Why are we so fixed on where we're going when we haven't even enjoyed where we are yet?

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.

Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. He offered his guests coffee. The professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, and told them to help themselves to the coffee.

All the students had a cup of coffee in hand. The professor said, "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves; that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself, adds no quality to the coffee in most cases. The cup is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... and then began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee, and the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

God brews the coffee, not the cups..........enjoy your coffee.

There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
__________________________

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at, as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
__________________________
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________
You talk trash on your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He does not get to eat today.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for months, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________
You are angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He is told he will be held an extra 2 months.
_________________________

You call your girlfriend and set a date for that night.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
__________________________
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.
__________________________
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own government and
remembers why he is fighting.
_________________________
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of the men like him.
He hears the gun fire and bombs.
__________________________
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the bodies lying around him.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does what he is told.
__________________________

You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call and write home, sleep, and eat.
__________________________
You crawl into your bed, with down pillows, and try to get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be awaken by gun fire.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him.

thank you jen

MAN, YOU GUYS ARE GOOD.
declare today...
" I will not be moved.
I will not give in.
I will not be downtrodden.
I will not be shaken in this world which constantly shakes.
For i am a child of the Most High God.
He calls me Beloved.
He knows my name.
He is the Lover of MY soul.
For one of the greatest of all mysteries is God loves each of us the most.

And TOday I declare my ability to stand in the midst of any storm and to hold my head up when the world tries to knock me down.
My God will uphold me with His victorious right hand.
He will rebuke the devourer on my behalf.
He will hide me in the shadow of His wing.
He has a plan to prosper me and not to harm me.
For in my weakness His strength is made PERFECT.

I am a child of the King, and everything I need

HAS ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED FOR.

Today is good and tomorrow , though it be not here, will be even better.

For the Lord is on my side and defends me , heals me, saves me, provides for me, cares for me, and watches over me day and night.
I am confident and I am steadfast for I have been reborn in the likeness of CHrist, my redeemer and my friend.
I can do all things.
I can be what He wants me to be. I can have what He wants me to have. And I can go where He wants me to go.

WIth confidence and boldness and courage from on High.


BE ENCOURAGED TODAY

nabster

I saw this yesterday...and it really hit home. I just had to share it with you all. Perhaps you have already seen it before. I hadn't.

"I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelminig conviction that I had nowhere else to go."-Abraham Lincoln.

I was thinking, just tonight....about that movie "Crash". And although it was challenging for me to watch....it had a strong meaning. When they talked about people "crashing" into things...."just to feel". I see that. And I understand it. People in the world can seemingly only crash into "things"....thank God, that we have an everlasting "ROCK" to crash into when we need something!

Saphy

Hey Sapphy!

Did you like the movie, I was thinking about renting it.

Great quote, and thought for today, thank you for sharing

"If you can go to sleep and wake up in a different place, and you can go to sleep and wake up in a different time zone, who's to say you can't go to sleep and wake up as a different person"


"Fight Club .. Chuck Palaniuk

Fight Club was sooooooooooooo violent.... I had to turn the channel...

Crash was superb, but sadly disturbing. Rent it Allen, you will like it.

"Under the benignant providence of Almighty God the representatives of the States and of the people are again brought together to deliberate for the public good. The gratitude of the nation to the Sovereign Arbiter of All Human Events should be commensurate with the boundless blessings which we enjoy."
--James Polk, Message to Congress, December 5, 1848

Whilst we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess, and to observe the religion which we believe to be of divine origin, we cannot deny an equal freedom to those whose minds have not yet yielded to the evidence which has convinced us. If this freedom be abused, it is an offence against God, not against man: To God therefore, not to men, must an account of it be rendered.
--James Madison, Memorial and Remonstrance

No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of Providential Agency...
--George Washington, First Inaugural Address

Love is invincible facing danger and death.
Passion laughs at the terrors of hell.
The fire of love stops at nothing—
it sweeps everything before it.
Flood waters can't drown love,
torrents of rain can't put it out.
Love can't be bought, love can't be sold—
it's not to be found in the marketplace.
-- God (Song of Solomon, ch. 8)

Duct Tape or Nails

A man dies and goes to heaven.

Of course, St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates.

St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."

"Okay," the man says,

"I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart"

"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!"

"Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service."

"Terrific!" says St. Peter. "That's certainly worth a point."

"One point!?!!"

"I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans."

"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.

"Two points!?!!" Exasperated, the man cries. "At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God."

"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in!"


We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and duct tape.

God did it with nails.

Thankee!

Puzzle

You are on a horse, galloping at a constant speed.

On your right side is sharp drop off,

And on your left side is an elephant traveling at the same speed as you.

Directly in front of you is a galloping kangaroo and your horse is unable to overtake it.

Behind you is a lion running at the same speed as you and the Kangaroo.

What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?


If you do not know, scroll down to see answer below.

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Get your drunk butt off the merry-go-round!

Heh heh!

Some people are like a Slinky ... not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile and sing the song when you see one tumble down the stairs.

Someone please give Maria Shriver a donut...

Problems???

She looks like a big head on a skeleton.