Spiritual Motivation and Insight

[CrimsonTide4]

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived, happiness, sadness, knowledge, and all the others, including love. One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave.

Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost totally under love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help.

Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, " I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." "I can't help you", Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, " Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name.

When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?" Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

[CrimsonTide4]

JUST BE


Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.
Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not stumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong
way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all, be yourself!
--author unknown to me


"Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: ... For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."
I Thessalonians 4:1-12 NIV

[CrimsonTide4]

A little boy visited his grandparents on their farm. He was given a
slingshot to play with in the woods. He practiced, but couldn't hit
the target. Getting discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he walked back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the
kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.
Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."

Sally smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing his chores and Sally's, he could stand it no longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt beside Johnny and said, "I know. I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day: Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done that the enemy throws in your face (lying, debt, fear, hatred, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.), whatever it is, Jesus Christ was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. He wants you to know He loves you and that you are forgiven. He has paid the debt for whatever the enemy is trying to beat you with. Romans tells us that there is now no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5 tells
us that we are new creatures in Christ. He wonders how long you will let the enemy make a slave of you. When all we have to do is face the fear and repent. Tell the Father we are sorry and put the failure under the blood of Jesus.....

Remember, God not only forgives you, He forgets. Because of HIS great love!! The biggest hindrance to our walking in healing, peace, joy or anything else that Jesus died for...is to be sin conscience rather than SON conscience.

[Lizanabavi]

"And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
Galations 6:9


You can't take everyone with you on this journey, because some are not able to receive. Everybody does not need to know your dreams. When God has ordered your path... he ordered you. Not the woman down the street or the one at the bus stop. So don't ask them what they think about your way -they won't be able to give you directions. Every step you take has been carefully planned by the master. Sometimes that path may rough, it may lonely, but keep going anyhow! He is not someone who falls short, if he promised, he will deliever.


Lizanabavi

[CrimsonTide4]

~Zaire Proverb~

I was sitting at the drive thru window at McDonald's this weekend (ok, I eat out a lot). I did the usual thing, I drove up to the menu and ordered. I proceeded to the first window and paid, then drove to the second window and waited for the order. After sitting there for a few minutes, the clerk slid back the window and asked, "Will you please pull over to the side; your order is not ready." I was a little upset and even impatient, but I pulled over and waited. I thought, "How come other folks ordered and drove straight through and I have to wait?" I waited for another two or three minutes- it seemed like hours before the clerk finally ran out, tapped on the window, and handed me the order. Of course I asked, "Hey, what took so long?" She replied, "You wanted the SPECIAL SAUCE, which meant it had to be especially made for that sandwich, it doesn't usually come with that one.


"The scene is a reflection of our prayer life. We make our request to the Lord. Our menu is His word where He has listed promise after promise. We stand before Him and request and plead and, sometimes, even beg. We go to the first window and pay, sometimes with fervent prayer, sometimes with prolonged suffering, sometimes with obedience, and sometimes not at all.


We then move to the second window and wait for our order. If God doesn't answer within a few minutes, we become upset. You know the phrase, "God, it's 5:00 PM Friday; I prayed to you yesterday, and You still haven't answered. I can't wait much longer." Why is it taking Him so long, I've seen people drive up before me and they received their orders right away?We even go so far as to tap on the window and ask if He has forgotten our order. We become impatient. We become upset. We become downright mad.


"Lord I asked for a mate ten days ago and I don't see him/her anywhere."
"Lord, I've been asking for a new job for two years; others have passed me by.
"I've been waiting on a financial blessing for ten years and I still have more month than money." "Where are You and why haven't you blessed me?"


And just when you think He is giving you the answer, He pulls back the royal curtain of eternity, and states, "Please pull over to the side and wait a while longer? "This once frustrated me to no end, made me mad, made me want to give up, made me want to holler; that is, until the clerk brought out my sandwich-then, the revelation became clear.


Do you know why the Lord has put you on the side?
Do you know why you have had to wait for this blessing longer than before? Do you know why He has put you through more this time than ever? Do you know why it seems as though He has not heard you and He does not care? DO you know why it seems like you have had to go through more tears, more pains, and more struggling this time?


Because this blessing is a SPECIAL SAUCE BLESSING. This is an OVERFLOWING, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, BLESSING! You made a SPECIAL ORDER and GOD has been putting together a SPECIAL SAUCE BLESSING for you and He has to prepare it for you.


That mate you wanted, He's putting together a SPECIAL SAUCE. That job you wanted, HE'S putting together a SPECIAL SAUCE. That financial blessing, A SPECIAL SAUCE. That peace on the job, A SPECIAL SAUCE. That house...A SPECIAL SAUCE. That promotion...A SPECIAL SAUCE. That deeper anointing...A SPECIAL SAUCE.


"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end..." [and a SPECIAL SAUCE]. Jeremiah 29:11


How many people have driven away before the clerk brought their food, and how many people have missed their blessings because they did not wait? Hang in there. Keep on waiting. You made a SPECIAL ORDER, now wait on a SPECIAL SAUCE!


"But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).


They who wait shall get a SPECIAL SAUCE! ~~ Author known only to God.


LORD, according to Thy Word, bless the reader with an abundant blessing, a SPECIAL SAUCE BLESSING, an OVERFLOWING, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER, BLESSING!


"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."In JESUS' name. Amen.


Share the Blessing with a friend!

ASK THE LORD AND BELIEVE YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT IN HIS OWN TIME AND GIVE THANKS TO HIM--PRAISE HIM FOR HE IS A GIVING FATHER. WAIT AND ENJOY HIS BLESSINGS IN ABUNDANCE!!!!!


With Love + Prayers
"The testing of your faith produces patience."-James 1:3

[candygirl]

ARE YOU REASON, A SEASON, OR A LIFETIME?

Pay attention to what you read. After you read this, you will know the reason it was sent to you! People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person. When someone is in your life for a REASON. . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to
provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are!They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to
bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on. Then people come into your life for a SEASON. Because your turn has come to
share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being a part of my life.
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been wronged.
Dance like no one is watching.
Sing like you love the song.
Stop here and just SMILE

[CrimsonTide4]

You Deserve Love
While listening to my great Aretha Franklin CD selections (thanks Babs), I'm motivated to write you today about that "R" word.....relationships.

You can't make someone love you. How many times have you...I mean how many people have you known that sit and wait in vain, have rapped on the door and tapped on the window pane, did "drive-bys" wondering if he or she was home, charged up the credit cards, phone calls in the middle of the night, rearranging their life, changing their hair, can't eat, sleep or work...you know all that crazy stuff hoping love would be returned? If the one you love can't return the love, get a clue and move on with your life. If you've got to convince someone to see and honor your goodness and love....then it's not worth it. Your heart is going to end up in the Heartbreak Hotel or the Y-Tell Motel.

Like Aretha sings, "you're still a rose, you still got the power." You're not responsible for someone else's immaturity, addictions, temper, lack of faith, low self-esteem or inner turmoil. Maybe it's the sign...he's not the one....she's not the one. If someone is trying to hold onto broken pieces of a relationship or if it's all ONE-sided, is that really love? Or is it desperation, afraid to be alone, afraid you can't love or be loved again, or is it a fear of what people will think or is it time for you to heal and deal with your own issues?

All relationships have thorns but the rose is what makes it beautiful to behold. The rose makes it easier to endure the thorns in life. If the rose is gone and only the thorns remain, it's time to reevaluate your life.

Love should not need convincing. Love should not be a battle. Love should not be competition (sitting on the Jerry "Swinger" show). Love should not have you sitting by the phone waiting, waiting, waiting. Love is kind. Love forgives. Love affirms. Love responds. Love serves. Love communicates. Love encourages. Love is a decision. Love heals. Love pays attention. Love is present. Love remembers. Love listens. Love cares. Love answers the phone! Love comes home! You deserve love!

By Jewel Diamond Taylor

[CrimsonTide4]

CASTING OFF THE OLD
By Sandra Clifton

"Lord, open the windows of heaven and let Your blessings roll in!" This was the prayer of my husband, Terry, and me during a rather long and financially bleak season after the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

We studied our 10-year-old file cabinet, which was so stuffed with former free-lance art and writing projects that there was little to no room for anything new. The promise of new projects was there; they just hadn't come in yet. We needed to clear some space for them.

So we rolled up our sleeves, plopped down on the floor and began the task of sorting and combing through old papers and files. Most of the old was just taking up space. We agreed to toss EVERYTHING-with the exception of things near and dear to us, things that could be merged with others things, and things misfiled.

Noon came. When we got up from the floor for lunch, we were shocked to discover that in spite of our valiant efforts to purge, we seemed to have more of the old than we'd had before!

"Something's definitely wrong with this picture," said Terry, slipping and sliding across the floor, his foot making contact with my "regroup" and "rename" files.

Often I sense the Lord is smiling about the situations we get ourselves into. In this case, I perceived that He was laughing. Here we were praying for Him to open the windows of heaven, yet how would we have seen the blessings amid the clutter and old stuff stacked around us?

Working on the purge project with my husband made me realize how easy it is-instead of getting rid of the old-to merely rename and refile it! Old grudges are a good example. The anger we feel (initially filed under "Anger") becomes "Wounds Caused to the Innocent." We build a case (and a file) and hold onto all the negatives ("I'm a victim!" "I've always been a failure!" "People are always that way!") and the file cabinet within us grows, bulging with old stuff, leaving no room for the new that God wants to bring in.

The remedy, Jesus said, for such things as grudges and anger, is reconciliation, forgiveness and letting go (see Matt. 5:21-24; 6:14-15; Eph. 4:31-32; Col. 3:12-13). Perhaps in yielding our lives each day to the Spirit of the Lord and "casting all [our] care upon Him" (1 Pet. 5:7), we can not only let go of what ails us, but we can let God in to do His work and His will-which is always great-for our lives.

The word for "casting" in the Greek refers to the act of humbling oneself and trusting everything to God. The use of the present progressive ending "-ing" shows that this act of trusting God is to be an ongoing, daily activity-a regular part of the way we live. God wants us to rely on Him for everything.

As a pack rat in rehabilitation, I invite you to join me today in letting go of what is overtaking you-and turn to God, who is over all things (see Col. 1:17; 2:9-10). Jesus Christ, the Way Maker, has already made a way for you and me to walk in victory, past the rubble and blockades of past hurts and failures-by His work on the cross.

You can make a fresh start by casting off the "old stuff" and letting Him work a miracle to bring fresh blessings to your life. Today is a new beginning, and there is a window of heaven open just for you.

Ask the Lord to reveal to you anything you need to release. Let go of it and yield yourself totally to Him. Continue to pray that the faith of those persecuted around the world for Christ's sake, would not waiver, but be strengthened. (Rom. 12:1-2; I John 3:22-23)

[Exquisite5]

I didn't see this anywhere yet, so I had to add it. It is framed and hangs on my wall...I absolutely LOVE IT!

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantement, it is as perrenial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

"Desiderata" was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann (1872-1945). In 1956, the rector of St. Paul's Church in Baltimore, Maryland, used the poem in a collection of mimeographed inspirational material for his congregation. Someone who subsequently printed it asserted that it was found in Old St. Paul's Church, dated 1692. The year 1692 was the founding date of the church and has nothing to do with the poem.

[12dn94dst]

I thought this was especially important in light of recent discussions. It happens to be onne of my favorites.

~Kel

++++++++++++

from "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom is not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrafoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hampsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrafoam cup -- they all die. So do we.

And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned -- the biggest word of all -- LOOK.


Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all -- the whole world -- had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it's still true, no matter how old you are -- when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

[DSTilmatic_1913]

I like the following quote:

"No man/woman is worth your tears because the only one who is will never make you cry."

(A little contradictory but you get the point )

[CrimsonTide4]

TUG-OF-WAR

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. You are 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-of-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. …--author unknown to me


“The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are One.” John 10:27-30 AMP

[CrimsonTide4]

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
...
1 Samuel 16:7


Last week, I went to Wal-mart. At the checkout, the cashier noticed my nails. She went off. She could not believe they were mine... Oh, how pretty, I'm so lucky ... and so on, and so on, and so on.

Then, she started getting down on herself. Mine won't grow.. I've done everything... I hate my stupid nails, etc. We chatted for a while about nail care, I paid my bill and left.

Later, I thought: I should have showed her my thumbnail on my left hand.

At the base, down near the skin, it was cracked and splintered; In a word: broken. Instead of having the manicurist clip it off, I asked her to paint over it and hide it. The cashier couldn't see that.

All she saw were my other nails, which I'd just gotten done. Had she peered closer, she would have seen the imperfection I was trying to hide.

What looks good isn't always good.

So often, we look at others and compare ourselves to them. And often, "Oh she's 25 and she's done this, "have it all " and we begin to get down on ourselves.

We find any number of ways to compare ourselves to the next sister and Stop!

There's a saying that the grass is always greener on the other side. Well, their water bill is higher too. And guess what? You can have green grass too.

You can't have what somebody else has if you're not willing to go
through what they went through.

Stop comparing yourself to others. Love yourself. Each of us has our own thorns. Be it weight, single-parenting, job dissatisfaction,
husband problems, financial distress, children woes, overworked/underpaid issues, loneliness, confusion, self doubt, etc.

You've got to love yourself and if you can't do that right now, at
least quit comparing yourself to others, because you don't know what they are going through.

Someone will always be prettier. They will always be smarter. Their house will be bigger. They will drive a better car. Their children will do better in school. And their husband will fix more things around the house.

So let it go, and love you and your circumstances. Think about it. The prettiest sister in the world can have Hell all up in her heart. The richest sister you know - she's got the car, the house, the clothes - might be lonely.

So, again, love you. And let Christ be your barometer. Mirror Him. He's the only standard, and even when you come up short, He will not leave you or forsake you.

[CrimsonTide4]

Overlooking Offenses
Jul 13, 2002


"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Proverbs 19:11

I have a friend who tells a story of a lesson the Lord taught him through his wife. It seems that every time he and his wife would get in the car to travel somewhere, his wife had a strong need to direct his driving. She would tell him where to turn and when to turn, even in their own subdivision. It was such a horrible habit that it drove my friend crazy and became the source of many an argument. Finally, one day my friend concluded that the Lord was trying to teach him something through this experience. He decided he would let go of his need to be free from this correction. He began to affirm his wife and even thank her for her input. It was excruciatingly painful to do this from where he sat.

A few months passed. He let go of the entire situation and actually got to a place where it just didn't matter to him anymore. An interesting thing happened a few months later. One day his wife looked at him and said, "John, I just realized that I have been directing your driving all these years and now realize why I do that. It goes back to my childhood when I had to direct my younger brothers and sisters. I am so sorry I have been doing that." My friend nearly fell out of his seat!

Whenever we work close to another person, whether in an office or home, small offenses can become the source of great conflict. Resentment and irritability soon follow. God brings these "offenses" into our lives to develop character qualities in us. He uses individuals in our lives to accomplish his goal of making us more Christlike. So the next time you complain or resist a habit or action from someone close to you, ask God if it has been placed there to develop some quality in you.

Pride is the root source of the need to change another person. A man's wisdom gives him patience-to let go of little offenses. This is where spiritual maturity is seen in the day-to-day activity of life. Is there someone close to you who has some habit you really want to change? Give up that desire to the Lord. Who knows, He may even change it after you let go of the need to change it.

[CrimsonTide4]

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1934-1998)

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars...the house...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile..
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy's being read
With your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?