Being a good person is like being a pumpkin...

...God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all of the yucky stuff -- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a bright new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.

Things are not always as they SEEM...

...Each of us experience twists and turns in the journey of life. Often we experience turmoil, shocks, and even heartache. Presently we are experiencing a major downturn in the economy and financial markets. Disappointments and what might seem like “failure” to reach our goals and aspirations, can overwhelm us and prevent us from progressing as we need to. The following story provides a new and refreshing way to evaluate these life experiences.

The Wise Angel
In heaven there were two angels, one was considered “wise,” and the other, being fairly new, was considered “unwise.” The unwise angel had entered heaven having had great disappointment in his life, and he was embittered with memories of his life experiences. The wise angel was given a special assignment to take the unwise angel back to earth to experience some things that would teach him a very important principle.

They both “fell” out of heaven and found themselves on a beautiful road. It was late in the day, and they soon realized they needed to find a place to stay for the night. As they walked they noticed the road was lined by a beautiful white picket fence. The fields were filled with many healthy cows, and even some beautifully groomed horses. At the top of the hill was a beautiful mansion.

They decided to approach the home and ask for a place to stay for the night. They knocked on the door and were greeted by a very stern sophisticated couple. Upon making their request, the couple hesitated and then finally agreed to put them up for the night. They explained that they had already eaten, therefore there would be no food before retiring. They were escorted to a basement room, dark and cold, and were given only meager blankets to cover them as they slept.

The wise angel noticed a hole in the wall. He proceeded to repair it, and did such a thorough job that one could not tell that the hole ever existed. The unwise angel asked, “Why would you take the time to fix the hole? This couple is so ungrateful and selfish!” The wise angel replied, “Sometimes things aren’t as they seem.”

As they left they expressed gratitude and made their way down the road. Soon the road changed into a dirt covered country road. The white picket fence changed into one made of barbed wire. Off in the distance they noticed an old farm house with one milk cow grazing in the small pasture in front. They decided to approach this home and ask if they could stay there for the next night.

They knocked on the door and were greeted by an old farmer and his aged wife. He had his arm gently wrapped around her thick waist, and it was very apparent that he loved her dearly. The old couple joyfully asked them to come in. They explained that they had indeed already eaten, but they quickly warmed up some soup, provided some hot bread, and warm milk so they would sleep comfortably through the night.

The two angels slept very well, but the next morning they were awakened by some cries from the old farmer. He exclaimed, “My milk cow is dead! Whatever will we do now?” He was deeply distressed, and this upset the unwise angel. He shouted, “How could you allow this tragic thing to happen? You chose to fix the hole for the selfish couple, but you couldn’t help this gracious, selfless couple save their cow?”

The wise angel explained, “The hole in the wall revealed a wealth of gold behind it. I covered it knowing that if this couple found it they would become obsessed and even more greedy and selfish than they already were. A Heavenly messenger came last night and told me that it was time for the old farmer’s wife to be taken. I pled with the messenger to take the cow instead. Sometimes things aren’t as they seem…”

It is my hope that we can view our hardships and difficult life experiences with a desire to find the blessings hidden behind the heartache. Always know that there is sweet among the bitter, and blessings waiting around the corner for those who refuse to be embittered by the difficult twists and turns of our life experiences.

I borrowed this inspiring fable from the head of advisory council newsletter. Thanks, EMI!(www.enterprise-mentors.org)

Use the Good Napkins for Thanksgiving

Ahhhhh ...The joys of having girls! My mother taught me to read when I

was four years old (her first mistake). One day, I was in the bathroom and

noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar. I read the box

in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping ' ' napkins ' in the

bathroom. Didn ' t they belong in the kitchen? Not wanting to burden me with

unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for ' special occasions ' (her

second mistake). Now fast forward a few months....It ' s

Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up my uncle and his wife

for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine

was to set the table. When they returned, my uncle came in first

and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then

began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came

Mom , who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the

table with a ' special occasion ' Kotex napkin at each plate, with the fork

carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they

didn ' t hang off the edge!! My mother asked me why I used these and, of

course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter.

' Mom, you said they were for special occasions!!! ' Pass this on to your

girlfriends who need a good laugh or anyone who has a daughter! Life is too

short for drama & petty things, laugh insanely, love truly

and forgive quickly....and for heaven ' s sake, use the good napkins whenever

you can!

Tag, I'm IT...*

My daughter-in-law tagged me, so here goes (it may take me a few days to get through all these):

I: have had a full and exciting life, so far
I am: a mom, a grandma, a wife, a teacher, a performer, and a creator
I think: politics is a joke
I know: a little about a lot of things
I want: to quit working full-time and travel around in a motor home
I have: the cutest grandchildren in the world
I dislike: being lied to
I miss: my mother
I fear: my husband will die before me
I feel: grateful for opportunities to serve others
I hear: music in my head, first thing every morning, so I must dream music.
I smell: pine cones, and it makes me long for Thanksgiving & Christmas
I crave: spending time with my kids and grandkids
I cry: when my daughter-in-law acts unkind toward me
I usually: wake up at 6:00 am
I search: for cool blogs once a week. It's a fun indulgence, and I learn a lot!
I wonder: if I'll ever get around to writing all the things I need to write
I regret: hurting my children when I remarried. Even tho I've apologized for hurting them, the memories are still there.
I love: most of all, that God granted me the choice privilege of motherhood
I care: about my father's health
I always: eat breakfast now, but I didn't do it for the first 54 years of my life
I am not: a soloist anymore (sigh)
I remember: much more than most of my family members, because I have kept a journal since I was 12 years old.
I believe: in God, in my saviour Jesus Christ and in his Gospel, that Satan is real and can ruin lives, that my
I sing: on television every week
I don't always: play with my dog enough to satisfy her feisty nature
I argue: politics because it's such nonsense & because I've become a cynic
I write: every single day. It's what I do, it's who I am.
I win: when my students learn a new concept and use it.
I lose: at Fantasy Football more than I win. But I'm getting better.
I wish: I didn't have to watch what I eat.
I listen: to Glen Beck so that I can laugh while I drive.
I can usually be found: in the kitchen, at my laptop, or in front of the tv
I am scared: watching movies that show women as helpless victims (ugh!)
I forget: any appointment, unless it's written in my planner
I am happy: watching football (high school, college, pro, tv or live, any time, any place)

*Just for the record, the answers to any and all of these could change from day to day. It's a woman's prerogative!

Smile

Teacher: "What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?"

Student: "I don't know, and I don't care."