today I am devoted to reminding myself of the good

I have done and the goodness that I am!

this is reprinted from Until Today by Iyanla Vanzant. I hoped this blessed you as it blessed me.

Scars of Love

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim
in the old swimming hole behind his house.

In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks,
and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle
of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother - in the house was looking out the window - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.

Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.
It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched
his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom
wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.
But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go.

In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. If you have Christ in your life, you have become a child of God.
He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way.

But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations.
The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-o-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful. He did not - and will not - let you go. Be blessed, and pass this onto someone
else.

THE WILL OF GOD
The will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you.
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply your
needs,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the spirit of God cannot work through
you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your
fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule
for you.
The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for
you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find
you.

------------------
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

What one hopes for is always better than what one has.

The paradox of our time in history is that
we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower
viewpoints; We spend more, but enjoy less of it.
We have bigger houses and smaller families; More conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; More experts, but less solutions; More medicine, but less
wellness.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We have learned to make a living, but not a life. We have added years to life, but not life to years.

We have been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We have conquered outer space, but not inner space. We have cleaned up the air, but polluted the
soul. We have split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We have higher incomes, but lower morals; We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times of tall men, and short characters; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are times of
world peace and domestic violence. We have more leisure, but less fun;
More kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; Of fancier houses, but broken homes.
It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; A time when technology can bring this letter to
you; A time when you can send this to your true friends....

Carl's Garden

Carl was a quiet man. He didn't talk much. He would always greet
others with a big smile and a firm handshake. Even after living in
our neighborhood for over 50 years, no one could really say they knew
him very well. Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning.
The lone sight of him walking down the street often worried us. He had a
slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII. Watching him, we worried
that although he had survived WWII, he may not make it through our changing
uptown neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence, gangs, and
drug activity.

When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for volunteers for
caring for the gardens behind the minister's residence, he responded in his
characteristically unassuming manner. Without fanfare, he just signed up.
He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we had always feared
finally happened. He was just finishing his watering for the day when three gang
members approached him. Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked,
"Would you like a drink from the hose?" The tallest and toughest-looking of the
three said, "Yeah, sure," with a malevolent little smile. As Carl offered the
hose to him, the other two grabbed Carl's arm, throwing him down. As the hose
snaked crazily over the ground, dousing everything in its way, Carl's assailants
stole his retirement watch and his wallet, and then fled. Carl tried to get
himself up, but he had been thrown down on his bad leg. He lay there trying to gather himself as the minister came running to help him.

Although the minister had witnessed the attack from his window, he
couldn't get there fast enough to stop it. "Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?" the
minister kept asking as he helped Carl to his feet. Carl just passed a hand over his
brow and sighed, shaking his head. "Just some punk kids. I hope they'll wise-up
someday." His wet clothes clung to his slight frame as he bent to pick up the hose. He adjusted the nozzle again and started to water. Confused and a little concerned, the minister asked, "Carl, what are you doing?" I've got to finish my watering. It's been very dry lately", came the calm reply. Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right, the minister could only marvel. Carl was a man from a different time and place.

A few weeks later the three returned. Just as before their threat was
unchallenged. Carl again offered them a drink from his hose. This time they didn't rob him. They wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head to foot in the icy water. When they had finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the street, throwing catcalls and curses, falling over one another laughing at the hilarity of what they had just done. Carl just watched them. Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun, picked up his hose, and went on with his watering.

The summer was quickly fading into fall. Carl was doing some tilling
when he was startled by the sudden approach of someone behind him. He stumbled and fell into some evergreen branches. As he struggled to regain his footing, he turned to see the tall leader of his summer tormentors reaching down for him. He braced himself for the expected attack. "Don't worry old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time." The young man spoke softly, still offering the tattooed and scarred hand to Carl. As he helped Carl get up, the man pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket and handed it to Carl."What's this?" Carl asked. "It's your stuff," the man explained.
"It's your stuff back. Even the money in your wallet." "I don't understand," Carl said. "Why would you help me now?" The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease. "I learned something from you," he said. "I ran with that gang and hurt people like you. We picked you because you were old and we knew we could do it. But every time we came and did something to you, instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink. You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing
love against our hate." He stopped for a moment. "I couldn't sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back." He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say. "That bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out, I guess." And with that, he walked off down the street. Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his retirement watch and put it back on his wrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed for a moment at the young bride that still smiled back at him from all those years ago.

He died one cold day after Christmas that winter. Many people attended his funeral in spite of the weather. In particular the minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't know sitting quietly in a distant corner of the church. The minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life. In a voice made thick with unshed tears, he said, "Do your best and make your garden as beautiful as you can. We will never forget Carl and his garden."

The following spring another flyer went up. It read: "Person needed to care for Carl's garden." The flyer went unnoticed by the busy parishioners until one day when a knock was heard at the minister's office door. Opening the door, the minister saw a pair of scarred and tattooed hands holding the flyer. "I believe this is my job, if you'll have me," the young man said. The minister recognized him as the same
young man who had returned the stolen watch and wallet to Carl. He knew that Carl's kindness had turned this man's life around. As the minister handed him the keys to the garden shed, he said, "Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and honor him." The man went to work and, over the next several years, he tended the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done. In that time, he went to college, got married, and became a prominent member of the community. But he never forgot his promise to Carl's memory and kept the garden as beautifully as he thought Carl would have kept it.

One day he approached the new minister and told him that he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile, "My wife just had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday." "Well, congratulations!" said the minister, as he was handed the garden shed keys. "That's wonderful! What's the baby's name?" "Carl," he replied.

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http://www.plauder-smilies.de/elefant.gif #4 Spring 1997
Omicron Theta
Wittenberg University////__\\\\
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

[This message has been edited by CrimsonTide4 (edited May 25, 2001).]

I always say: Love is given but trust is earned! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

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As always...the inevitable, the divine, the epitome of womanhood!

This was posted in our Teacher Union's newsletter today and I found it to be a profound and celebratory statement about TEACHERS http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

You Want Heroes?

"Where are the heroes of today?" a radio talk show host thundered. He blames society’s shortcomings on public education. Too many people are looking for heroes in all the wrong places. Movie stars and rock musicians, athletes and models aren’t heroes, they’re celebrities.

Heroes abound in public schools, a fact that doesn’t make the news. There is no precedent for the level of violence, drugs, broken homes, child abuse and crime in today’s America. Public education didn’t create these problems but deals with them every day.

You want heroes? Consider Dave Sanders, the school teacher shot to death while trying to shield his students from two Neo-Nazi youth on a bombing and shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Sanders gave his life, along with 12 students, but other less heralded heroes survived the Colorado blood bath.

You want heroes? Jane Smith, a Fayetteville, North Carolina, teacher was moved by the plight of one of her students, a boy dying for want of a kidney transplant. So, this pretty white woman told the family of this handsome 14-year-old black student that she would give him one of her kidneys. And she did. When they subsequently appeared together hugging on the Today Show, even tough little Katie Couric was near tears.

You want heroes? Doris Dillon dreamed all her life of being a teacher. She not only made it, she was one of those wondrous teachers who could wring the best out of every single child. One of her fellow teachers in San Jose, California, said, "She could teach a rock to read." Suddenly she was stricken with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which is always fatal, usually within five years. She asked to stay on the job, and did. When her voice was affected, she communicated by computer. Did she go home? No. She is running two elementary school libraries. When the disease was diagnosed, she wrote the staff and all the families that she had one last lesson to teach ... that dying is part of living. Her colleagues named her Teacher of the Year.

You want heroes? Bob House, a teacher in Gay, Georgia, tried out for Who Wants to be a Millionaire? After he won the million dollars, a network film crew wanted to follow up to see how it had impacted his life. New cars? Big new house? Instead, they found both Bob House and his wife still teaching. They explained that it was what they had always wanted to do with their lives, and that would not change. The community was both stunned and gratified.

You want heroes? Last year the average public school teacher spent $468 of his or her own money for student necessities ... workbooks, pencils, supplies kids had to have but could not afford. That’s a lot of money from the pockets of the most poorly paid teachers in the industrial world.

Public schools don’t teach values? The critics are dead wrong. Public education provides more Sunday school teachers than any other profession. The average teacher works more hours in nine months than the average 40-hour employee does in a year.

You want heroes? For millions of kids, the hug they get from a teacher is the only hug they will get that day because the nation is living through the worst parenting in history. Many have never been taken to church or synagogue in their lives. A Michigan principal moved me to teach with the story of her attempt to rescue a badly abused little boy who doted on a stuffed animal on her desk ... one that said, "I love you!" He said he’d never been told that at home. This is a constant in today’s society ... two million unwanted, unloved, abused children in the public schools, the only institution that takes them all in.

You want heroes? Visit any special education class and watch the miracle of personal interaction, a job so difficult that fellow teachers are awed by the dedication they witness. There is a sentence from an unnamed source which says, "We have been so anxious to give our children what we didn’t have that we have neglected to give them what we did have." What is it that our kids really need? What do they really want? Math, science, history and social studies are important, but children need love, confidence, encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to listen, standards to live by. Teachers provide upright examples, the faith and assurance of responsible people ... by Frosty Troy.




------------------
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/elefant.gif #4 Spring 1997
Omicron Theta
Wittenberg University////__\\\\
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers.

Rain does not fall on one roof alone.

Words are like eggs: when they are hatched they have wings.

Advise and counsel him; if he does not listen, let adversity teach him.

[This message has been edited by CrimsonTide4 (edited May 29, 2001).]

"Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead a second rate version of someone else"
-Judy Garland

"Love is given but trust is earned." - unknown


------------------
As always...the inevitable, the divine, the epitome of womanhood!

Life Time Commitment
 

WAS IT ME?

I made a decision back in the past, to join a fraternity or sorority at last. The decision, I made was from my heart, time has passed, I'm not doing my part. What happened between now and then? Was, I committed or just wanting to fit in?

Oh!!!! My organization is the best, LOOK, I still wear the letters on my chest. What have I done to help it grow? Pay dues, community service, meeting, mentoring.............NO. I am just a member who's on the inactive roll, has my organization moved forward, "Hell, I don't know."

What has happen to the fire in me? Don't pay my dues, but wear the letters you see. My house, office and car has it all, cups glasses, boards, banners, key changes and more. I have grown and time has changed, I have a bond with those on my line. (only)

Those are true brothers and sister you see. Where I am now, they don't understand me, don't have time for! ! those games. Furthermore, what can "They" do for me? I have a family, job and business you see. Yes, I made a promise on that day, would hold high the aims, never to stray.

Your organization is dying, yes because of you. Will you be too busy for the funeral too? There will come a time when your children will say..... Mom/Dad what happened to the organization you once belong to? What will you tell them as tears swell in your eyes? Will it be the truth or some small lie? Just tell them it died............. "Because I was too busy to be involved."

written by: Zimbalist F. Chalk Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Fall 1986 Theta Chi Northwestern State University

Authors note:
The torch of your organization is burning slow. Do your part. If you cannot attend every event, become active then empower those who can and will. ($$$$) Yes, it's all about the dollars. Try not putting gas in your car and! ! driving it. What happens to a dream deferred? Reflect on what you had to endure to wear those letters. Better yet, think about what your founder's endured. Think about those young/old lives you as a member made a difference. You are the leaders of yesterday, today and tomorrow. You are the oil that keeps your organization torch burning. You are: ALPHA, AKA, KAPPA, DELTA, OMEGA, SIGMA, ZETA, RHO. You are your dream.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

This is deep, but true. Hopefully it inspires those who are active members of their organizations to remain active. For those who aren't active, I hope this encourages you to get active, participate in, or support a local chapter of your organization.......


------------------
With Sisterly Love,
#32 Well Suited
Spring 2001 - Operation 1913: 41 Rescued
Iota Theta Chapter
operation1913@home.com


[This message has been edited by DST Diva Oo-oop!! (edited June 09, 2001).]

Life is a theater - Invite your audience carefully. Not everyone is healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives. There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize, your time with draining, negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships/friendships. Just for a moment....Observe the relationships around you. Pay CLOSE attention. Which ones lift and which ones lean? Which ones encourage
and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain people, do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't really
understand, know or appreciate you? The more you seek quality, respect, growth,
peace of mind, love and truth around you, the easier it will become for you
to decide who gets to sit in the FRONT ROW and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU...BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY CHANGE THE
PEOPLE YOU ARE AROUND.

At the prodding of my friends, I am writing this story. My name is
Mildred Hondorf. I am a former elementary school music teacher from Des
Moines, Iowa. I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano
lessons--something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I found
that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never had the
pleasure of having a protege though I have taught some talented students.
However I've also had my share of what I call "musically challenged" pupils.
One such student was Robby.

Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him
off for his first piano lesson. I prefer that students (especially boys!)
begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that
it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano. So I took
him as a student. Well, Robby began with his piano lessons and from the
beginning I thought it was a hopeless endeavor. As much as Robby tried, he
lacked the sense of tone and basic rhythm needed to excel. But he
dutifully reviewed his scales and some elementary pieces that I require all
my students to learn. Over the months he tried and tried while I listened
and cringed and tried to encourage him. At the end of each weekly
lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play some day." But it
seemed hopeless.

He just did not have any inborn ability. I only knew his mother
from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to pick
him up. She always waved and smiled but never stopped in. Then one day
Robby stopped coming to our lessons. I thought about calling him but
assumed, because of his lack of ability, that he had decided to pursue
something else. I also was glad that he stopped coming. He was a bad
advertisement for my teaching!

Several weeks later I mailed to the student's homes a flyer on the
upcoming recital. To my surprise Robby (who received a flyer) asked me if
he could be in the recital. I told him that the recital was for current
pupils and because he had dropped out he really did not qualify. He said
that his mom had been sick and unable to take him to piano lessons but he
was still practicing. "Miss Hondorf...I've just got to play!" he insisted.
I don't know what led me to allow him to play in the recital. Maybe it was
his persistence or maybe it was something inside of me saying that it would
be alright.

The night for the recital came. The high school gymnasium was
packed with parents, friends and relatives. I put Robby up last in the
program before I was to come up and thank all the students and play a
finishing piece. I thought that any damage he would do would come at the
end of the program and I could always salvage his poor performance through
my "curtain closer."

Well the recital went off without a hitch. The students had been
practicing and it showed. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were
wrinkled and his hair looked like he' run an egg-beater through it. "Why
didn't he dress up like the other students?" I thought. "Why didn't his
mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?" Robby
pulled out the piano bench and he began. I was surprised when he announced
that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto #21 in C Major. I was not prepared
for what I heard next.

His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the
ivories. He went from pianissimo to fortissimo...from allegro to virtuoso.
His suspended chords that Mozart demands were magnificent! Never had I
heard Mozart played so well by people his age After six and a half minutes
he ended in a grand crescendo and everyone was on their feet in wild
applause.

Overcome and in tears I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby
in joy. "I've never heard you play like that Robby! How'd you do it?"
Through the microphone Robby explained: "Well Miss Hondorf...remember I
told you my mom was sick? Well actually she had cancer and passed away
this morning.

And well....she was born deaf so tonight was the first time she
ever heard me play. I wanted to make it special." There wasn't a dry eye
in the house that evening. As the people from Social Services led Robby
from the stage to be placed into foster care, I noticed that even their
eyes were red and puffy and I thought to myself how much richer my life had
been for taking Robby as my pupil. No, I've never had a protege but that
night I became protege...of Robby's. He was the teacher and I was the
pupil. For it is he that taught me the meaning of perseverance and love and
believing in yourself and maybe even taking a chance in someone and you
don't know why.

This is especially meaningful to me since after serving in Desert
Storm Robby was killed in the senseless bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April of 1995, where he was
reportedly....playing the piano.

I don't know how to make a smilie that cries but that last story about Robby has tears falling from my eyes http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

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29 Jewels of N.V. # 1
Delta Delta Chapter

Here you go soror, http://www.plauder-smilies.de/bawling.gif http://www.plauder-smilies.de/sad/bigcry.gif http://www.plauder-smilies.de/cry.gif

Thank You CrimsonTide4 http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

PANCAKES
Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents
pancakes. He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter,
opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on
the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten. Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn't know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on (he didn't know how the stove worked!). Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking
the egg carton to the floor. Frantically he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky. And just then he saw Dad standing at the door. Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon's eyes. All
he'd wanted to do was something good, but he'd made a terrible mess. He was
sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking.But his father just watched him. Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process. That's how God deals with us. We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend or we can't stand our job or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can't think of anything else to do. That's when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him. But just because we might mess up, we can't stop trying like Brandon to "make pancakes," for God or for others. Sooner or later we'll get it right, and then they'll be glad we tried.

SPIRITUAL WOMAN

Worldly women wonder where my secret lies,
I'm not flashy, conceited, or caught up in my size.
But when I tell them it's the Jesus in me,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say it's in the strength of God's arms,
The feel of His love,
He orders my every step,
Honey, I am covered in the blood.
I am a Woman, spiritually,
A sanctified Woman, that's me!

I walk into church, just as cool as I please,
I may grab a fan and raise my hand
Or worship falling down on my knees.
The Spirit comes up out of me to make my soul fly free.
I say it's the fire in my bones,
It's the wind in my dance on my Holy Ghost feet.
I am a Woman, Spiritually.
A Holy Ghost-filled Woman, that's me!

Men themselves have wondered what they see in me,
Oh they try so much,
But they cannot touch my inner chastity.
When I try to tell them,
Those lustful eyes still can't see,
I say no, I am not looking back,
I am not fooled by your smile.
I'm waiting on God: worldly men cramp my style!
I am a Woman, Spiritually
A living Sacrificial Woman, that's me.

Now you understand just why my head is not bowed,
Why I shout and jump about, or praise and sing out loud!
When you see my light shining, it ought to make you proud!
I say it is the faith I have in Jesus
Through all my ups and downs,
Each experience, a testimony
Leading straight to my crown.
"Cause I am a Woman, Spiritually.
A Sold-out for Jesus Woman,
Yeah, that's me!

Tip/Advice

1. Love, Love, Love Yourself.
There’s only one of you, so love you to death!

2. Stop Playing the Victim.
Martyrdom is totally unnecessary for today’s Black woman. Your first allegiance is to yourself. Without a strong sense of self, there is no way that you can tackle the ups and downs of a relationship or the rigors of motherhood (if you so choose).

3. Stop Settling for Less.
A piece of a man is definitely not better than a whole healthy man. Your desperation is showing.

4. Stop Trying to Be a Savior.
If a man doesn’t have his head together and is on the skids, it is not up to you to try to save him. You are neither his mother nor his therapist. Let him go and move on. Men like this will bring you down if you aren’t careful.

5. Learn to Exhale Between Relationships.
In other words...no transitional lovers. Someone always end up being hurt and it could be you...again, or that poor man. Neither one of you deserves to be hurt or used. Give yourself some down time.

6. Learn the Difference Between Being Alone and Lonely.
Being alone is by choice and loneliness is only temporary. Get out and enjoy yourself. Wallowing in loneliness can often make women desperate for attention and lead then into unhealthy relationships.

7. Don’t Allow Any Man to Validate You.
Allowing any man to define who you are as a woman leaves you open to being controlled and eventually abused. Why give a man that type of power over you? Now, do you really want to be the kind of woman who thinks that her life if not complete unless she has a man in it...any man? Where is your self-respect?

Inspiration For The Day: Instructions For A Happy Life

"Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

Don't believe all you hear.

When you say, "I love you", mean it.

When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.

Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

Believe in love at first sight.

Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

Smile when picking up the phone, the caller will hear it in your voice.

Treat other's the way you want to be treated!"

Quote of the Day

Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them.
-----------------------------------------
"Your Quick Inspiration For The Day: Belive In Yourself

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren't
the way you had hoped they would be.

That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.

But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your
own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing
in yourself.

There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life,
and it is up to you to accept them.

Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you.
It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you
will find a stronger sense of who you are.

So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected
responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want
your life to be.

Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the
goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

Keep Believing in Yourself"
---------------------------------------

A Quality Relationship

A quality relationship is not made up of partners who try to rescue each
other
or become emotionally entangled in codependency. Only when both partners are
striving to be full and complete within themselves can love and happiness
bloom.

Ask yourself: Are you complete within yourself? Is your partner complete
within
him- or herself?



------------------
Sisterhood, Scholarship, & Service
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
"Intelligence is the Torch of Wisdom"

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.?

Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.

"There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather -
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER"

------------------
S.H.A.D.E.
10-Lambda-SP00
Memphis Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lady of DSTinction

"Prayer's Can't Be Answered Unless They are Prayed"

Life without purpose is barren indeed
There can't be a harvest unless you plant seed
There can't be attainment unless there's a goal
And man's but a robot unless there's a soul.
If we send no ships out, no ships will come in,
And unless there's a contest, nobody can win.
For games can't be won unless they are played,
And prayers can't be answered unless they are prayed.
So whatever is wrong with your life today
You'll find a solution if you kneel down and pray.
Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health,
Not just for honors and prestige and wealth.
But pray for a purpose to make life worth living
And pray for the joy of unselfish giving.
For great is your gladness and rich your reward,
When you make your life's purpose the choice of the Lord.

(Poem by: Anonymous)

------------------
S.H.A.D.E.
10-Lambda-SP00
Memphis Alumnae Chapter
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Lady of DSTinction

CrimsonTide4
Senior Member posted April 28, 2001 07:23 PM
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Something to make all of us think:
Thought for Today:

WHAT WILL FLOW OUT?


The preacher placed two identical jars on the table next to the pulpit. He quoted I Sam. 16:7, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
at the heart."

"These jars came from the same factory, were made of the same materials, and can hold the same amount. But they are different," he
explained.

Then he upset one and it oozed out honey. He turned over the other, and vinegar spilled out.

"When a jar is upset, whatever is in it comes out. Until the jars were upset, they looked alike. The difference was within, and could not be seen. When they were upset, their contents were revealed.

"Until we are upset we put on a good front. But when we are upset, we reveal our innermost thoughts and attitudes, for "out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45).

"What if someone tipped you over today? What would flow out? Would you reveal the "honey" of grace and patience, or the "vinegar" of anger and sarcasm?"

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a
multitude of sins" (I Pet. 4:8). Have a terrific day knowing that the
one who upsets you may be just looking for some honey. --unknown to me


"But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. … Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe
yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience." Colossians 3:8, 12 NIV

CrimsonTide4
Senior Member posted April 30, 2001 10:31 AM
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I have been sitting on these sermon notes for over 3 weeks. These are notes from a revival that my minister preached in Cleveland. My mom took the notes and they have been such a blessing to me that I wanted to share with you.
Healing your Hidden Wounds 1 Peter 4:1-11

Sermon notes - Pastor Keith Troy
April 11, 2001

Opening Comments:
1. Wounds are our mask
2. Hidden wounds are hidden memories
3. Not the external wounds (broken bones, surgery scars, gunshot wounds, etc.)
4. But the internal wounds of life (abandonment, insecurity, feelings that you don’t matter, etc.)
5. Masked by beautiful faces but messed up lives.
6. Wounds by family hurt the most

Four Keys to Healing the Wounds
1. Forgive the Offender
a. It takes longer to get over emotional wounds than physical wounds
b. You must forgive the offender if you want to be healed.
c. Forgiveness is never deserved
d. Three reasons to forgive
i. God has already forgiven you
ii.You’re going to need forgiveness in the future
iii. You’re never going to stop hurting until you forgive
e. Resentment always hurts you more than the other person
f. You’re only hurting yourself with your anger
g. Forgive the offender so you can stop hurting

2. Focus on God
a. Get your attention off of you and get it on God
b. Focus on God’s will, that requires a mental shift
c. It’s ok to mourn your pain but don’t moan - moaning means you’ll never get over the hurt
d. Focus on the Healer, He can bring a positive out of a bad thing
e. God sees everything and judges righteously (1Peter2:23)
f. Psalm 56:8 God keeps a record of your tears
g. Your tears matter to God and he will remember the people who hurt you and he will settle the score
h. Give that thing to God and he’ll give you hope, joy and peace (Rom. 15:13)
i. Let go of the pain so you can have hope, joy and peace

3. Face your Future
a. Courage is moving ahead in spite of your fear (Job 11:13-16)
b. Don’t keep reliving the past
c. Focus on the future and the past hurts diminish and you forget
d. The key to forgetting is to re-focus on the future
e. The Lord saves you from all your troubles (Psalm 34:17)
f. How do you spell relief? Drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. don’t work and they don’t last. These things become addicting and they never solve the problem.
g. You keep bringing the same person home they just have a different name
h. Satan never tempts you with stuff you don’t like

4. Find a Supportive Person
a. You never fully recover by yourself
b. God didn’t intend for you to solve your problems alone
c. You were never meant to be a “Lone Ranger”
d. You went thru your mess to help someone else with the same problem
e. God never waste a hurt
f. He let you survive while others have died with the same problem
g. Hidden wounds heal when you get support from others
h. Offer hospitality – which is loving concern
i. Care about others
j. Love is the antidote to fear and all the things that eat you up on the inside
k. Get together with other folks and encourage one another (Heb. 10:25)
l. 58 times in the new testament is the term “one another”

CrimsonTide4
Senior Member posted April 19, 2001 01:14 PM
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A friend sent this to me and I thought it was beautiful and worthy of sharing.
One day, the Greek gods Brotherhood and Sisterhood realized that they were
lonely in the world. They had given birth to various children, but all seemed to forsake their parents. So they decided to join together and create a new breed to fraternal children.

Brotherhood was given the oppurtunity to create the first child. He decided
to take something from the two hemispheres of the world. So he gathered some
"old gold" from the sun and black from the night in Egypt. There he created
his first born, Alpha Phi Alpha. He granted his son wisdom as a gift of love.

Seeing the child that Brotherhood had created, Sisterhood realized that APHIA should not be alone in the world. Sisterhood roamed the world, looking for entities that she could create her first daughter from. On
her journey, she came upon a field of pink flowers surrounded by a fence of green ivy. She knew that these were what she wanted to create her daughter from. Taking the beauty from the flowers and the ivy, Sisterhood
created her first daughter, Alpha Kappa Alpha. As a gift for her daughter,
Sisterhood created a mirror for AKA not only to view her outward beauty but her
inner beauty as well.

Seeing the greatness they had created separately, Brotherhood and Sisterhood
decided that they would join together and give birth to the rest of their children. Their first union brought about the birth of
their twin sons Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi.

These twins from birth were opposites. For one, they were born in two different locations. Kappa had obtained the beauty of his parents while Omega received the strength attibuted to the parents. Though there was much conflict between the two personalities, Kappa and Omega expressed much love for each other.

Brotherhood and Sisterhood decided to give their twin sons gifts as signs of
their personalities. Kappa was given a cane created out of red and white revealing that his beauty only came through blood and sweat. They gave Omega a pair of boots of gold that shined with lightening where ever he stepped and a vest of purple as a sign of his royalty.

To Sisterhood's delight, their next child was a girl who they called Delta Sigma Theta. Delta, like her older bother Omega, gained more of the strength attribute of her parents. Because of this, her parents gave
Delta a red elephant with bright ivory tusks as a sign of her strength.

Shortly after the birth of their daughter Delta, Phi Beta Sigma was brought into this world. His birth occurred as the moon was in its crescent phase. So his parents gave Sigma the sign of the crescent moon. His
peaceful nature was ascribed by the parents to the dove that sang the coming of
his birth and would sing to him throughout the day. Sigma's greatest pride
would come in the form of another sister, Zeta Phi Beta. Sigma and Zeta devloped a
bound that was greater than any of the other siblings. Because of their close relationship, Brotherhood and Sisterhood decided to give their daughter a gift of a white cat as an expression of her peacefulliness.

These proud parents would soon welcome their next and last daughter into
their family. She was given the name Sigma Gamma Rho. She would have an association with her brother Kappa because of the sharing of their birth places. Due to a certain degree of elegance that Gamma Rho exuded, her parents gave her the gift of a well groomed poodle to express this
elegance.

The elite eight would come together to establish their own nation called
the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The children of eight would become
siblings of nine after a long period of time. The last child that Brotherhood and Sisterhood brought into the world would be their baby boy, Iota Phi Theta. To celebrate this addition, they created a centaur as a
gift for their son. The other siblings were somewhat cautious of granting their
brother citizenship, but finally did.

Thus becoming known as the "Divine Nine."

The Greek gods looked down on all their children and say "Well done my children may your light shine in the East forever and may your glory never fade in the West. Never forget that you are all one and from
one."

Tyran White
Kappa Alpha Psi
Spring 2001

12dn94dst
Moderator posted October 16, 2000 02:54 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Sorors & Sisterfriends! I didn't compose this, I'm just passing it along.
Kelli


If the Devil were to write his own beatitudes FOR DELTAS, they would possibly go something like this:

* Blessed are those DELTAS who are TOO TIRED, TOO BUSY, & TOO DISTRACTED to spend time with their fellow SORORS, for they are my best candidates for inactivity.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who WAIT TO BE ASKED and EXPECT TO BE THANKED for I can use them to slow things down.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who are TOUCHY. With a bit of luck they may STOP GOING TO Sorority Meeting and get others to quit. They are my missionaries.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who are VERY RIGHTOUS but GET ON EVERYONE'S NERVES for they are my most effective stumbling blocks.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who are TROUBLEMAKERS for they are my best wrecking crew.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who have NO TIME TO PRAY. They are easy prey for me.

* Blessed are those DELTAS who are COMPLAINERS for they are my best discouragers.

* Blessed are YOU when you read this and THINK IT IS ABOUT OTHER SORORS and not YOURSELF, for I'VE GOT YOU!


REMEMBER, DELTA WAS BUILT ON CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES...THE DEVIL'S BEATITUDES DON'T FIT!

12dn94dst
Moderator posted April 25, 2001 10:32 PM
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One of my LS sent this to me. Enjoy!
from Bishop TD Jakes' "Woman Thou Art Loosed" Edition of the Holy Bible.
Enjoy!!

Your Call
Exodus 33:12

In the theater world, actors and actresses often audition for roles. After that, the person in charge of the production will schedule callbacks. Certain ones who have auditioned will be asked to come back for a second and sometimes a third or fourth audition before they are either given the part or told that someone else has landed it.

A person in the entertainment world knows that he or she has arrived as a star when a director or producer calls and offers them a part without an audition. The candidate is being chosen to fill a role that the director believes is absolutely perfect for that person and nobody else.

God doesn't deal in auditions and callbacks for His children. He has something for you to do that only YOU can do. No one else can play the part or fill the role or meet the need. ONLY YOU.

If you just want to be "a woman," then you have a lot of competiiton. Only YOU can truly be you. The real you is a composite of what is on the inside and what is on the outside, and what is on the inside is the more important part.

Wait for the call that is specifically for you. Don't respond to a blanket call, or generic call, or a wolf-whistle call. Listen for the call that says, "I don't want anybody but you because only you will do." Then respond.

Wait for that call before you decide to marry someone. Wait for that call before you commit to a friendship (start that business, accept that job offer, etc). It's the same call God puts on your life. He calls you individually - by name, not by number - to do a very specific job and fill a very specific role in His Kingdom. Nobody else will do. He has designed you to meet all the qualifications (and He has equipped you with the proper materials to fulfill His calling on your life). He hasn't created any other person who will fit the bill like YOU fit the bill.

You don't need to be jealous of or intimidated by anyone else because when God calls for you, you are the only one who can answer. You have no contenders in His sight. You are the star He has in mind for the role He has written just for YOU.

candygirl
Senior Member posted April 22, 2001 04:38 PM
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Someone gave me this poem and I thought that I would share it with you all.
A person who knows not and knows not they know not is foolish~disregard them

A person who knows not and knows that they know not is simple~teach them

A person who knows not and thinks that they know is dangerous~avoid them

A person who knows and knows not that they know is asleep~awaken them

A person who knows and knows that they know is wise~follow them

All these persons reside in you know thyself and maat be true.

aspiration
Senior Member posted October 13, 2000 10:18 AM
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Hello Sisterfriends!! I haven't been to the board for a few days now, but I'm back with something for everyone. These were shared with me and I wanted to share them with all of you. I call them PM's (Praise Messages), and I absolutely love them. They provide Positive and Uplifting messages to life that we should all abide by.
Have a good day & weekend, and God Bless you all!
THE 7-UPS

1. Wake Up - Decide to have a good day.
"Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us
rejoice & be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up - The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
"The Lord does not look at the things man
looks at. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart" I Sam 16:7

3. Shut Up - Say nice things & learn to listen. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.
"He who guards his lips guards his soul"
Proverbs 13:3
"Gossip betrays confidence avoid men who talk
too much" Proverbs 20:19
"Listen to advice, accept instruction and in the end, you will be wise" Proverbs 19:20

4. Stand Up - For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.
"Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up - To the Lord.
"I can do everything through Him who gives me
strength" Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up - For something higher.
"...press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14

7. Lift Up - Your Prayers.
"Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY
ABOUT EVERYTHING" Philippians 4:6

A Prescription For You

If you are impatient, sit down quietly and talk with Job.
If you are just strong-headed, go and see Moses.
If you are getting weak-kneed, take a good look at Elijah.
If there is no song in your heart, listen to David.
If you are a policy man, read Daniel.
If you are getting sordid, spend awhile with Isaiah
If you are chilly, get the beloved disciple to put his arms around you.
If your faith is below par, read Paul.
If you are getting lazy, watch James.
If you are losing sight of the future,
climb up the stairs of Revelation
and get a glimpse of the promised land.


Be like the bird
That, pausing in her flight
Awhile on boughs too slight,
Feels them give way
Beneath her and yet sings,
Knowing that she hath wings.
--by Victor Hugo


"All the birds of the air nested in its boughs, all the beasts of the field
gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade."
Ezekiel 31:6 NIV

TIPS on SEEKING A GODLY MAN!!

Ladies: (Men you need to hear this too), I hear a lot of women
around my office talk about how they want and need a "Good" man.

However, I've notice that all the qualifications given for that so called
"Good" man almost never lines up with the qualifications God has for
"Godly" man.

Ladies take it from a Born Again married man, with a House and a car, a
son on the way, and a CALLING/Vision for His family and life, who was
unsaved at one time. There is a big difference between a Godly man and a
Good man.

1st) Unsaved ladies listen to this very very carefully!

***GOD IS NOT GOING TO SEND A GODLY MAN TO AN UNSAVED/MESS!!

Ladies please understand before you get the man of your dreams you're
going to have to "get Jesus". Spirits attract. If you're walking around
with the hem of your dress around your neck and all of your "stuff"
showing, you're going to attract a man with a mind "just
below his waist" wanting to look at all of your "stuff".

Don't get me wrong, Godliness is not what you wear but what you portray.
What are you portraying? How does God know you are ready for a Godly Man?

1. You are a Born Again Christian (John 3:3-7) and you're operating as
such.
2. You understand the word SUBMISSION. Ladies if you're not saved
operating under God's MISSION and submitting to his Word you're gonna have
a big problem submitting to a Godly man.

****AND YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO SUBMIT*****

Why?

Because if you're not in the Word for yourself, you won't understand that
God has called that man to love you the way Christ loves the Church and
gave himself for it. A woman who has a true understanding of this will
trust God to lead her through (THAT MAN) and not "the man".

And if he misses God, since you have placed your trust in God you know
through your prayers for your husband that God will direct him back to
where he should be.

3) Never forget that you are first called to be his HELP!

God took one look at the MAN and said, "this man needs some help." Ladies
all the help that your man will ever need is in you. So stop being &
feeling so inferior and insecure!! In order for you to be HELP God had to
equip you with every anointing you might need for that man. (CHECK OUT
PROVERBS 31:10-31)

Your home comes first!

MEN remember your WIFE "(H)as (E)fficient (L)atitude to (P)rovide" 'HELP!'
Men make no mistake, she is the difference between you being the fool of
the house or being the "head of the house". Use your help and value her
God inspired advice.

The saying is true, "Behind a SAVED, HEAD, ANOINTED SUCCESSFUL HUSBAND is
a SAVED, SUBMITTED, WOMAN OF GOD. His HELP!

4) Ladies that man needs to be able to provide for you. I'll say it
again!

Ladies that man needs to be able to provide for you!!! If he is UNSAVED,
BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED, (H*I*N*T!!!!!) He's NOT A CANDIDATE for
marriage!!! Too many of you all are willing to just settle! Remember that
man has been called by God to be the PRIEST of HIS HOUSEHOLD (Loving his
Wife and Family and leading them in the Word of God), and to pay the
bills, I SAID TO PAY THE BILLS!!!

Ladies if he doesn't know God, he doesn't know how to lead and to be a
priest and he won't know how to lead YOU! Also, if you have children
already, he should be coming to you with a house that has enough bedrooms
for you and yours! If not stop!! You need a roof and it needs to be a
condition for marriage! You need a car to get back and forth to church
also. You can ride the bus by yourself. Most of all ladies submit to
God. I'm tired of hearing there aren't any men out there. Why? Because,
I'm a SAVED, Godly Priest of my household man. But I'll tell you this;
God didn't send me to any mess. Be Blessed!

I would like to add a quote from the book, T.D. Jakes Speaks To Women!
"Often, unmarried women complain of their need for a husband. But rarely
does a single woman boast about the kind of relationship she is free to
build with the Lord. So before you ask God again for a man, take care of
Him."

"When you flee temptation, be sure you don't leave a forwarding address."
-
Anonymous

celestial_blues
Junior Member posted August 06, 2001 04:30 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
...a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

...a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

...a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

...a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

...a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

...a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace...

know thyself...

How To Recognize A Good Woman

A good woman is proud of herself. She respects herself and others. She is
aware of who she is. She neither seeks definition from the person she is
with, nor does she expect them to read her mind. She is quite capable of
articulating her needs.

A good woman is hopeful. She is strong enough to make all her dreams come
true. She knows love, therefore she gives love. She recognizes that her
love has great value and must be reciprocated. If her love is taken for
granted it soon disappears.

A good woman has a dash of inspiration and a dabble of endurance. She
knows that she will, at times, have to inspire others to reach the
potential
God gave them.

A good woman knows her past, understands her present and moves toward the
future. A good woman knows God. She knows that with God the world is her
playground, but without God she will just be played with.

A good woman does not live in fear of the future, because of her past.
Instead, she understands that her life experiences are merely lessons,
meant to bring her closer to self-knowledge and unconditional self-love.

---------------------------------------

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS NOT STRAIGHT;
THERE IS A CURVE CALLED FAILURE....
A LOOP CALLED CONFUSION...
SPEED BUMPS CALLED FRIENDS...
RED LIGHTS CALLED ENEMIES...
CAUTION LIGHTS CALLED FAMILY...
YOU WILL HAVE FLATS CALLED JOBS BUT...
IF YOU HAVE A SPARE CALLED DETERMINATION...
AN ENGINE CALLED PERSEVERANCE...
INSURANCE CALLED FAITH...
A DRIVER CALLED JESUS...
YOU WILL MAKE IT TO A PLACE CALLED SUCCESS!
PASS IT ON TO TEN PEOPLE WHOM YOU WANT TO SEE
BLESSED. DON'T FORGET TO
SEND IT BACK TO THE ONE WHO SENT IT TO YOU...
WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT:
When Satan is knocking at your door, simply
say, "Jesus, could you get that?"


------------------
Spring 1997- Theta Nu
#22 "Prestigious"
24 Reflections of Perfection

HELP IS ON THE WAY!


There are 51 ways to get help from GOD:
1. Ask for it;
2. Believe;
3. Recognize help when it comes;
4. Listen;
5. Obey;
6. Love;
7. Praise;
8. Forgive;
9. Be Real;
10. Seek Truth;
11. Face Yourself;
12. Be Honest;
13. Order;
14. Understanding;
15. Silence;
16. Simplicity;
17. Purify;
18. Know;
19. Grace;
20. Joy;
21. Peace;
22. Trust;
23. Natural Law;
24. Balance;
25. Harmony;
26. Self-Sufficiency;
27. Dream;
28. Self-Discovery;
29. Right Thinking;
30. Right Action;
31. Right Reaction;
32. Breathe;
33. Shut Up;
34. Be Still;
35. Feel;
36. Live Now;
37. Friends;
38. Parents;
39. Children;
40. Openness;
41. Realization;
42. Relaxation;
43. Laugh;
44. Patience;
45. Give;
46. Cry;
47. Create;
48. Judge Not;
49. Oneness;
50. Faith;
51. Surrender.
Living in and withthe ways of God places you in alignment with the substance
of God. --excerpt from Acts of Faith, March 24 by Iyanla Vanzant


"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom
I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my
stronghold. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, for he saves
me from my enemies. The ropes of death surrounded me; the floods of
destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death
itself stared me in the face. But in my distress I cried out to the LORD;
yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry
reached his ears." Psalm 18:2-6