PLANS

The best gift anyone can give me at Christmas is a planner.  I like planners because I am a planner.  I like thinking ahead.  I like being prepared.  I get a high from being on top of things.  But some things are beyond planning.  And life doesn't always turn out as planned.
 
You don't plan for a broken heart.  You don't plan for a failed marriage. You don't plan for an adulterous husband.  You don't plan for an autistic child.  You don't plan for spinsterhood.  You don't plan for a lump in your breast.

You plan to be young forever.  You plan to climb the corporate ladder.  You plan to be rich and powerful.  You plan to be acclaimed and successful.  You plan to conquer the universe.  You plan to fall in love - and be loved forever.
 
You don't plan to be sad.  You don't plan to be hurt.  You don't plan to be broke.  You don't plan to be betrayed.  You don't plan to be alone in this world.
 
You plan to be happy.  You don't plan to be shattered. 
 
Sometimes if you work hard enough, you can get what you want.  But most times, what you want and what you get are two different things.  We mortals plan. But so does God in the heavens.
 
Sometimes, it is difficult to understand God's plans - especially when His plans are not in consonance with ours.  Often, when God sends us crisis, we turn to Him in anger.  True, we cannot choose the cross that God wishes us to carry but we can carry the cross with courage, knowing that God will never abandon us nor send something we cannot cope with.
 
Sometimes, God breaks our spirit to save our soul.  Sometimes, He breaks our heart to make us whole.  Sometimes, God sends us pain so we can be stronger.  Sometimes, God sends us failure so we can be humble.  Sometimes God sends us illness so we can take better care of ourselves. Sometimes, God takes everything away from us so we can learn the value of everything He gave us.
 
Make plans but understand that we live by God's grace.
 
Growing up we get dismayed by the realization that we could not get everything we want. Growing old, I am delighted by the realization that although I can't have everything I want, I can want everything I have.

The barber and his Christian customer

 

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."

 

"Why do you say that?" asked the customer.

 

"Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving a God who would allow all of these things."

 

The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."

 

"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!"

 

"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and
untrimmed beards, like that man outside."

 

"Ah, but barbers DO exist! " answered the barber. "What happens, is, people do not come to me. "

"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! What happens, is, people don't go to Him and do not look for Him. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."

How do we pray?

Our Father Who Art In Heaven.
YES?

Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
BUT -- YOU CALLED ME !!

Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying. Our Father who art in heaven.
THERE -- YOU DID IT AGAIN

Did what?
CALLED ME. YOU SAID, "OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN"
WELL HERE I AM. WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.
WELL, ALL RIGHT. GO ON.

Okay, Hallowed be Thy name...
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?

By what?
BY "HALLOWED BE THY NAME"?

It means, it means ... good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?
IT MEANS HONORED, HOLY, WONDERFUL.

Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
DO YOU REALLY MEAN THAT?

Sure, why not?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there. We're kind of in a mess down here you know.
YES, I KNOW; BUT, HAVE I GOT CONTROL OF YOU?

Well, I go to church.
THAT ISN'T WHAT I ASKED YOU. WHAT ABOUT YOUR BAD TEMPER? YOU'VE REALLY GOT A PROBLEM THERE, YOU KNOW. AND THEN THERE'S THE WAY YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY --ALL ON YOURSELF. AND WHAT ABOUT THE KIND OF BOOKS YOU READ?

Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!
EXCUSE ME. I THOUGHT YOU WERE PRAYING FOR MY WILL TO BE DONE. IF THAT IS TO HAPPEN, IT WILL HAVE TO START WITH THE ONES WHO ARE PRAYING FOR IT. LIKE YOU -- FOR EXAMPLE.

Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.
SO COULD I.

I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.
GOOD. NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE. WE'LL WORK
TOGETHER -- YOU AND ME. I'M PROUD OF YOU.

Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.
YOU NEED TO CUT OUT THE BREAD. YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT AS IT IS.

Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.
PRAYING IS A DANGEROUS THING. YOU JUST MIGHT GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR. REMEMBER, YOU CALLED ME -- AND HERE I AM. IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP NOW. KEEP PRAYING.

..pause...

WELL, GO ON.

I'm scared to.
SCARED? OF WHAT?

I know what you'll say.
TRY ME.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
WHAT ABOUT CAROL?

See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!
BUT -- YOUR PRAYER -- WHAT ABOUT YOUR PRAYER?

I didn't -- mean it.
WELL, AT LEAST YOU'RE HONEST. BUT, IT'S QUITE A LOAD CARRYING AROUND ALL THAT BITTERNESS AND RESENTMENT ISN'T IT?

Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her. Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.
NO, YOU WON'T FEEL ANY BETTER. YOU'LL FEEL WORSE. REVENGE ISN'T SWEET. YOU KNOW HOW UNHAPPY YOU ARE -- WELL, I CAN CHANGE THAT.

You can? How?
FORGIVE CAROL. THEN, I'LL FORGIVE YOU; AND THE HATE AND SIN WILL BE CAROL'S PROBLEM -- NOT YOURS. YOU WILL HAVE SETTLED THE PROBLEM AS FAR AS YOU ARE CONCERNED.

Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You..., (sigh). All right...all right...I forgive her.
THERE NOW! WONDERFUL! HOW DO YOU FEEL?

Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.
YEAH, I KNOW. BUT, YOU'RE NOT THROUGH WITH YOUR PRAYER ARE YOU? GO ON.

Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
GOOD! GOOD! I'LL DO THAT. JUST DON'T PUT YOURSELF IN A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE TEMPTED.

What do you mean by that?
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Yeah. I know.
OKAY. GO AHEAD. FINISH YOUR PRAYER.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD BRING ME GLORY -- WHAT WOULD REALLY MAKE ME HAPPY?

No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be. So, tell me ... how do I make you happy?
YOU JUST DID

 

The Penny

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk
being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time
I've ever heard this twist on the story.Gives you something
to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited
to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend
was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with
a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and my friend was delighted to
have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's
employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest
restaurants. My friend knew she would never have the opportunity to
indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself
immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant
that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of my friend and
 her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement
for a long, silent moment. 

My friend wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was
 nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone
had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached
down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found
a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a
single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could
stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once
had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been
of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for
the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies
before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United
States of America"

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?" "No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?""Yes!" "And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever
I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United
States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right
in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I
see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment.
I pick the coin up as a response ! to God; that I do trust in Him. For a
short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's
way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient
and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I
stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and
fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words,
"In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in
the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!

And, God is patient...

Fw: this is wonderful!

 

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down.

It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much." were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Viet Nam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot." 

 

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." 

 

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."

 

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."

 

Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."

 

"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.

So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

And One Way To Accomplish This Is: Forward this message on. If you do not send it, you will have, once again passed up the wonderful opportunity to do something nice and beautiful.

 

If you've received this, it is because someone cares for you and it means there is probably at least someone for whom you care.

If you're "too busy" to take those few minutes right now to forward this message on, would this be the VERY first time you didn't do that little thing that would make a difference in your relationships?

 

The more people that you send this to, the better you'll be at reaching out to those you care about.

Remember, you reap what you sow. What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own.

 

May Your Day Be Blessed As Special As You Are

Subject: GOD

SOMEBODY'S RAISING THEIR KID RIGHT!

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children.

The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later). Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there. He just doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.
The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy:
Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLEGIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLEGIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLEGIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLEGIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLEGIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school, she must not have one!

(You Go Girl!)

"FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT" II CORINTHIANS 5:7

THE SCARS OF LIFE

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 father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his 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 father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his 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 father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he 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 Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, 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. 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, not knowing what lies ahead. 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 ever let you go.

Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another persons scars, because you don't know how they got them.

Also, it is soooo important that we are not selfish to receive the blessings of these messages without forwarding them to someone else.

Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them too enough to not let them go.

 Advices from Bill Gates - The 11 Rules
 
Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they will not learn in school. He talked about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.
 
Rule 1: Life is not fair-get used to it!
 
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to
 accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
 
Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
 
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.
 
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.
 
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
 
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
 
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as  MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to  ANYTHING in real ife.
 
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.
 
Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
 
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.
 

LET IT GO FOR 2006  by T. D. Jakes

 

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this. When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

 

The bible said that, "They came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us." [1 John 2:19] People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go!! And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person. It just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have, He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat, I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

 

Let them go!! If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to...... Let them go!! If you are holding on to past hurts and pains...... Let them go!! If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth..... Let them go!! If someone has angered you........ Let them go!! If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge...... Let them go!! If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction...... Let them go!! If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents.. Let them go!! I

 

f you! You have a bad attitude....... Let them go!! If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...... Let them go!! If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him...... Let them go!! If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....... Let them go!! If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves...... Let them go!! If you're feeling depressed and stressed ......... Let them 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 them go!! Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2006!!! Let them go!! Get right or get left. Think about it, and then... Let them go!! "The Battle is the Lord's!"

 

During the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are doing, and take this opportunity (Literally, it is only ONE minute!) All you have to do is the following: You simply say "The Lords Prayer" for the person that sent you this message: The Lords Prayer Our Father, who are in Heaven,  Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the  Glory, forever. Amen. Next, send this message to everyone you know. In a while, more people will have prayed for you and you would have obtained a lot of people praying for others! Next, stop and think and appreciate God's power in your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to Him. 

Always remember, God loves you and watches over you everyday!