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A LITTLE GIRL'S PRAYER
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator) and no special feeding facilities.
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst. Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates. "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. "All right," I said, "Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can; sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm."
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During the prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please, God," she prayed, "send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon." While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added by way of corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?" As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say, “Amen"? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there?
The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel from home; anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the verandah, was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.
From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas---that would make a nice batch of buns for the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out---yes, a brand-new, rubber hot water bottle! I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.
Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!" Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted. Looking up at me, she asked: "Can I go over with you, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?" That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child--five months before--in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it "that afternoon."
Author Unknown
LETTER TO A COACH An Athlete's Dad
Dear Coach,
I just read your letter to my son and us (the parents) telling of your expectations for athletes under your tutelage. Johnny's mother and I couldn't agree more as we have long recognized the values deriving from high school athletics.
Judging from your record you must teach the game very well. That is important.
There is another phase of coaching, I believe, that is even more important. Permit me to explain what I mean.
Coach, John's mother and I are giving you our most prized possession to use for several weeks. During that time and throughout the next four years our son will make you one of our prime household conversations. He'll tell about how you could have made the Packers if only you hadn't hurt your knee back in '65. He'll tell us about your emotional half-time talk when you came from behind and beat Rivaltown. We'll hear about how you can still pass or kick the football. When we are hearing all this talk our son's eyes will shine. You see, Coach, he'll idolize you.
We don't have many heroes anymore. Joe Willie wears pantyhose! Many professionals would sell their souls for a buck it seems. Some college athletes made the news this year in a very negative manner. We know all college athletes don't shoplift, etc., but that is what we hear about.
You are our son's hero. We are relying on you. His muscles are nearly developed but his mind is still fragile and so impressionable. Your responsibilities are great. Impress him, Coach. Pour it on!
~~Author Unknown~~
“It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” - W. Somerset Maugham
A person’s attitude is one of the fundamental determinants of success. The rudiments of success are to be found in the mind. It is a principle written in Scripture. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” These words from King Solomon, found in Chapter 23, Verse 7 of Proverbs, make the same point as Earl Nightingale, “you become what you think about!” Ralph Waldo Emerson updated the philosophy, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.” And John Miller further modernized the concept, “The way we think determines happiness. It doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.”
Think about what you think, for it provides a mirror to the world of your heart and soul.
If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you like to win, but think you can’t, It’s almost certain you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost, For out of this world we find Success begins with a person’s will, It’s all in our state of mind.
If you think you’re outclassed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize.
Cause life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later, the person who wins Is the person WHO THINKS HE CAN.
The four keys to developing persistence and purpose
1. Rekindle and refire your vision and purpose everyday. Draw daily inspiration from the rewards you will receive when your vision is realized. 2. Anchor the following attitude deep within your mind and heart. “I can achieve anything I set my mind to, no matter how much hard work it takes, no matter how difficult it is, no matter how long it takes. I can and will achieve it.” 3. Realize that obstacles and setbacks will be set on your pathway as you strive to attain your vision and purpose. Realize that these difficulties are really opportunities from which you can learn new insights that will strengthen your resolve and increase your knowledge. 4. Turn your work into fun. Make what you have to do something you want to do.
* Failure is failure only if you fail to learn from it.
With the beginning of the New Year, many of us have resolutions to go on a diet and to become more physically fit. For those who really want to - you will do it. For those who just think they want to - we offer this tongue-in-cheek diet.
Dieting Under Stress This diet is designed to help you cope with the stress that builds up during the day
Breakfast 8 oz. nonfat (skim) milk 1 bowl oatmeal with 1 tsp. brown sugar 1 piece whole wheat toast
Lunch 4 oz. broiled chicken breast (remove skin before eating) 5 cherry tomatoes 1/2 cup steamed baby carrots 1 orange or apple 1 Oreo cookie Herb tea
After-work snack
Rest of the package of Oreos 1 quart Rocky Road ice cream 1 jar hot fudge
Dinner 1 large extra cheese and pepperoni pizza 1 loaf buttered garlic bread 1 large pitcher of beer 3 Milky Ways Entire frozen cheesecake (eaten directly from freezer)
You never work for somebody else. Someone else might sign your check but you’re the one who fills in the amount. - Anonymous
Tact is the ability to stay in the middle without getting caught there. - Franklin P. Jones
A survey of women graduates of prominent women’s colleges showed an average of 3.7 children per graduate. A similar survey of men’s schools showed an average of 2.4 children per graduate. The conclusion from these figures is apparent...women have more children than men.
