When The Wind Blows

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the fanner interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the fanner grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming tie things down before they blow away!"

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, can sleep when the wind blows. "

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tight1y secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.     .

Do Good Today

Isn't he always there when we need him?

Come with me to a third grade classroom....

There is a nine-year-old Kid sitting at his desk and all of

a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet.

He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he Knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it. When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop, he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat:."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named  Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself, ''Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all Of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him down Stairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out.

All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk.

The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie. She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. "You've done enough, you klutz"

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the

bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "you did that on purpose, didn't you?" Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.

Unfolding The Rose

A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older preacher for some advice. The older preacher walked up to a rose bush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing any of the petals.

The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But, because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try and unfold the rosebud while keeping every petal intact . . . It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the young preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older preacher began to recite the following poem:

        It is only a tiny rosebud

        A flower of God's design;

        But I cannot unfold the petals

        With these clumsy hands of mine.

        The secret of unfolding flowers

        Is not known to such as I.

        GOD opens this flower so sweetly,

        Then, in my hands, they die.

         If I cannot unfold a rosebud,

        The flower of God's design,

        Then how can I have the wisdom

        To unfold this life of mine?

        So, I'll trust in Him for leading

        Each moment of my day.

        I will look to Him for His guidance

        Each step of the Pilgrim's way.

        The pathway that lies before me

        Only my Heavenly Father knows.

        I'll trust him to unfold the moments,

        Just as He unfolds the rose.

  They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, and an entire lifetime to forget them.

Mustard Seed Faith

One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in the classroom.

The teacher was going to explain evolution to the children.

The teacher asked a little boy:

Teacher: 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: OK. (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 doesn't exist.

A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.

Teacher agreed and she asked the boy:

Little Girl: Tommy, do you see the tree outside?

Tommy: Yes.

Little girl: Tommy do you see the grass outside?

Tommy: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time)

Little girl: Did you see the sky?

Tommy: Yessssss

Little Girl: Tommy, do you see the teacher? ,

Tommy: Yes

Little Girl: Do you see her brain?

Tommy: No

Little Girl: Does that mean she doesn’t have one?

FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT II CORINTHIANS 4:7

Pass it on...Peace

The Saucer

San Francisco is home to hundreds of little stores that sell both worthless junk and valuable antiques. Savvy shoppers can find some real treasures among all the debris.

One day an antique connoisseur walked into one of these stores. Browsing the items for sale, he came across an unremarkable cat Drinking milk from a saucer on the floor. The man immediately recognized this saucer as genuine Ming Dynasty, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. And here it was on the floor, with a cat drinking milk out of it! The shop owner obviously did not know its worth.

Immediately, the man started scheming how to get it for cheap, without the shopkeeper knowing what he was selling. He turned to the shopkeeper and said, "You know, that's a very striking cat you have there. I'd really like to buy your cat."

"Well," answered the shopkeeper, "the cat is not really for sale."

"I insist," the man replied. "Would you take $100 for the cat?"

"That's very generous," said the shopkeeper with a shake of his head.

"I don't think this cat is worth $100, but if you want the cat that badly, you can have it."

The man paid for the cat and then, as if he'd just thought of it, said, "Oh, one more thing. I'm going to need something to use as a feeding dish for the cat, so I'll give you another $5 for that little saucer there on the floor."

"Oh, I could never do that," said the shopkeeper. "You see, that's no ordinary saucer. That's a piece of rare china from the Ming Dynasty and its worth is incalculable. But amazingly enough, ever since I started feeding my cats out of it, I've sold 12 cats."

That shopkeeper degraded something of great value to upgrade the worth of his cats. God also used something of great value to redeem us and to give us life--Christ, who was degraded on the cross so that we could be upgraded to eternal life. As a result, we have become priceless treasures.

On the other hand, customers who didn't know any better walked by the cat's milk dish without realizing that they were walking past a treasure. Next time you walk past what look like ordinary persons, don't be fooled. They're treasures--people God loves so much that he sacrificed his Son on their behalf.

The Concert

Author  Unknown.

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy was sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit.

Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligate. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played........only the classic "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in

your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And He'll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

The Race

They all lined up so full of hope,

each thought to win the race,

or tie for first, or if not that,

at least take second place.

And fathers watched from off the side,

each cheering for his son;

And each boy hoped to show his dad

That he would be the one.

The whistle blew, and off they went,

young hearts and hopes afire,

To win, to be the hero there

was each young boy's desire.

And one boy in particular

whose dad was in the crowd,

Was running in the lead and thought,

my dad will be so proud.

But as they sped down the field

across a shallow dip,

The little boy who thought to win,

lost his step and slipped.

Trying hard to catch himself,

his hands flew out in brace,

and mid the laughter of the crowd,

he fell flat on this face.

So down he fell and with him hope,

he couldn't win, not now;

Embarrassed, sad, he only wished

to disappear somehow.

But as he fell his dad stood up,

and showed his anxious face;

Which to the boy so clearly said;

get up and win the race.

He quickly rose, no damage done,

behind a bit, that's all.

And ran with all his might and mind

to make up for the fall.

So anxious to restore himself,

to catch up, to win,

His mind went faster than his legs,

he slipped and fell again.

He wished then he had quit before,

with only one disgrace;

I'm hopeless as a runner now,

I shouldn't try to race.

But in the laughing crowd he searched,

and found his father's face.

That steady look that said again,

get up and win the race.

So up he jumped to try again,

ten yards behind the last;

If I'm going to gain those yards

I've gotta move real fast.

Exerting everything he had,

he regained eight or ten;

But trying so hard to catch the lead

he slipped and fell again.

Defeat; he lay there silently,

a tear dropped from his eye;

There's no sense in running anymore

three strikes I'm out, why try.

The will to rise had disappeared

all hope had fled away;

So far behind, so error prone

I'll never go all the way.

I've lost - so what's the use he thought,

I'll live with my disgrace;

But then he thought about his dad

who soon he'd have to face.

Get up - an echo sounded low,

get up and take your place;

You were not meant for failure here,

get up and win the race.

With borrowed will, get up, it said,

you haven't lost at all;

For winning is no more than this,

to rise each time you fall.

So up he rose to run once more,

and anew commit;

He resolved that win or lose the race,

at least he wouldn't quit.

Three times he'd fallen, stumbling,

three time he rose again;

Now he gave it all he had,

and ran as though to win.

They cheered the winning runner

as he crossed the line first place;

Head high and proud and happy,

no failing, no falling, no disgrace.

But when the fallen youngster

crossed the line last place,

The crowd gave him the greatest cheer,

For finishing the race.

And even though he came in last

with head bowed low unproud,

You would have thought he won the

race to listen to the crowd.

And to his dad, he sadly said,

I didn't do so well;

To me you won, his father said,

you rose each time you fell.

And now when things seem dark

and hard and difficult to face,

The memory of that little boy

helps me in my race.

For all of life is like that race

with ups and downs and all,

And all you have to do to win,

Is RISE each time you fall.