SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Lisa Beamer on Good Morning America - If you remember, she's the wife of Todd Beamer who said "Let's Roll!" and helped take down the plane that was heading for Washington, D.C.

She said it's the little things that she misses most about Todd, such as
hearing the garage door open as he came home, and her children running to meet him. She's now the Mom of a beautiful little girl, Mary.

Lisa recalled this story:

I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose husband died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared
some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the late afternoon
sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.

With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Class is over I would like to share with all of you, a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important.

"Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give
of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It
can be taken away at any moment Perhaps this is the Powers way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."

Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see, it could be a scent, perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground.

"Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the 'stuff' of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We
must make it important to notice them, for at anytime it can all be taken away."

The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester.

Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an
impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those
things that sometimes we all overlook.

Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go
barefoot, or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.

23RD PSALM FOR THE WORKPLACE

23RD PSALM FOR THE WORKPLACE....  

The Lord is my real boss and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and to do all things without murmuring and complaining.  
He reminds me that He is my Source and not my job.
He restores my sanity   everyday and guides my decisions that I might honor Him in everything I do.  
Even though I face absurd amounts of emails, system crashes,unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning, I will not stop--for He is with me!
His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through.
He raises me   up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens to let me go.  
His faithfulness and love are better than any bonus check. His retirement plan beats every 401K there is! 
When it's all said and done,
I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that, I bless His  Name.   --

Author unknown.

ABC'S OF INSPIRATION

ABC'S OF INSPIRATION

A-void negative things, sources, people and habits.
B-elieve in yourself.
C-onsider things from every angle.
D-on't give in and don't give up.
E-njoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.
F-amily and friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their
riches.
G-ive more than you planned to give.
H-ang on to your dreams.
I-gnore those who try to discourage you.
J-ust do it.
K-eep on trying, no matter how hard it seems. It will get better.
L-ove yourself first and foremost.
M-ake it happen.
N-ever lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal.
O-pen your eyes and see the things as they really are.
P-ractise makes perfect.
Q-uitters never win and winners never quit.
R-ead, study and learn about everything important in your life.
S-top procrastinating (delaying).
T-ake control of your own destiny.
U-nderstand yourself in order to better understand others.
V-isualize it.
W-ant it more than anything.
X-ccelerate your efforts.
Y-ou are unique of all of natures creation. Nothing can replace you.
Z-ero in your target and go for it!

*It is better to look forward and to prepare than to look back and
regret.   ~Author unknown~

A MOM'S LOVE

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 mother, in the house and looking out the window, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.
Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.
It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the mother grabbed her 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 mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard her 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 mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she 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 Mom 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.

The Scripture teaches that 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 that you love them too: enough to not let them go.

"It really is not hard to share another's burden. It is easy to fulfill the Law of Love with a simple hug, a smile, or an encouraging word."

WHAT TREE DID YOU FALL FROM?

WHAT TREE DID YOU FALL FROM?
Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is really cool and
somewhat accurate, also in line with Celtic astrology.
Dec 23 to Jan 01 - Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24 - Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03 -Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08 - Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18 - Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28 - Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10 - Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20 - Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only) -Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31 - Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10 - Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20 - Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30 - Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14 - Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24 - Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03 - Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13 - Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23 - Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only) - Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04 - Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14 - Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25 -Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04 - Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13 - Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23 - Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 02 - Pine Tree
Sep 03 to Sep 12 - Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22 - Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only) - Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03 - Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13 - Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23 - Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11 - Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21 - Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01 - Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11 - Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21 - Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only) - Beech Tree

YOUR TREE
( in alphabetical order)

*Apple Tree (the Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal,
and attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous,
sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and
tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs
affectionate partner.

*Ash Tree (the Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive,
demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent,
talented!, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable,
restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention,
needs love and much emotional support.

*Beech Tree (the Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks,
materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good
leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime
companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

*Birch Tree (the inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant,
friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess,
abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very
passionate, full of
imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

*Cedar Tree (the Confidence) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt,
likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends
to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined,
often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious,
healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick
decisions.

*Chestnut Tree (the Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive,
well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born
diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard
worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely
family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

*Cypress Tree (the Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes
what life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be
content, optimistic, wants to be financially independent, wants love and
affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied,
faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to
gain
knowledge, needs to be needed.

(what? no dogwood?)

*Elm Tree (the Noble-mindedness) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes,
modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead
but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for
others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical.
*Fig Tree (the Sensibility) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed,
honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, loves life
and friends, enjoys children and animals, a social butterfly, great
sense of humor, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours
at work, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

*Fir tree (the Mysterious) -- extraordinary taste, handles
stress poorly, loves anything beautiful, can become depressed at
times, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them as well as
helping strangers,
rather modest, hard worker, talented, unselfish, few sexual
relationships, many friends, doesn't want foes, very reliable.

*Hazelnut Tree (the Extraordinary) -- charming, sense of humor, very
demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a
lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics,
popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a
precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

*Hornbeam Tree (the Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks
and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as
possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness
and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is
seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of
its decisions, very conscientious.
(Hornbeam???)

*Lime Tree (the Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life
dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good
ones,hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear
tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make
sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always
enough time to use them, can become a complainer, great leadership
qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

*Maple Tree (Independence of Mind) -- no ordinary person, full of
imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud,
self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many
complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants
to impress.

*Oak Tree (the Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting,
independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the
ground, person of action.

*Olive Tree (the Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings,
reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant,cheerful,
calm,
well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of
jealousy, loves to read and the company! of sophisticated people.
*Pine Tree (the Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and
harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write
poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls
strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally
soft, low self esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

*Poplar Tree (the Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not
very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill
and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity,
great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy,
reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

*Rowan Tree (the Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without
egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even
complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic,
passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

*Walnut Tree (the Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full
of contrasts, often egotistic, aggressive, noble, broad horizon,
unexpected reactions,
spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon
partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very
jealous and passionate, no compromise.

*Weeping Willow (the Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family
life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves
anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic
places, restless, capricious, honest, can be influenced but is not easy
to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition,
suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves
to make others laugh.

A DAD'S STORY

A Dad's Story

A DAD'S STORY On July 22nd I was in route to Washington, DC for a business trip.
It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change.
As I collected my belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for Mr.  Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately.  I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane and I heard a gentleman asking every male if he were Mr.
Glenn.
At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk.

When I got off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said, "Mr.  Glenn, there is an emergency at your home.  I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital."
My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over.
Woodenly, I followed this stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital.  My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes, and that when my wife had found him he was dead.
CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital.
By the time of my call, Brian was revived and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart.  They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart.  He had been severely crushed.
After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.
The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down.
When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere.  He was on a respirator.  I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile.  It all seemed like a terrible dream.
I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis.
Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves.  But only time would tell if his brain received any damage.
Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm.
She felt that Brian would eventually be all right.  I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline.  All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious.
It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before.
Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken.
He said, "Daddy hold me" and he reached for me with his little arms.
[TEAR BREAK...smile] By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital.  You cannot imagine, we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.
In the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home.
Our two older children were much closer to their little brother.
My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family.  Life took on a less stressful pace.
Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain.
We felt deeply blessed.  Our gratitude was truly profound.
The story is not over (smile)!
Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, "Sit down Mommy.  I have something to tell you."
At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my wife.  She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story.

"Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door?
Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad.  I called to you, but you couldn't hear me I started to cry, but then it hurt too bad.  And then the 'birdies' came."
"The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled.
"Yes," he replied.  "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage.  They took care of me."
"They did?"
"Yes," he said.  "One of the birdies came and got you.  She came to tell you "I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent feeling filled the room.
The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air.  My wife realized that a three-year-old had no concept of death and spirit, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies"
because they were up in the air like birds that fly.  "What did the e birdies look like?"
she asked.
Brian answered, "They were so beautiful.  They were dressed in white, all white.  Some of them had green and white.  But some of them had on just white."
"Did they say anything?"
"Yes," he answered.  "They told me the baby would be all right."
"The baby?" my wife asked confused.
Brian answered.  "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby.
You told the baby to stay and not leave."
My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can." As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form.
"Then what happened?" she asked.
"We went on a trip," he said, "far, far away." He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't seem to have the words for.  My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay.
He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very important to him, but finding the words was difficult.
"We flew so fast up in the air.  They're so pretty Mommy,"
he added.
"And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife was stunned.
Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly, but with an urgency she had never before known.  Brian went on to tell her that the birdies"
had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies." He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there.  A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay, The story went on for an hour.  He taught us that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears.  But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart).  They whisper the things to help In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again.  Always the story remained the same.
The details were never changed or out of order.  A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered.
It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies.  Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the "birdies." Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this.  Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled.  Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be.

You have just been sent an Angel to watch over you.  Some people come into our lives and quickly go...Some people become friends and stay a while...leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts ...  and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!
Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow a mystery.  Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!  Live and savor every moment...this is not a dress rehearsal! 

ABC

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there will be good times and yes, some will be bad but ...
Zion waits in glory ... where none are ever sad!