So, You Think You Are Having A Rough Day?

So, you’re having a rough day—  Who and what are you comparing it to?  You woke up this morning, millions didn’t.  

Did you sleep in a car last night, millions were homeless.  Did you have more good health than sickness?, so many don’t.  Do you have a bank account, food in a cabinet or refrigerator?

What to do when you are feeling sorry for yourself… Go to the hospital, nursing home, funeral home, junenile detention home (while there be glad your loved ones aren’t there).  Go visit some old folks and just listen, they don’t need you to say anything.  Have you still got your right mind?  I know several folks who don’t.  They were once smart, maybe smarter than you and me.

Pity Parties…Has anyone ever attended any you have had.  If they did I’m sure they didn’t stay long. If you have success with feeling sorry for yourself, go for it…as for me, count me out.  Even Job in the Bible, with all his troubles, was required to stand on his feet like a man.

Try to make someone else happy and  to feel important–There is not any way to make someone else happy and not get some of it for yourself.

The day you learn to get your mind off yourself long enough to think of others, is the day your life will take on a different meaning.  A life of serving others makes a very rich, fulfilling life.

Be Positive—When you get negativity out of your life, take notice how others react to you. 

 You’ll see a great difference!  You will never want to go back to the old way.  

Play more offense and less defense…Michael Jordan remarked that too many players at the end of the game were concentrating on not losing, rather than on winning. Some are thinking so heavily on reacting, that they are not nearly proactive as they need to be.   Instead of waiting on someone else to initiate the mood (your mood), try setting the tone to the one you want.  You have a choice, don’t let anyone or anything take that from you.

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If You Need Anything From God, You Cannot Afford To Be Offended

And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

It All Depends On How You Look At A Thing

A man fell into a pit and couldn’t get himself out.

— An empathetic person came along and said, “I feel for you down there.”

— An objective person walked by and said, “It’s logical that someone would fall down there.”

— A Pharisee said, “Only bad people fall into pits.”

—Confucius  .” 

— A mathematician calculated how deep the pit was.

— A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.

— An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.

— A self-pitying person said, “You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen my pit.”

— A fire-and-brimstone preacher said, “You deserve your pit.”

— Another observed, “The pit is just in your mind.”

— A psychologist noted, “Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit.”

— A self-esteem therapist said, “Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit.”

— A Scientist calculated the pressure in pounds per square inch to get him out of the pit.

— An evolutionist said: “You are a rejected mutant destined to be removed from the evolutionary cycle.”    In other words, he is going to die in the pit, so that he cannot produce any “pit-falling offspring.” 

— A bureaucrat asked if he had a permit to dig a pit. 

— A professor gave him a lecture on:  “The Elementary Principles of the Pit.” 

— A realist said, “That’s a PIT!”

— An optimist said, “Things could be worse.”

— A pessimist claimed, “Things will get worse.” 

Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit. 

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John Blanchard And Meeting His Pen Pal

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose.

His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis

Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City.

He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day

he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one month the

two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart.

A romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like.

When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting – 7:00 PM at the Grand Central Station in New York. “You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen.

I’ll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened:

“A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay

back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a

gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward

her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. “Going my way, sailor?” she murmured. Almost uncontrollably, I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell.

She was standing almost direcdy behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gende and sensible, her gray eyes had awarm and kindly twinkle. I did not

hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identity me to her.

This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even

better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my

shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt

choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. “I’m Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you

must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?” 

The woman’s face broadened into a tolerant smile. “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she

 answered, “but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this

rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you that she is

waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”

It’s not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell’s wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. “Tell me whom you love,” Houssaye wrote, and I will tell you who you are!

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Start Your Day Off Right Series 1/14

Here is some food for your Daily Bread!

1/14–Start Your Day Off Right Series—

Quote:

1/14–As long as it isn’t true

Humor Quote By Dorothy Parker: “I don’t care…”

Story:

When Christian Herter was governor of Massachusetts, he was running hard for a second term in office. One day, after a busy morning chasing votes (and no lunch) he arrived at a church barbecue. It was late afternoon and Herter was famished. As Herter moved down the serving line, he held out his plate to the woman serving chicken. She put a piece on his plate and turned to the next person in line. 

“Excuse me,” Governor Herter said, “do you mind if I have another piece of chicken?” 

“Sorry,” the woman told him. “I’m supposed to give one piece of chicken to each person.” 

“But I’m starved,” the governor said. 

“Sorry,” the woman said again. “Only one to a customer.” 

Governor Herter was a modest and unassuming man, but he decided that this time he would throw a little weight around. 

“Do you know who I am?” he said. “I am the governor of this state.” 

“Do you know who I am?” the woman said. “I’m the lady in charge of the chicken. Move along, mister.” 

Scripture:

Philippians 2:1-4

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Humor:

Farmer Joe decided his injuries from the accident were serious enough to take the trucking company responsible for the accident to court. In court the trucking company’s fancy lawyer was questioning farmer Joe. “Didn’t you

say at the sceneof the accident, ‘I’m fine’?”, asked the lawyer.

Farmer Joe responded, “Well, I’ll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite mule Bessie into the…”

“I didn’t ask for anydetails,” the lawyer interrupted, “just answer the question. Did you not say at the scene of the accident. ‘I’m fine’?”

Farmer Joe said, “Well. I had just got Bessie into the trailerandI wasdrivingdowntheroad…”

The lawyer interrupted again and said, “Judge, I am trying to establishthe fact that, at the scene of the accident, this mantold the highway patrolman onthe scene that he was fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he

is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question.”

By this time the judge was fairly interested in Farmer Joe’s answer and said to the lawyer, “I’d like to hear what the man has to say.”

Joe thanked the Judge and proceeded, “Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie into the trailer and

was driving her down the highway when this huge semi- truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting real bad and didn’t want to move. However, I could hear ol’ Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a highway patrolman came on t h e scene. He could hear Bessie moaning andgroaning so he went over to her. After he looked

at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the

eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road with his gun in his hand and looked at me.”

He said, “Your mule was in such bad shape I had to shoot him, how are you feeling?

Can You Spare A Minute Or So 1/14?

If you can’t find five minutes, can you spare just two or three?

This Sports Icon Didn’t Make the Team

If there’s one name you would not associate with failure, it’s probably Michael Jordan. But Michael Jordan’s story is one of overcoming, too. His path to success wasn’t easy and straightforward.

I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

When Michael Jordan’s high school cut him from the basketball team his sophomore year. He worked hard and moved his way up over the years, but he stayed humble. In fact, he attributes his success to failure.

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Start Your Day Off Right Series 1/13

1/13– Start Your Day Off Right Series 

Quote:

1/13–Be The Kind Of Person

Be the kind of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning that devil says oh no, they are up

Story:

1/13–

Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation’s deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But hummingbirds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do.  

Scripture:

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Humor:

1/13 Humor

Humor

What Do You Consider To Be The Greatest Moment In Your Life?

The concert , Sol Hurok, liked to say that Marian Anderson hadn’t simply grown great, she’d grown great simply. 

He says: “A few years ago a reporter interviewed Marian and asked her to name the greatest moment in her life. I was in her dressing room at the time and was curious to hear the answer. I knew she had many big moments to choose from. 

There was the night Toscanini told her that hers was the finest voice of the century. There was the private concert she gave at the White House for the Roosevelts and the King and Queen of England. 

She had received the $10,000 Bok Award as the person who had done the most for her home town, Philadelphia. 

To top it all, there was that Easter Sunday in Washington when she stood beneath the Lincoln statue and sang for a crowd of 75,000, which included Cabinet members, Supreme Court Justices, and most members of Congress. 

Which of those big moments did she choose? “None of them,” said Hurok. “Miss Anderson told the reporter that the greatest moment of her life was the day she went home and told her mother she wouldn’t have to take in washing anymore.” 

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Don’t Let Others Shut You Down

The story is told of a judge who had been frequently ridiculed by a conceited lawyer. 

When asked by a friend why he didn’t rebuke his assailant, he replied, “In our town lives a widow who has a dog. And whenever the moon shines, it goes outside and barks all night.” 

Having said that, the magistrate shifted the conversation to another subject. 

Finally someone asked, “But Judge, what about the dog and the moon?” “Oh,” he replied, “the moon went on shining–that’s all.”

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Significance Of The Number 12 In The Bible

The Meaning of Numbers: The Number 12

Twelve can be found in 187 places in God’s word. Revelation alone has 22 occurrences of the number. 

The meaning of 12, which is considered a perfect number, is that it symbolizes God’s power and authority, as well as serving as a perfect governmental foundation. It can also symbolize completeness or the nation of Israel as a whole.

For example, Jacob (Israel) had twelve sons, each of which represented a tribe begun by a prince, for 12 princes total. Ishmael, who was born to Abraham through Hagar, also had twelve princes.

God specified that twelve unleavened cakes of bread be placed every week in the temple with frankincense next to each of the two piles that were to be made. The priests were commanded to change the bread every Sabbath day (Leviticus 24).

Christ called and choose twelve men to bear witness to what he did and to spread the good news of the gospel to the entire world. 

After he was raised from the dead, Jesus told the eleven disciples (Judas had killed himself) that God had given him ALL power and authority in both earth and heaven (God’s divine authority – Matthew 28:18).

Twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel (144,000 total) will receive salvation during the end time’s Great Tribulation (Revelation 7). A set of 144,000 (12 x 12,000), possibly the same as those in chapter 7, will be taken from earth in order to serve and follow the Lamb of God (Revelation 14:1 – 5). Christ’s bride in Revelation 12, the church, wears a crown containing twelve stars.

The New Jerusalem, which is made in heaven and brought to the earth by God himself, contains 12 gates made of pearl which are each manned by an angel. Over each gate will be one of the names of Israel’s twelve tribes. The walls are 144 cubits high (12 multiplied by itself – Revelation 21:16 – 17), with the city itself being 12,000 furlongs square.

Appearances of the number twelve

There are twelve names in the Bible that have only two letters. They are Ai (Joshua 7:2), Ar (Num. 21:15), Ed (Joshua 22:34), Er (Genesis 38:3), Ir (1Chronicles 7:12), No (Jeremiah 46:25), Og (Num. 21:33), On (Num. 16:11), Pe (Psalm 119:129), So (2Kings 17:4), Ur (Genesis 11:28) and Uz (Genesis 10:23).

The twelve patriarchs from and including Shem (one of Noah’s sons saved in the Ark) to Jacob (Israel) are Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Heber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Solomon appointed twelve officers over Israel.

How is the number 12 related to an anointed service?

Twelve people are specially noted in scripture as being anointed for a unique task or responsibility. They are Aaron and his four sons to serve as priests (Exodus 29:7 – 9) and Saul (1Samuel 10:1), David (1Samuel 16:13) and Solomon (1Kings 1:39) to serve as kings over a united Israel.

David’s son Absalom, who wanted to take the throne of his David but was killed (2Samuel 19:10), was also anointed by some to be king. The remaining three specially anointed are King Jehu of Israel (2Kings 9:6) and Kings Joash (2Kings 11:12) and Jehoahaz (2Kings 23:30) of Judah.

Additional info on the Biblical Meaning of 12

The Scripture’s first recording of Jesus’ words occurs when he is twelve years old (Luke 2:42).

The high priest’s breastplate, also called the breast-plate of decision, had twelve stones embedded in it. Each stone represented a tribe of Israel. The Urim and Thummim were part of the High Priest’s breastplate. They were primarily used to consult God regarding important matters (1Samuel 28: 3 – 6, Numbers 27:21 and so on). Both the first century historian Josephus and the Talmud identify the Urim and Thummim with the breastplate stones.

Of all the numerals found in scripture, twelve, along with three, four, seven and ten, are unmistakably used in a symbolic fashion in God’s word.

The Meaning and Significance of Number 12 in the Bible

We can probably draw examples right away from instances where we see the number 12 used in Scripture. Jesus appointed twelve disciples; Israel had 12 tribes.

Twelve, as described in this article, tends to mean authority or (similar to 3 and 7) perfection.

We can typically see the number twelve used in governmental or authoritarian positions. 

Twelve minor prophets preached the word of God, twelve sons of Jacob formed the twelve tribes of Israel, and the disciples helped form the early church.

– 12 spies scout the Promised Landp

– Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (Daniel 4) fulfills 12 months later

– 12 baskets remain full after Jesus feeds the 5,000