Do You Get the Point?
News media recently carried the story of Giorgio Angelozzi, an
80-year-old widower living near Rome. He was so lonely that
he put an ad in the newspaper. He offered to pay
500 euros
per month, something over $650, to any family that would
"adopt" him as a grandfather.
We humans want relationships. No, we need them. God has
created us to be social creatures. When we either withdraw or
get isolated from caring people, something happens
to our
emotional and spiritual lives that can be deadly.
There is an old rabbinic story of a farmer who had two sons.
He reared
them on his place and taught them everything he
knew about growing crops and raising animals. When
the
man died, the two heirs owned the land and farmed it in equal
partnership with each other. It
was a pleasant and prosperous
venture.
In time, the younger brother married and had a large family of
eight wonderful children. The older brother, however, remained
single his entire life.
In a particularly good crop year, the harvest from their joint
labors
was greater than ever before. So the bachelor brother
thought to himself, "My brother has ten mouths to feed, while
I have only one. But I know him too well to think he will be
willing to renegotiate our equal partnership. I know what I will do.
In the dead of night, while he is asleep, I will shift some
of what
I have put in my barn into his to help him feed his family."
At the same time, the younger brother was thinking to himself,
"God has given me a wife and these eight precious children. My
brother has not been so fortunate, and he
will need more in
reserve for his old age than I will. But he will never renegotiate
our
partnership. I know what I will do. In the dead of night,
while he is sleeping, I will slip some of the harvest already
stored in my barn into his."
So on a night when the moon was full, the two brothers came
face to
face, each of them on a mission of kindness to the other!
According to the story, a gentle rain began to fall. But there wasn't
a cloud in the sky. It was God weeping for joy because two of his
children had gotten the point about life's meaning. Relationship is
everything. To care about another is to exhibit the heart of God.
Generosity is the purest exhibition of holiness. Because we are in
the image of God, such generosity is also the secret to our own joy.
Should more lonely people place newspaper ads?
Or should you and I be
more observant? Learn to care more?
Get the real point of life?
-- from The FAX of Life
NOTE FROM LADY BRAIDS: Love excessively!
Do not think about it - just do it!
One Phone Call (Letter, Card or E-mail) Can...
Cheer the sad
Learn of a need
Show your concern
Lift the depressed
Comfort the lonely
Promote a good work
Strengthen the weak
Reassure the suffering
Encourage the downhearted
Why not make at least one every day?
-- Author Unknown
Your influence is like your shadow. It may
not always fall where you want it. Therefore,
you need to be especially careful to see that
wherever it falls, it will have a "good" effect
on all. You may not be able to control the
shadow, but you can control the one who
casts the shadow. Make your influence count
for God. Be not deceived! Others are being
influenced by your example right now, this
very hour.
-- Author Unknown
Do you realize you are a sales person? You may define yourself as a
receptionist, nurse, athlete, admin assistant, Grandparent, store,
manager, vocalist, house wife, budget analyst, student or bus driver.
No matter your position, you are in sales. Your personality,
likability factor, body language, attire, character, ability to
communicate and socialize with others are your selling points.
Your behavior shapes your power of persuasion. Are you a loner,
a giver, a taker, anti-social, a gossiper or enthusiastic?
A true leader and person who desires to grow in success understands
the ability to present yourself and demonstrate confidence is
critical in developing your influence factor. How do you sell
yourself? Do you follow through? Do you keep your promises?
Do you support and serve others? How are your listening skills?
Are you a harsh critic? Are you able to positively influence
others to follow you, listen to you, support you, respect you and
"buy in" to your ideas? Are your words and actions congruent
with your beliefs? Do you lead by example? Can others trust
and depend on you? If you offer an idea or make requests of
others, do they respond, resent, rebel or reject you? As a
parent, coach, supervisor, minister, educator or politician
how do you persuade others to see your view?
You are a leader. You have influence. Be willing to improve
your communication skills and you will be amazed how people
will respond to you because of your ability to positively and
effectively sell yourself.
-- Jewel Diamond Taylor
Leadership and Workplace Training Leader
Have You Tried These?
A little more patience -- to overlook and bear up with the things
others do and say that irritate me?
A little more firmness -- to continue to work which duty demands
and which is often repellent to me?
A little more humanity -- to remain at the post at which I find
myself and which does not fit in at all with my dreams and plans?
A little more common sense -- to take people as they are, and
not as I would like them to be?
A little more prudence -- to bother as little as possible about
other people's private affairs?
A little more cheerfulness -- so as not to show that I have been hurt?
A little more unselfishness -- in trying to understand the thoughts
and feeling of others?
Above all, a little more prayer to draw God to my heart?
-- Author Unknown
I remember a man of some standing who once came to see me and told
me that a friend of his who claimed no small spiritual achievements had
offended him; "Who should go and make his peace with the other?" he
asked. "I cannot answer your question," I replied,"as I cannot possibly
set myself as a judge between you, but one thing is certain to me; the
meanest of the two of you will wait for the other to make the move." The
great man said no word, but went forthwith to make his peace with his
friend.
-- Anthony Bloom
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was you.
-- Lewis B Smedes
An Everyday Survival Kit:
Toothpick
Rubber band
Band aid
Pencil
Eraser
Chewing gum
Mint
Candy Kiss
Tea Bag
Here's why:
Toothpick - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.
Rubber band - to remind you to be flexible, things might not always
go the way you want, but it will work out.
Band Aid - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's.
Pencil - To remind you to list your blessings everyday.
Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay.
Chewing gum - to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish
anything.
Mint - to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family and friends.
Candy Kiss - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday.
Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go over that list of your
blessings.
-- Author Unknown
A woman came out of her house and
saw 3 old men with long white beards
sitting in her front yard... She did not
recognize them... She said "I
don't think I know you, but you must
be hungry... Please come in and
have something to eat"...
"Is the man of the house home?",
they asked. "No", she said. "He's
out".
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband
came home, she told him what had
happened... Go tell them I am home
and invite them in.
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We don't go into a house together", they
replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know.
One of the old men explained: "His
name is Wealth...he said
pointing to one of his friends...and
said pointing to another
one, "He is Success and I am Love"..
Then he added, "Now go in
and discuss with your husband which
one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her
husband what was said...
Her husband was overjoyed...
"How nice", he said!!... "Since that
is the case, let us invite Wealth...
Let him come and fill our
home with wealth"....
His wife disagreed..."My dear, why
don't we invite Success"?.....
Their daughter-in-law was listening
from the other corner of the
house... She jumped in with her
own suggestion: "Would it not be
better to invite Love...Our home
will be filled with love"...
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's
advice", said the husband to his
wife..."Go out and invite Love to
be our guest."
The woman went out and asked
the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love?
Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking
toward the house..The other 2 also got
up and followed him...
Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and
Success: "I only invited Love, why
are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you
had invited Wealth or Success the
other two of us would've stayed out ...
but since you invited Love,
wherever he goes we go with him...
Wherever there is Love there is also
wealth and success!
-- Author Unknown
A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious
stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was
hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food.
The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman
to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.
The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone
was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days
later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking," he said, "I know how valuable the stone is,
but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something
even more precious.
Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me
the stone."
-- Author Unknown
