Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them
fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit
was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The
two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit
with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop,
that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took
heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down
and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again,
the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He
jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the
other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to
them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the
entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it
through the day.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes
to kill them.
Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your
path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand
that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak
words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in
difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time
to encourage another.
A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly, his son falls,
hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
To his surprise, he hears the
voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Curious, he
yells: "Who are you?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
And then he
screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
The voice answers: "I admire
you!"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
He receives the
answer: "Coward!"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
The
father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
Again the man screams: "You
are a champion!"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
The boy is
surprised, but does not understand.
Then the father explains: "People call
this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or
do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love
in the world, create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in
your team, improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything,
in all aspects of life;
Life will give you back everything you have given to
it."
YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF
YOU!"
-- Unknown Author
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his
plans to leave the house-building business to live a more leisurely life with
his wife and enjoy his extended family. He would miss the paycheck each week,
but he wanted to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to
see his good worker go & asked if he could build just one more house as a
personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but over time it was easy to see that
his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used
inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, his employer came to inspect the
house. Then he handed the front-door key to the carpenter and said, "This is
your house... my gift to you."
The carpenter was shocked!
A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.
He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, "How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom... it died.
So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.