A daughter complained to her father about her life and how
things were so hard for her. She did not how she was going to
make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and
struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one
arose.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots
with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came
to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second he placed
eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them
sit and boil, without saying a word.
The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently waited,
wondering what he was doing. In about twenty minutes he and
turned off the burners. He fished the carrots out and placed
them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a
bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her he asked. "Darling, what do you see."
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did
and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg
and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-
boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled
as she tasted its rich aroma.
She humbly asked. "What does it mean Father?"
He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity,
boiling water, but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after
being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became
weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its
liquid interior. But after sitting through the boiling water, its
inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique however. After they
were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you," he asked his daughter. "When adversity
knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot,
an egg, or a coffee bean? "
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
How about you? Are you the carrot that seems hard, but with
pain and adversity do you wilt and become soft and lose your
strength?
Are you the egg, which starts off with a malleable heart? Were
you a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a divorce, or a
layoff have you become hardened and stiff. Your shell looks
the same, but are you bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and
heart?
Or are you like the coffee bean? The bean changes the hot
water, the thing that is bringing the pain, to its peak flavor
reaches 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water gets the
hottest, it just tastes better.
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get
better and make things better around you .
When people talk about you, do your praises to the Lord
increase? When the hour is the darkest and trials are their
greatest, does your worship elevate to another level?
How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a
coffee bean?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
II Corinthians 4:8-9 - We are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but
not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.
by Eric Mansfield
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Classroom
A lesson that should be taught in all schools…..and colleges
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day
of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. 'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'
'No,' she said.
'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior....’
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period, still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk.
The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.
By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'
By the way, this is a true story. Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by U. S. Veterans.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock , did something not to be forgotten. On the first day
of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. 'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.'
They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'
'No,' she said.
'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior....’
And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period, still no desks in the classroom.
By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.
The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'
At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.
Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk.
The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.
By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.
Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'
By the way, this is a true story. Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by U. S. Veterans.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Thursday, May 27, 2010
That's Dying
By: Henry Van Dyke
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying...
Death comes in its own time, in its own way.
Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it.
Anonymous
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying...
Death comes in its own time, in its own way.
Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it.
Anonymous
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
You'll Find Jesus There
"Tomorrow morning,"
the surgeon began,
"I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there,"
the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed.
"I'll cut your heart open," he continued,
"to see how much damage has been done..."
"But when you open up my heart,
you'll find Jesus in there."
The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.
"When I see how much damage has been done,
I'll sew your heart and chest back up
and I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart.
The Bible says He lives there.
The hymns all say He lives there.
You'll find Him in my heart."
The surgeon had had enough.
"I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart.
I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels.
And I'll find out if I can make you well."
"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."
The surgeon left.
The surgeon sat in his office,
recording his notes from the surgery,
"...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein,
widespread muscle degeneration.
No hope for transplant, no hope for cure.
Therapy: painkillers and bedrest. Prognosis:,"
here he paused, "death within one year."
He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said.
"Why?" he asked aloud. "Why did You do this?
You've put him here; You've put him in this pain;
and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"
The Lord answered and said,
"The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long,
for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be.
Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain,
and will be comforted as you cannot imagine.
His parents will one day join him here,
and they will know peace,
and My flock will continue to grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter.
"You created that boy, and You created that heart.
He'll be dead in months. Why?"
The Lord answered,
"The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock,
for he has done his duty:
I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him,
but to retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept.
The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed;
the boy's parents sat across from him.
The boy awoke and whispered,
"Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there,"
said the surgeon.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
the surgeon began,
"I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there,"
the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed.
"I'll cut your heart open," he continued,
"to see how much damage has been done..."
"But when you open up my heart,
you'll find Jesus in there."
The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.
"When I see how much damage has been done,
I'll sew your heart and chest back up
and I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart.
The Bible says He lives there.
The hymns all say He lives there.
You'll find Him in my heart."
The surgeon had had enough.
"I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart.
I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels.
And I'll find out if I can make you well."
"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."
The surgeon left.
The surgeon sat in his office,
recording his notes from the surgery,
"...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein,
widespread muscle degeneration.
No hope for transplant, no hope for cure.
Therapy: painkillers and bedrest. Prognosis:,"
here he paused, "death within one year."
He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said.
"Why?" he asked aloud. "Why did You do this?
You've put him here; You've put him in this pain;
and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"
The Lord answered and said,
"The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long,
for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be.
Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain,
and will be comforted as you cannot imagine.
His parents will one day join him here,
and they will know peace,
and My flock will continue to grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter.
"You created that boy, and You created that heart.
He'll be dead in months. Why?"
The Lord answered,
"The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock,
for he has done his duty:
I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him,
but to retrieve another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept.
The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed;
the boy's parents sat across from him.
The boy awoke and whispered,
"Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there,"
said the surgeon.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Refiners Fire
Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it." If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. Pass this on to everyone you know. Right now, this very moment, someone needs to know that God is watching over them. and, whatever they're going through, they'll be a better person in the end. "Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Monday, May 24, 2010
You Took My Place
One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!"
The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!"
The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out,
"What happened to you?" The visitor replied, "I took your place."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!"
The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing. After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!"
The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing. Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out,
"What happened to you?" The visitor replied, "I took your place."
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
Friday, May 21, 2010
Ruth And The Visitor
Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.
She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again.
There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:
"Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus"
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.
"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.
"Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.
Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
"Hey lady, can you help us,lady?"
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.
A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it."
Ruth looked at them both.
They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."
"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."
The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.
As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
"Sir, wait!"
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."
She handed the man her grocery bag.
"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"
"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering .
"You know, I've got another coat at home.
Here, why don't you take this one."
Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.
Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
"Thank you lady!
Thank you very much!"
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too.
The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."
"Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always, Jesus"
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again.
There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:
"Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus"
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.
"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.
"Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.
Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
"Hey lady, can you help us,lady?"
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.
A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it."
Ruth looked at them both.
They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."
"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."
The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.
As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
"Sir, wait!"
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."
She handed the man her grocery bag.
"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"
"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering .
"You know, I've got another coat at home.
Here, why don't you take this one."
Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.
Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
"Thank you lady!
Thank you very much!"
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too.
The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."
"Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always, Jesus"
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com
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