GOD'S BLESSING

...and at just the right moment, as my finger pressed down freezing the view, he flew in, blurred wings, flight in motion, flared tail speed reduction and a boat called, "God's Blessing."

It was all too perfect. "God's Blessing." This old fishing boat that didn't appear to be much by today's standards of bigger, better, newer...provided a living, food; valuable in sustaining. 

I'm thankful for the reminder that The LORD'S Blessings, the very things HE'S given us are exactly what we need, *valuable in sustaining*...financially/physically/emotionally. HE'S Blessed each one of us, but all too often we're sitting in a place of discontentment, wanting, coveting, complaining...unable/unwilling/forgetting to focus on all we *do* have.

Today friends, pause, look around. Look at all that The LORD *has* Blessed you with. Take a moment to be grateful and Thank HIM. This small act will transform your day!

"For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON, that whoever believes in HIM should not perish but have everlasting life."~John 3:16

Where's Your Joy?

By: Lisa Petrarca

Walking into class I noticed an older Asian lady standing near the back of the room. Her clothes were mix matched, black biker shorts, flowered green shirt over a red tank top and high yellow socks. It was a stark contrast to the stylish, younger crowd of dancers in the class.

As the class began the lady, tried to keep up with the complicated steps. Half way through however, she seemed to be dancing to her own music. Her arms flailed in the air, she jumped, kicked her feet up and then out to the side. I looked at her time and time again throughout the hour long class, each time smiling and actually giggling. I wasn't laughing at her. The lady radiated pure joy. She was beaming, cheeks flushed as she let out a laugh and then yelled, "Yaaay...ya...this is fun!" Others in the class were now smiling. She was infectious. Her happiness radiated and lifted the entire room.

What was it about her?

She was just one person. But...she decided to be happy no matter what. She knew that she couldn't keep up, yet she was still able to continue to find joy in what she was doing and shared her exuberance with everyone around her.

Be sure to look at the good things in your life, no matter what else is going on around you. Focus on the the blessings you've received from the Lord and change not only your circumstances, but others around you.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

This week I would like to challenge each of you to wake up in the morning and think of five blessings in your life. Start your day off looking for the good, instead of going over your endless "To Do List" the minute your feet hit the floor. I think you'll be amazed at how your day will be transformed and the difference your attitude will have on others around you.

DREAMS

As we get older we become more responsible...letting go of dreams that have passed us by. Raising and supporting a family becomes our new focus. Tucking away the hidden desires of our hearts...only re-visiting those distant hopes during secret daydreaming moments. Sometimes these old dreams begin re-surfacing more frequently as we start to head in to our 40's, tugging and prodding at our hearts to pursue them. The older we get, the harder the pull becomes. The following story is about one woman's dream that would never die. This might be the inspiration you need to reach for the stars!

DREAMS

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and share a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!"

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change."

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

The Rose
Bette Midler

Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
An endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
And you it's only seed.

It's the heart, afraid of breaking,
That never learns to dance.
It's the dream, afraid of waking,
That never takes a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give.
And the soul, afraid of dyin',
That never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely,
And the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love,
In the spring becomes the rose.

Pursue your hidden dreams, you're never too old to start. You were made to achieve great things. Listen to that inner prompting...your dreams are waiting to be fulfilled.