A CHILD'S SONG

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 an old 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 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 obligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been 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."

Perhaps 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 always graceful flowing music. However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful.

The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit." "Keep playing." May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.

Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.' Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.

THE STORM

 
Years ago, I was enthralled as I listened to a pastor who for several years had faithfully served the church. His executive responsibilities had taken him all over this country. As he concluded his message, he told of one of the most frightening yet thought-provoking experiences of his life.

He had been on a long flight from one place to another. The first warning of the approaching problems came when the sign on the airplane flashed on: Fasten your seat belts. Then, after a while, a calm voice said, "We shall not be serving the beverages at this time as we are expecting a little turbulence. Please be sure your seat belt is fastened."

As he looked around the aircraft, it became obvious that many of the passengers were becoming apprehensive. Later, the voice of the announcer said, "We are so sorry that we are unable to serve the meal at this time. The turbulence is still ahead of us."

And then the storm broke. The ominous cracks of thunder could be heard even above the roar of the engines. Lightening lit up the darkening skies, and within moments that great plane was like a cork tossed around on a celestial ocean. One moment the airplane was lifted on terrific currents of air; the next, it dropped as if it were about to crash.

The pastor confessed that he shared the discomfort and fear of those around him. He said, "As I looked around the plane, I could see that nearly all the passengers were upset and alarmed. Some were praying. The future seemed ominous and many were wondering if they would make it through the storm.

Then, I suddenly saw a little girl. Apparently the storm meant nothing to her. She had tucked her feet beneath her as she sat on her seat; she was reading a book and every thing within her small world was calm and orderly. Sometimes she closed her eyes, then she would read again; then she would straighten her legs, but worry and fear were not in her world. When the plane was being buffeted by the terrible storm, when it lurched this way and that, as it rose and fell with frightening severity, when all the adults were scared half to death, that marvelous child was completely composed and unafraid." The minister could hardly believe his eyes.

It was not surprising therefore, that when the plane finally reached its destination and all the passengers were hurrying to disembark, our pastor lingered to speak to the girl whom he had watched for such a long time. Having commented about the storm and behavior of the plane, he asked why she had not been afraid.

The sweet child replied, "Sir, my Dad is the pilot, and he is taking me home."

There are many kinds of storms that buffet us.

Physical, mental, financial, domestic, and many other storms can easily and quickly darken our skies and throw our plane into apparently uncontrollable movement. We have all known such times, and let us be honest and confess, it is much easier to be at rest when our feet are on the ground than when we are being tossed about a darkened sky.

Let us remember: Our Father is the Pilot. He is in control and He is taking us home ... 2jesus

Time Bank

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.

It carries over no balance from day to day.
Every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use
during the day.

What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!!!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME.
Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to
invest to good purpose.

It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.
Each day it opens a new account for you.
Each night it burns the remains of the day.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours.

There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow".

You must live in the present on today's deposits.
Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!

The clock is running. Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature
baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

Treasure every moment that you have! And reassure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

Remember that time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!

BIG ROCKS

 

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of
business students and to drive home a point, used an illustration those
students will never forget.

As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers
he said, "Okay, time for a quiz," and he pulled out a one gallon
wide mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.
He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed
them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top
and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes." The time management expert
replied,"Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of
gravel. He dumped some of the gravel in and shook the jar causing the
pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big
rocks. He then asked the class once more if the jar was full.

By this time the class was on to him and said "Probably not."

"Good" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket
of sand and started dumping it into the jar. The sand went into all of
the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked if
the jar was full.

"NO!" the class shouted. Once again he said "Good" and grabbed a pitcher
of water and began to pour it into the jar until the jar was filled to
the brim.

Then he looked around the room and asked, "What is the point of
this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is that no matter
how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit
some more in."

"NO," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth is that this
illustration teaches us that if you don't put the 'big rocks' in first,
you'll never get them in at all."

What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Time with our loved ones, your
faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or
mentoring others. Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first, or you'll
never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are
reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the
BIG ROCKS in my life?

Then, put those in your jar first."

Shake It Off And Step Up

 

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.
The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer
heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do
when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing
the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule,
but decided that neither the mule nor the well was
worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called
his neighbors together and told them what had
happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to
bury the old mule in the well and put him out of
his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the
farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and
the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It
suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel
load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD
SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did,
blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step
up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to
encourage himself. No matter how painful the
blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old
mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING
IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule,
battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY
OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed
like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because
of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to
them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness,
or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG
TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE
POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!
Remember that FORGIVENESS--FAITH--PRAYER--
PRAISE and HOPE...all are excellent ways to "SHAKE
IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find
ourselves!