A young boy and his stepfather had difficulty communicating with each other. The man was outgoing; the boy was quiet. The elder loved to fish; the youngster loved to read.
The stepfather, wanting to get close to the boy, took him on a fishing trip. The boy hated it but didn't know how to tell his stepfather directly. So he wrote him a note saying he wanted to go home. The man looked at it and stuck it in his pocket.
The fishing trip continued 4 more days. When they finally returned home, the boy shared his frustration with his mother and told her that his stepfather had paid no attention to his note. His mother said to him, "Son, your father can't read." The man had never shared this with the boy.
Good communication occurs not only when we know what we want to say, but also when we know the person to whom we are speaking. And to know one another requires a willingness to let others know our weaknesses and limitations.
Paul urged us as believers to speak truthfully with each other (Ephesians 4:25). He also admonished us to be "kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another" (v.32). That's Christlike love, and it provides the security in which good communication can thrive.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Go Ahead and Grow
"God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" Philippians 2:13 (NLT).
Nothing can change God's love for you. He wants the best for you and desires for you to grow spiritually. God says in the Bible that His plans and purposes for your life are wonderful - and nothing can stop the almighty God from accomplishing great things through you! God orders certain circumstances in your life He knows will be a challenge and cause you to grow in your faith. God loves you far too much to leave you where you are. So why settle for a middle-of-the-road life when you can cross the finish line victoriously! God continually works in you to give you the power for abundant living -so believe it, receive it and use it mightily for Him!
A Prayer for Today
God, I'm so glad that You love me too much to leave me where I am. Help me to live in the obedience and victory that I know are Your desire for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Nothing can change God's love for you. He wants the best for you and desires for you to grow spiritually. God says in the Bible that His plans and purposes for your life are wonderful - and nothing can stop the almighty God from accomplishing great things through you! God orders certain circumstances in your life He knows will be a challenge and cause you to grow in your faith. God loves you far too much to leave you where you are. So why settle for a middle-of-the-road life when you can cross the finish line victoriously! God continually works in you to give you the power for abundant living -so believe it, receive it and use it mightily for Him!
A Prayer for Today
God, I'm so glad that You love me too much to leave me where I am. Help me to live in the obedience and victory that I know are Your desire for me. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Learn from an ANT
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest. (NIV)
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. (KJV)
Proverbs 6:6-8
Commentary
The ant is an example of industry, diligence, and planning (vv. 7, 8) and serves as a rebuke to a sluggard (a lazy one who lacks self control). Folly sends a lazy man to learn from an ant (see 10:4, 26; 12:24; 13:4; 15:19; 19:15; 20:4; 26:14-16).
Did you know?
Harvester ants are the ones meant in Proverbs 6:6-8 and 30:25.
These tiny insects settle near grain fields, carrying seed after seed into their private storehouses. In cold weather these ants cluster together and hibernate. When winter comes, they have food stored up until the next harvest.
God has provided ants with such amazing instincts that they appear to reason and plan ahead. If stored grain gets wet, they haul it out into the sun to dry. Their hard work was considered a worthy example for human beings by the writer of Proverbs (Prov. 6:6-8; 30:25).
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest. (NIV)
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. (KJV)
Proverbs 6:6-8
Commentary
The ant is an example of industry, diligence, and planning (vv. 7, 8) and serves as a rebuke to a sluggard (a lazy one who lacks self control). Folly sends a lazy man to learn from an ant (see 10:4, 26; 12:24; 13:4; 15:19; 19:15; 20:4; 26:14-16).
Did you know?
Harvester ants are the ones meant in Proverbs 6:6-8 and 30:25.
These tiny insects settle near grain fields, carrying seed after seed into their private storehouses. In cold weather these ants cluster together and hibernate. When winter comes, they have food stored up until the next harvest.
God has provided ants with such amazing instincts that they appear to reason and plan ahead. If stored grain gets wet, they haul it out into the sun to dry. Their hard work was considered a worthy example for human beings by the writer of Proverbs (Prov. 6:6-8; 30:25).
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Draw Close to GOD every day with Bible Flash movies
Hi all,
I have just come across these interesting movies. Enjoy...
Faith in Adversity Psalm 27
http://www.inspiringword.net/movies/psa-27.htm
God's Promises Psalm 23
http://www.inspiringword.net/movies/psa-23a.htm
To view more Bible Flash Movies, go to :
http://www.inspiringword.net/index.htm
I have just come across these interesting movies. Enjoy...
Faith in Adversity Psalm 27
http://www.inspiringword.net/movies/psa-27.htm
God's Promises Psalm 23
http://www.inspiringword.net/movies/psa-23a.htm
To view more Bible Flash Movies, go to :
http://www.inspiringword.net/index.htm
Friday, June 1, 2007
When You Divorce Me, Carry Me Out in Your Arms
This is a very touching story, please read it slowly,
On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy. I was a strong and happy bridegroom.
This was the scene ten years ago.
The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid; I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affection between us seemed to ebb.
She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.
Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more likely to be affected by
unpredictable changes.
Dew came into my life.
It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from
behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was
the apartment I bought for her.
Dew said, you are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her
words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we were just married, my wife
said, Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls.
Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed my
wife. But I couldn't help doing so.
I moved Dew's hands aside and said you go to select some furniture, O.K.?
I've got something to do in the company. Obviously she was unhappy,
because I had promised to do it together with her. At the moment, the
idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be
something impossible to me.
However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter
how mildly I mentioned it to
her, she would be deeply hurt.
Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing
dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then
we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer,
visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.
One day I said to her in a slightly joking way, suppose we divorce, what
will you do? She stared at me for a few seconds without a word.
Apparently she believed that divorce was something too far away from her.
I couldn't imagine how she would react once she got to know I was
serious.
When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the
staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide
something while talking to her. She seemed to have got some hint. She
gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.
Once again, Dew said to me, He Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live
together. I nodded. I
knew I could not hesitate any more.
When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. I've got something to
tell you, I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt
in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to
let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the serious
topic calmly.
She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly,
why? I'm serious. I avoided her question. This so-called answer made her
angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a
man!
That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she
wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly
give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated
that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She
glanced at it and then tore it into pieces.
I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with
me would become a stranger one day. But I could not take back what I had
said.
Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to
see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce
which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.
Late that night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw
her writing something at the table. I fall asleep fast. When I woke up, I
found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.
She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me,
but I was supposed to give her one month s time before divorce, and in
the month's time we must live as normal a life as possible. Her reason
was simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and
she didn't want him to see our marriage was broken.
She passed me the agreement she drafted,
and then asked me, He Ning, do you still remember how I entered our
bridal room on the wedding day? This question suddenly brought back all
those wonderful memories to me. I nodded and said, I remember. You
carried me in your arms, she continued, so, I have a requirement, that
is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when we divorce. From now to
the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door
every morning.
I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to
end her marriage romantically.
I told Dew about my wife s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and
thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she does, she has to face
the result of divorce, she said scornfully. Her words more or less made
me feel uncomfortable.
My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was
explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger. So when I
carried her out on the first day,
we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding
mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom
to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her
in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, Let us start from today,
don't tell our son. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down
outside the door. She went to wait for a bus, I drove to the office.
On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my
chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I
realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long
time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles
on her face.
On the third day, she whispered to me, the outside garden is being
demolished. Be careful when you pass there.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were
still an intimate couple and I was holding my
sweetheart in my arms. The visualization of Dew became vague.
On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as,
where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc.
I nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger. I didn't tell Dew
about this.
I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me
stronger. I said to her, It seems not difficult to carry you now. She was
picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a
few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses
have grown bigger. I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because
she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was
stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I
felt a sense of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her
head.
Our son came in at the moment. Dad, it's time to carry mum out. He said.
To him, seeing his
father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life.
She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my
face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I
held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room,
to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held
her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day. But her much
lighter weight made me sad.
On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step.
Our son had gone to school. She said, actually I hope you will hold me in
your arms until we are old.
I held her tightly and said, both you and I didn't notice that our life
lacked intimacy.
I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid
any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened
the door. I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious.
She looked at me,
astonished. The she touched my forehead. You got no fever. She said. I
moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I can only say sorry
to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because
she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we didn't love
each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into
the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until
I am old. So I have to say sorry to you.
Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then
slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove
to the office.
When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my
wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me what to write on
the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until
we are old.
Read Ephesians 5:22 – 33 ( Wives and Husbands )
On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy. I was a strong and happy bridegroom.
This was the scene ten years ago.
The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid; I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affection between us seemed to ebb.
She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.
Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more likely to be affected by
unpredictable changes.
Dew came into my life.
It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from
behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was
the apartment I bought for her.
Dew said, you are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her
words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we were just married, my wife
said, Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls.
Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed my
wife. But I couldn't help doing so.
I moved Dew's hands aside and said you go to select some furniture, O.K.?
I've got something to do in the company. Obviously she was unhappy,
because I had promised to do it together with her. At the moment, the
idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be
something impossible to me.
However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter
how mildly I mentioned it to
her, she would be deeply hurt.
Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing
dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then
we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer,
visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.
One day I said to her in a slightly joking way, suppose we divorce, what
will you do? She stared at me for a few seconds without a word.
Apparently she believed that divorce was something too far away from her.
I couldn't imagine how she would react once she got to know I was
serious.
When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the
staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide
something while talking to her. She seemed to have got some hint. She
gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes.
Once again, Dew said to me, He Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live
together. I nodded. I
knew I could not hesitate any more.
When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. I've got something to
tell you, I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt
in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to
let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the serious
topic calmly.
She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly,
why? I'm serious. I avoided her question. This so-called answer made her
angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a
man!
That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she
wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly
give her a satisfactory answer, because my heart had gone to Dew.
With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated
that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She
glanced at it and then tore it into pieces.
I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with
me would become a stranger one day. But I could not take back what I had
said.
Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to
see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce
which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.
Late that night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw
her writing something at the table. I fall asleep fast. When I woke up, I
found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again.
She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me,
but I was supposed to give her one month s time before divorce, and in
the month's time we must live as normal a life as possible. Her reason
was simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and
she didn't want him to see our marriage was broken.
She passed me the agreement she drafted,
and then asked me, He Ning, do you still remember how I entered our
bridal room on the wedding day? This question suddenly brought back all
those wonderful memories to me. I nodded and said, I remember. You
carried me in your arms, she continued, so, I have a requirement, that
is, you carry me out in your arms on the day when we divorce. From now to
the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door
every morning.
I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet days and wished to
end her marriage romantically.
I told Dew about my wife s divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and
thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she does, she has to face
the result of divorce, she said scornfully. Her words more or less made
me feel uncomfortable.
My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was
explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger. So when I
carried her out on the first day,
we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding
mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom
to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her
in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, Let us start from today,
don't tell our son. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down
outside the door. She went to wait for a bus, I drove to the office.
On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my
chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I
realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for a long
time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles
on her face.
On the third day, she whispered to me, the outside garden is being
demolished. Be careful when you pass there.
On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were
still an intimate couple and I was holding my
sweetheart in my arms. The visualization of Dew became vague.
On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as,
where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc.
I nodded. The sense of intimacy was even stronger. I didn't tell Dew
about this.
I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me
stronger. I said to her, It seems not difficult to carry you now. She was
picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a
few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses
have grown bigger. I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because
she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was
stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I
felt a sense of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her
head.
Our son came in at the moment. Dad, it's time to carry mum out. He said.
To him, seeing his
father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life.
She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my
face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I
held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room,
to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held
her body tightly, as if we came back to our wedding day. But her much
lighter weight made me sad.
On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step.
Our son had gone to school. She said, actually I hope you will hold me in
your arms until we are old.
I held her tightly and said, both you and I didn't notice that our life
lacked intimacy.
I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid
any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened
the door. I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious.
She looked at me,
astonished. The she touched my forehead. You got no fever. She said. I
moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I can only say sorry
to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because
she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we didn't love
each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into
the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until
I am old. So I have to say sorry to you.
Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then
slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove
to the office.
When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my
wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me what to write on
the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until
we are old.
Read Ephesians 5:22 – 33 ( Wives and Husbands )
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
