Shoes in church

I showered and shaved............. I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat.............. In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer........ As I closed my eyes.
I saw the shoe of the man next to me..... Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side...... I thought, 'Why must our soles touch?'
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine... But it didn't bother him much.
A prayer began: 'Our Father'............. I thought, 'This man with the shoes.. has no pride.
They're dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!'
'Thank You for blessings,' the prayer went on. The shoe man said.............. a quiet 'Amen.'
I tried to focus on the prayer....... But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren't we supposed to look our best.. When walking through that door?
'Well, this certainly isn't it,' I thought, Glancing toward the floor.
Then the prayer was ended............ And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud...... Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters......... His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear.. The shoe man's voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering....... And what I threw in was steep.
I watched as the shoe man reached.... Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out.......... What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft 'clink'........ as when silver hits tin.
The sermon really bored me.......... To tears, and that's no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man... For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service...... As is the custom here.
We must greet new visitors.. And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow............. And wanted to meet the shoe man.
So after the closing prayer........ I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark..... And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming......... For being our guest.
He said, 'My names' Charlie.......... I'm glad to meet you, my friend.'
There were tears in his eyes....... But he had a large, wide grin.
'Let me explain,' he said......... Wiping tears from his eyes.
'I've been coming here for months.... And you're the first to say 'Hi.''
'I know that my appearance.........'Is not like all the rest.
'But I really do try.................'To always look my best.'
'I always clean and polish my shoes....... 'Before my very long walk.
'But by the time I get here.........'They're dirty and dusty, like chalk.'
My heart filled with pain............ and I swallowed to hide my tears...
As he continued to apologize......... For daring to sit so near.
He said, 'When I get here...........'I know I must look a sight.
'But I thought if I could touch you..'Then maybe our souls might unite.'
I was silent for a moment............ Knowing whatever was said Would pale in comparison...
I spoke from my heart, not my head. 'Oh, you've touched me,' I said......'
And taught me, in part; 'That the best of any man............'Is what is found in his heart.' The rest, I thought,................ This shoe man will never know.
Like just how thankful I really am... That his dirty old shoe touched my soul
You are special to me and you have made a difference in my life.
I respect you, and truly cherish you. Send this to your friends,
No matter how often you talk, Or how close you are, And send it to the person who sent it to you. Let old friends know you haven't forgotten them, and tell new friends you never will. Remember, everyone needs a friend. Someday you might feel like you have no friends at all.
Just remember this e-mail and take comfort in knowing that someone out there cares about you..... and always will.

A Blind Boy

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: 'I am blind, please help.' There were only a few coins in the hat..

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, 'Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?'

The man said, 'I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way.' What he had written was: 'Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it.'

Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?

Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively.

Invite others towards good with wisdom. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

Great men say, 'Life has to be an incessant process of repair and reconstruction, of discarding evil and developing goodness.... In the journey of life, if you want to travel without fear, you must have the ticket of a good conscience.'

The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling... And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

If I Had My Life To Live Over

by Erma Bombeck
(Written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn! With my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's; more 'I'm sorry's.'
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it.Live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what.
Instead; let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. I hope you have a blessed day.
If you don't mind, send this on to all the women you are grateful to have as friends. Maybe we should all grab that purple hat earlier. Please send this to five phenomenal women today in celebration of Beautiful Women's Month. If you do, something good will happen - you will boost another woman's self esteem.

THE ROSE

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned round to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.
She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose.
I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"
I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.
"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.
She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."
"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.
"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.
After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.
If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be .

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Pass this message to 7 people except you and me. You will receive a miracle tomorrow
If you choose not, then you refuse to bless someone else.
"Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there."

Cerita Dari Afrika

Suatu malam Saya bekerja keras untuk menolong seorang ibu di sebuah bangsal rumah sakit, tapi apapun yang kami lakukan, dia meninggal dan meninggalkan bayi premature yang sangat mungil serta seorang anak perempuan usia 2 tahun yang menangis.

Kami mengalami kesulitan untuk menjaga agar si bayi tetap hidup, Karena kami tidak punya incubator (kami tidak punya listrik untuk Menyalakan incubator),Kami juga tidak punya makanan khusus bayi. Meskipun kami tinggal di daerah khatulistiwa, di malam hari seringkali udara sangat dingin dan anginya kencang. Salah seorang muridku menaruh bayi itu dalam box dan membungkus bayi dengankain wol. Yang lain menyalakan api dan mengisi botol air panas.

Kemudian muridku yang mengisi botol air panas segera kembali dengan kebingungan sambil bercerita bahwa saat mengisi botol itu dan ternyata meledak (Karet mudah rusak dalam kondisi cuaca tropis)" Dan ini adalah botol air panas terakhir kita," dia berseru."Oke," kataku, "taruh bayi itu didekat api dalam jarak yang cukup aman, dan tidurlah diantara bayi itu dan pintu untuk menjaga nya dari angin. Tugasmu adalah menjaga bayi tetap hangat."

Siang hari berikutnya, seperti hari sebelumnya, Aku pergi berdoa dengan beberapa anak yatim piatu yang berkumpul denganku. Aku berikan mereka bermacam-macam saran untuk mendoakan dan bercerita pada mereka tentang bayi mungil itu. Aku menceritakan masalah kami soal menjaga bayi supaya cukup hangat, menyebutkan tentang botol air panas, dan bagaimana bayi itu bisa dengan mudah meninggal bila kedinginan.S aya juga bercerita pada mereka tentang saudara perempuannya yang berumur 2 tahun, yang menangis karena ibunya meninggal.

Selama berdoa, seorang gadis usia 10 tahun, Ruth, berdoa dengan doa singkat seperti anak Afrika kami. "Tolong, Tuhan" dia berdoa, "kirim kan botol air. Tidak baik besok, Tuhan, karena bayinya bisa mati, jadi tolong kirim sore ini." Saat aku menarik napas dalam hati karena keberaniannya dalam berdoa, dia menambahkan, "Dan saat Engkau mengirimkan botol air itu, maukah Engkau mengirimkan juga boneka untuk gadis kecil itu, supaya dia tahu bhw Engkau sungguh mengasihinya? "Seringkali dalam doa anak-anak, aku merasa ditempatkan pada pusatnya. Dengan sungguh-sungguh kukatakan, "Amin".

Oya aku tahu bahwa Tuhan dapat melakukan segalanya, Alkitab mengatakan demikian. Tapi pasti ada batasnya, kan ? (pikiran manusia selalu ingin membatasi kuasaTuhan) Dan menurutku satu-satunya jalan Tuhan dapat menjawab doa-doa kami yaitu jika keluargaku di Amerika mengirimi bingkisan. Namun aku sudah tinggal selama hampir 4 tahun, dan tidak pernah, samasekali menerima bingkisan dari rumah. Tapi, bila sesorang mengirimiku bingkisan, siapa yang akan memberi botolair panas. Sebab aku tinggal di daerah Tropis!

Menjelang sore, ketika aku sedang mengajar di sekolah pelatihan perawat,sebuah parcel dikirimkan dengan mobil didepan pintu rumahku. Saat aku sampai di rumah, mobilnya sudah pergi, tapi disana, di beranda, ada dua puluh dua pon parcel yang sangat besar. Aku merasa pedih dimataku. Aku tidak dapat membuka parsel itu sendirian, jadi aku meminta keanak-anak yatim piatu untuk membantuku.

Bersama-sama kami menarik talinya, dengan hati-hati membuka simpulnya. Kami melipat kertasnya, supaya tidak menyobeknya. Kegembiraan meningkat. Sebanyak 30 atau 40 pasang mata melihat ke dalam kardus tersebut. Dari atas, kami aku mengeluarkan baju rajutan berwarna cerah. Mata kami langsung silau melihatnya. Ada perban rajutan untuk pasien kusta, dan anak-anak mulai terlihat sedikit bosan. Lalu ada sekotak kismis, ini bisa dipakai untuk membuat setumpuk kue kismis di akhir pekan.

Lalu, aku memasukkan tanganku lagi, aku merasa .... benarkah ini?? Aku menariknya keluar.... yaa.. ini baru, botol air panas karet. Aku menangis terharu. Aku tidak meminta Tuhan untuk mengirimkannya. Aku tidak percaya bahwa Dia benar-benar melakukannya. Ruth ada di barisan depan dari anak2. Ia cepat2 maju, sambil menangis, "Jika Tuhan mengirimkan botolnya, Dia harus mengirim bonekanya juga!" Sambil mengobrak-abrik bagian bawah kotak, dia menarik sesuatu yang mungil, boneka bergaun indah. Matanya berkilau! Dia tidak pernah sangsi! Sambil melihatku, dia berkata : "Dapatkah aku pergi bersamamu & memberikan boneka ini kepada gadis kecil itu, supaya dia tahu, Yesus sangatmencintainya??

Ternyata parcel ini telah dipersiapkan dan dikirim 5 bulan lalu. Di bungkus oleh Siswa Kelas Hari Mingguku, yang mana saat mempersiapkan parcel itu, Tuhan telah memerintahkannya juga untuk mengirimi botol air panas walaupun di daerah Tropis. Lalu salah satu dari siswaku juga telah memberikan boneka untuk dikirimkan ke anak Afrika - Dan itu semua terjadi 5 bulan sebelumnya, sebagai jawaban dari doa seorang anak gadis 10 tahun untuk membawanya "sore itu"(Yesaya 65:24) "Maka sebelum mereka memanggil, Aku sudah menjawabnya; ketika mereka sedang berbicara, Aku sudah mendengarkannya. "

(Doa 1 menit) Doa yang mengagumkan ini kurang dari 1 menit. Ketika kamu menerima ini, ucapkan doamu, dan segalanya dapat kau lakukan. Tidak perlu basa basi. Hanya cukup kirimkan kepada semua orang yang kamu inginkan-tapi lakukan itu.D oa adalah hadiah terbaik yang kita terima. Tidak perlu biaya tapi banyak untungnya.

Teruskan doamu ini kepada orang lain.
Bapa, aku memintamu untuk memberkati teman-temanku yang membaca tulisan ini.
Aku memintaMu untuk memberi semangat kepada para Pelayan Tuhan setiap saat.
Dimana ada kesesakan Kau berikan damai dan kemurahanMu.
Dimana ada keraguan, Kau perbaharui keyakinan untuk bekerja diantara mereka.
Disaat lelah serta letih, aku mohon supaya Engkau memberikan mereka pengertian, bimbingan & kekuatan supaya mereka selalu belajar untuk taat kepada PimpinanMu.
Dimana mereka merasa hanya diam di tempat, aku memohon kepadaMu untukmenyatakan keberadaanMu & menggambarkan pada mereka betapa indahnya bergaul akrab denganMu.
Dimana ada ketakutan & kekhawatiran, Nyatakan kasihMu dan tunjukkan kebesaranMu kepada mereka.
Saat dosa menutupi mereka, nyatakan itu, dan patahkan belenggu yang melingkupi kehidupan teman2ku.
Berkati keuangan mereka, berikan mereka visi yang besar, dan angkat para pemimpin serta teman2 untuk mendukung & mendorong mereka.
Berikan setiap mereka penglihatan untuk menunjukkan adanya kekuatan jahat yang ada disekitar mereka & nyatakan kekuatan di dalamMu untuk mengalahkannya.
Aku berdoa padaMu di dalam Nama Yesus. Amin! Blessing In Christ

I will watch over you

A Poem That Gives You Goosebumps.. .

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile. They said had run the light. That caused the six-car pileup. On 109 that night.
When broken bodies lay about And blood was everywhere, The sirens screamed out eulogies, For death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car, Was heard above the noise; Her plaintive plea near split the air: "Oh, God, please spare my boys!"

She fought to loose her pinned hands; she struggled to get free, But mangled metal held her fast In grim captivity. Her frightened eyes then focused On where the back seat once had been, But all she saw was broken glass and Two children's seats crushed in.

Her twins were nowhere to be seen; She did not hear them cry, And then she prayed they'd been thrown free, "Oh, God, don't let them die!"

Then firemen came and cut her loose, but when they searched the back, They found therein no little boys, But the seat belts were intact. They thought the woman had gone mad And was traveling alone, But when they turned to question her, They discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild And screaming above the noise In beseeching supplication,
"Please help me find my boys! They're four years old and wear blue shirts;
Their jeans are blue to match."

One cop spoke up, "They're in my car, And they don't have a scratch. They said their daddy put them there And gave them each a cone, Then told them both to wait for Mom To come and take them home. I've searched the area high and low, But I can't find their dad. He must have fled the scene, I guess, and that is very bad."

The mother hugged the twins and said, "While wiping at a tear, He could not flee the scene, you see, For he's been dead a year."

The cop just looked confused and asked, "Now, how can that be true?"

The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came And left a kiss for you. He told us not to worry And that you would be all right, And then he put us in this car with The pretty, flashing light. We wanted him to stay with us, Because we miss him so, But Mommy, he just hugged us tight And said he had to go. He said someday we'd understand And told us not to fuss, And he said to tell you, Mommy, He's watching over us."

The mother knew without a doubt That what they spoke was true, For she recalled their dad's last words, " I will watch over you."

The firemen's notes could not explain The twisted, mangled car, And how the three of them escaped Without a single scar. But on the cop's report was scribed, In print so very fine, "An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109."

The 7 Second Prayer, Just repeat this phrase and see how God moves.
"Lord, I love you and I need you, come into my heart, and bless my family, my home, my friends, and me. Amen."

Pass this message to 7 people {EXCEPT YOU AND ME}.
You will receive a miracle tomorrow. He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare.

This morning when the Lord opened a window to Heaven, He saw me, and He asked: "My child, what is your greatest wish for today?" I responded: "Lord please, take care of the person
who is reading this message, their family and their special friends. They deserve it and I love them very much." The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginning, but not its end.

This message works on the day you receive it. Let us see if it is true.
ANGELS EXIST but some times, since they don't all have wings, we call them FRIENDS.

Pass this on to your true friends. Something good will happen to you at 11:11 in the evening; something that you have been waiting to hear.

The Best Letter Ever Written

Sally jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.
She said: "How is mylittle boy? Is he going to be all right? When can I see him?"
The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."
Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer? Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alonewith your son? One of the nurses will be out in afew minutes, before he's transported to theuniversity." Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good-bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

"Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurseasked.
Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of theboy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the university for study. He said it might help somebody else. " I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after Idie. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom." She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else.. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital forthe last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep.

It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter.
The letter said:

"Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say I LOVE YOU.. I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know.

Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.

The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good-bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed.

Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?' "God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children..

Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm, sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from: God, Jesus & Me.