GIFTS TO GIVE:

THE GIFT OF LISTENING... But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming,
no planning your response. Just listening.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION... Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back
and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER... Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say,
"I love to laugh with you."

THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE... It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet.
A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT... A simple and sincere, "You look great in red,"
"You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal" can make someone's day.

THE GIFT OF A FAVOR... Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE... There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone.
Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION... The easiest way to feel good is to extend
a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, “Hello” or “Thank You”.

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
Show your friends how much you care.

ATTITUDE DETERMINES ATTITUDE

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today.
I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is
getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or I can be glad that my finances
encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I was growing up
or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover
new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout for joy
because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or eagerly open my mind and fill it
with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or I can feel honored
because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
  
What today will be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
  
Have a Great Day -- unless you have other plans

Who Gets The Credit?

Who invented the telegraph?
God did.
God used Samuel F. B. Morse.
One day Samuel seemed to be at a dead end in his electronic experiments.
Whatever he tried, didn't work.
Do you know what he did?

He says in his own words: "I prayed for more light".
God gave this humble inventor the answer to his electrical problems.
God gave that answer to that man.
It is as if God wanted the world to have the telegraph at that specific time: 1844.

Morse later said: "That's why I never felt I deserved the honors that came to me
because of the invention associated with my name.
I had made a valuable application of the use of electrical power, but it was
all through God's help.
It wasn't because I was superior to other scientists."

And then, Samuel Morse makes this statement:
"When the Lord wanted to bestow this gift on mankind.
He had to use someone. I'm just grateful He chose to reveal it to me."

God wanted the world to have the gift in 1844.
Because in 1844, something was happening.
The end of the world was predicted by some.

No wonder the inventor's first message over the telegraph was: "What hath God wrought!"
God invented the telegraph.
Samuel Morse thanked God.
He gave all the credit to God.

He thanked God for using his mind to bring a technical blessing to the world.
We ought to have that type of a spirit of thanksgiving.
Giving the credit to God.
Being thankful to God.
Not taking the credit ourselves.
 -- Copied

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If I had My Life to Live Over - Erma Bombeck  (Written after she found out she was dying from cancer.)

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern
if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt
when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair
had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more of watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil,
or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment
and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to
assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said,
"Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's."

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute ...look at it and really see it
 ... live it and never give it back.
Stop sweating the small stuff.

Gumption
God may be saying to some of us,
"You have compassed this mountain long enough, turn northward."
We must realize that our own initiative and will power are necessary to any real breakthrough.
Gumption is important.

We cannot expect God to do everything for us while we do nothing.

Dr. E. Stanley Jones tells about time in his life when he faced a heavy drain
on his physical resources, with a six-month speaking tour where he was to address
large audiences.
He would be speaking four or five times a day, and almost every day.

A friend of his had been doing research with vitamin pills.
He had discovered that when wheat was four inches tall, it seemed to have the highest concentration of vitamins that could be found in any plant.

So the research scientist told Dr. Jones that if he would take 20 of those grass pills every day,
he would have all the vitamins that he needed.
Dr. Jones took them religiously, and ended the six-month speaking tour in abounding health.

When asked for the secret of his amazing vitality, he would answer:
"Grace, grass, and gumption -- the grace of God which enabled me to do more
than otherwise I could have done, my own gumption and will power, and the grass pills."

Dr. Jones said that the people in his audiences never asked about the grace or gumption,
but where can you get the grass pills?

We want everything easy and fast.
We would like to do things without expending any effort.
Gumption is important.
God will not do everything for us while we do nothing.

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Elizabeth Elliott wrote a story of the irrational love of 5 men who gave their lives
in what many believe was a foolish venture.
Her book is called, Through Gates of Splendor.

Her husband, Jim, and four other missionary friends were determined to reach a hostile tribe
of Amazon people.
The Aucas were fearfully hostile, killing whites that entered their territory.
But these missionaries would not be deterred.
For months they flew their little plane over the villages of the Aucas, dropping gifts.

Finally, they believed that they had established enough trust to make contact.
They landed their little plane on a riverbank and set up a base camp.
Sometime in the next day or so, for reasons never really known, after initial contacts
that seemed friendly, the Aucas attacked and killed all five men.

That was in the early 1950's.
Were those men fools?
In the eyes of many, YES!
They gave up promising careers, comfortable lives, and security to take God's Gospel
to people who didn't want to hear it, and died in the quest.

But a few years before, Jim Elliott penned a motto that he lived and died by:
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose!"

By the way, the sacrifice of those men's lives became a front page story here in the US
and spurred thousands of young people to consider full time missionary service
as their career and the Auca people were converted and became a peaceful, Christian people.

And Jim Elliott surely was welcomed into heaven, walking through gates of splendor!

THE COMPUTER SWALLOWED GRANDMA
 
      The computer swallowed grandma.
      Yes, honestly its true.
      She pressed 'control' and 'enter'
      And disappeared from view.
 
      It devoured her completely,
      The thought just makes me squirm.
      She must have caught a virus
      Or been eaten by a worm.
 
      I've searched through the recycle bin
      And files of every kind;
      I've even used the Internet,
      But nothing did I find.
 
      In desperation, I asked Jeeves
      My searches to refine.
      The reply from him was negative,
      Not a thing was found 'online.'
 
      So, if inside your 'Inbox,'
      My Grandma you should see,
      Please 'Copy', 'Scan' and 'Paste' her
      And send her back to me!
 
 Author Unknown
 
 I am sending this as a tribute to all the Grandmas & Grandpas who have been fearless
and learned to use the computer..

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Search For The Illustration That You Need

On Sermon Illustrations

Attitudes
One More Round
Lost The Job
Adversity
They Will Never
Optimism of Matthew
Blind To The Truth
A Smile Is Important
Enthusiasm Can
Overcoming Obstacles
No Need To Worry
One Makes The Difference

Attitudes Page 2
Gratitude Pays
Don't Panic
Fear Of People
Baby Brought Peace
Challenge Of Commitment
Find What You Expect
Happiness Is Not…
Coping With Change
Forget each kindness
Teens Idea Of Happiness
Missed opportunity

Attitudes Page 3
Passing The Test
How Much Worry
Keeping Your Word
Importance Of Little Things
Love Makes A Difference
Integrity's Worth

Attitudes Page 4
Rather Be Right
Indifference
I Came To Fight
Self Respect
What Really Matters
Futility Of Ambition
Words Can Mean
Wrong Assumptions
How To Be Miserable
Some Things We Cannot Do!

Religious Page 1
Disciples' Resume
Spiritual Power
God's Grace
Begin With Faith
If Not, Be In Church
Days To Be Absent
Church Members Are Like…
Even If There Is No Road
Board of Absentee's Meeting
Commitment Through Difficulties
Ancient And Present Gods

Religious Page 2
Horse Or Donkey
Ideal Pastor
Trust In God
Stumbling Block
Ten Little Christians
No Excuse Sunday
Real Commitment
God Cared For You
Influence Of Christianity
Staying Away From Church
God's Wonderful World

Religious Page 3
Join Hands
Hold The Rope
His Son's Art
With God's Help
Just For One Day
Direction Of Life
Keeping Hope Alive
Paul And Grace
Important To Communicate
Will Not Get Involved
Heaven By Grace
Never Pray Again

Religious Page 4
Which Religion?
Then Ask
He's Coming Back
God, The Greatest Giver
Members That Never
When The Spirit Comes
Take Them To The Bank
I Am A Prayer Warrior

Religious Page 5
Now Weep
Christ's Heir
Well Done!
Put Christ In Control
Atheistic Professor
Let Go! Let God!

Poems Page 1
Second Chance
Blessed Indeed
Through It All
His Mistake
God Was In The Foxhole
No Hands, But Ours
Do Better Now, My Child
Selfish To Want To Live
It Is Better Farther On
Looking For The Limp
Pass It On

Poems Page 2
I Met The Master
Breathe On Me
High Flight
The Weaver
Touch Of The Master's Hand
Are All The Children In?
God Uses What We Have
Christ Lives In Me
God, Give Me Courage
God Will See You Through

Poems Page 3
Little Eyes
Obedience
Hell Is Real
A Man Must Live
Birds Don't Worry
Where God Ain't

Poems Page 4
So Much More
Jesus Only
What Then?
I believe in God
Throw Out The Lifeline
When I Say I Am A Christian
The Man In The Glass
God Did A Wonderful Thing
When We See Christ
Saved By Grace

Poems Page 5
Jim Died Today
Only A Branch
Spirit Power
Step By Step
Children Learn By…
Written In Red
What Can I Give Him?
Raised Up With Jesus

Life And Death
His One Mistake
What Time Is It?
Safe At Home!
The Juggler
Facing Death
Grandmother Dying
Life Is Too Short
No Need For Grief
No Going Back!
Daddy, Save Me!
If You Could Live Over
Shadow Of Death
Never An Ache
The Way Home
Day Of Death

Family Life
Challenge To Teens
Son's Outlook
What It Was To Be Six
Keep On Believing
It's My Brother

Interesting
Murphy's Law
Take a stand
We Do Reap
Result Of Sin
Not That Kind Of Person
Just Wouldn't Listen
It Pays To Listen
Hymns For Everyday
Feeling Your Age
How Will You Run?
Interesting Facts

Jesus
Follow The Blood
Blood Of Jesus
The Glory of Jesus