And this is me...

BEING SINGLE

All your life, you had specific dreams about what your
family life would be like when you finally married.

You were so intent on what you wanted, you even made a
list of qualities and characteristics you were looking
for in a spouse, in a home,in your job, in your
children.

But time passed, and that person you were so intent on
didn't come along.

All of your friends married, had children, had
beautiful homes.

And still you were single. You prayed and prayed and
prayed for that person to come along, but nothing
happened.

You had a good job. You served in your church.

You spent daily time with the Lord in prayer and
studying the Word.

You dedicated your life to serving God in every way
possible, but still nothing.

So you decided to take matters into your own hands,
and you began an active search for a mate.

And within a short period, you met someone who almost
fit the bill.

Almost.

Sure, there were a few things Missing, a few rusty
spots in that person's character.

But, after all, no one is perfect.

Maybe your goals were too high. Maybe you'd been
asking for the impossible.

Maybe this was the person God wanted for you so your
character could grow through dealing with his or her
failings.

Even though it often seems that God is slow to answer
prayers, no matter whether it's about a mate, or a
job, or our children, or our finances, or anything
else, we have to remember that God doesn't wear a
watch.

Nor does he look at our human calendars. He sees with
eternal eyes.

He operates on an eternal timetable, according to His
plan and His schedule.

If God seems to be running late, don't get impatient
and run ahead of him.

Wait for the Lord's timing in everything.

Being alone or simply being single means you have the
time to grow and be the person you want to be.

Single gives you space to grow.

Sometimes, it is harder to grow when you are too close
to someone.

Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their
branches and become strong as they mature.

Single means learning to live by yourself.

However, that is no more difficult than learning to
live with somebody else.

Single means freedom.

You are free to spend a week's vacation on the beach,
to take computer courses, to work late on an
interesting project, to spend the day in bed with a
good book or simply with a person who has read one.

Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make
your life meaningful but learning to live with a
man/woman because you want to be with him/her.

Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you
will bite your lip and feel wistful and wonder if
marriage is better.

Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good
about being in control of your life.

It is liking and respecting who you are and why you
are.

Single is realizing that being married is not
necessarily better, it is merely different.

Single means that there could be something wonderful
around the corner
and you can take advantage of it.

Being single means you are free to love again.
 
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven" - (Eccl 3:1 KJV)

All your life, you had specific dreams about what your
family life would be like when you finally married.

You were so intent on what you wanted, you even made a
list of qualities and characteristics you were looking
for in a spouse, in a home,in your job, in your
children.

But time passed, and that person you were so intent on
didn't come along.

All of your friends married, had children, had
beautiful homes.

And still you were single. You prayed and prayed and
prayed for that person to come along, but nothing
happened.

You had a good job. You served in your church.

You spent daily time with the Lord in prayer and
studying the Word.

You dedicated your life to serving God in every way
possible, but still nothing.

So you decided to take matters into your own hands,
and you began an active search for a mate.

And within a short period, you met someone who almost
fit the bill.

Almost.

Sure, there were a few things Missing, a few rusty
spots in that person's character.

But, after all, no one is perfect.

Maybe your goals were too high. Maybe you'd been
asking for the impossible.

Maybe this was the person God wanted for you so your
character could grow through dealing with his or her
failings.

Even though it often seems that God is slow to answer
prayers, no matter whether it's about a mate, or a
job, or our children, or our finances, or anything
else, we have to remember that God doesn't wear a
watch.

Nor does he look at our human calendars. He sees with
eternal eyes.

He operates on an eternal timetable, according to His
plan and His schedule.

If God seems to be running late, don't get impatient
and run ahead of him.

Wait for the Lord's timing in everything.

Being alone or simply being single means you have the
time to grow and be the person you want to be.

Single gives you space to grow.

Sometimes, it is harder to grow when you are too close
to someone.

Trees are planted far apart so they can spread their
branches and become strong as they mature.

Single means learning to live by yourself.

However, that is no more difficult than learning to
live with somebody else.

Single means freedom.

You are free to spend a week's vacation on the beach,
to take computer courses, to work late on an
interesting project, to spend the day in bed with a
good book or simply with a person who has read one.

Single means learning not to need a man/woman to make
your life meaningful but learning to live with a
man/woman because you want to be with him/her.

Single means that sometimes you will wonder why you
will bite your lip and feel wistful and wonder if
marriage is better.

Ironically, yet quite happily, single is feeling good
about being in control of your life.

It is liking and respecting who you are and why you
are.

Single is realizing that being married is not
necessarily better, it is merely different.

Single means that there could be something wonderful
around the corner
and you can take advantage of it.

Being single means you are free to love again.
 
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven" - (Eccl 3:1 KJV)

KAILANGAN PA BA IYON?

Bakit may kailangan pang sundin sa Dios, hindi ba sapat ang naniniwala kang may Dios at sa puso mo ay minamahal mo Siya?

Let me ask you this, kung may minamahal ka ba, sapat na bang alam mo sa puso mo, mahal mo siya kahit hindi mo na kailangan ipakita iyon sa kaniya?

Kung sa isang relasyon may ayaw kang gawin niya sa iyo, at siya ay may ayaw rin gawin mo. Hindi ba ganon rin ang Dios?

Faith is not enough to have God in you.

You should have to love Him.

1Juan 5:3 "Ito ang pag-ibig sa Dios, na tuparin ang kaniyang mga utos..."

Therefore, loving Him is following his rules... and following his rules is way of showing it!

Kung paanong ikinayayamot mo kapag may ginawa ang kapwa mo sa iyo na hindi mo gusto, ganoon rin ang Dios.

At kapag nagawa mong sundin ang mga utos niya, dun mo naipakita ang pagmamahal mo sa kaniya. At naiprioritized mo ang pag-ibig sa Kaniya.

Kaya dakila ang pag-ibig...

1 Corinto 13:13 "Ngayo'y nanatili ang tatlong ito. Ang pananampalataya, ang pagasa, at ang pag-ibig; ngunit ang pinakadakila sa mga ito ay ang pag-ibig".

You're faith in Him is nothing without showing your love to Him and to love Him is to follow his commandments.

Ang pagibig na itinuturo ng Biblia at ang paggawa ng mabuti

Sumanib ka sa mabuti maging way of life mo yung mabuti. Hindi yung gumagawa ka lang ng mabuti occassionally, hindi ka lang gagawa ng mabuti Lunes, o kaya Biyernes Santo, o kaya pag Birthday mo, o kaya pag Pasko, kundi ikaw mismo ang pagkatao mo kasanib ka na sa mabuti at pagkasanib ka sa mabuti walang araw ng buhay mo na hindi ka mabuti. Yun ang sinasabi ng Biblia na yung tunay na pag-ibig hindi ka dapat magpaimbabaw kapootan mo masama, at kung napopoot ka sa masama, galit ka sa masama sumanib ka sa mabuti at humanap kayo ng mangangaral na sasaniban ninyo ang kanyang kabutihang sinasabi. Para ipakita mo sa Dios na galit ka sa masama, lumayas ka sa masama, sumama ka sa mabuti. Kasi yung pagsanib mo sa mabuti pagpapamukha mo sa masama yun na galit ka sa masama"

The Revelation of the Great Mystery of Husband and Wife

A Christian is defined in the Bible as a disciple or follower of Christ.

(John 12:26) “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour”

Further, a true disciple is someone who continues in Christ’s words. 

(John 8:31) “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed…”

Watched or alone, a true disciple continues to follow the ‘word’. 

(Philippians 2:12) “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

A Christian couple is admonished by God to live under God’s law ‘until death do them part’.

(Romans 7:2) “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”

The preceding verse is a very equitable and sensible law coming from a wise Lawmaker that knows the caprices of man’s flesh. Whosoever will say that He is imaginary, is indecent, vulgarly lewd, and deprived of normal and common sense. Whosoever will say that God is imaginary because somebody did not obey His sensible laws is senseless, numb, and void of reasons. 

A Christian couple is commanded to keep marriage undefiled.

(Hebrews 13:4) “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for God will judge the immoral and adulterous.” RSV

True Christians do not intentionally divorce their partner. 

(1 Corinthians 7:10-11) “And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.”

(Matthew 19:9) “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

(Matthew 5:32) “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”

It is clear that the Almighty God teaches Christians to live a responsible moral life. It is not God’s fault if somebody given the free will (because we were not created robots like these imaginary people) disobeys God’s sensible laws. Granting, without conceding, that the rate of Christian divorce is the same as non-Christians who do not believe in God, it does not mean that God is imaginary. This is not a rational way of thinking and analyzing things. Does your being an atheist made you a better person than a Christian? Tell that to the marines! My God tells me otherwise. 

(Psalms 53:1) “…The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.”

Belief in the Almighty God of the Bible have created innumerable law abiding, responsible, peace-loving and compassionate citizens of the world. Unbelief thereof has produced ‘monsters’ like Hitler. I firmly believe that real Christians will not divorce their partners. The statistics that these imaginary people have used to malign the Christian God was not conducted among true Christians! 

I have been a minister of the gospel in the Church of God for more than 30 years, and the divorce that I have known and witnessed among our peers does not even account to one percent of all the marriages performed in the Church. 

Let me tell you something: There are many professing Christians, but not real Christians! (Titus 1:16) “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”

A wise and an educated person looks at statistics with wisdom, prudence, and reservation. Maybe the reason why atheists’ rate of divorce is lower than alleged Christians’ rate of divorce is that if a Christian’s partner is found to be an infidel, you have to put her away!

(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) “But rather I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber — not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you.”

Perhaps, for atheists, like these imaginary people, you can just let your partners go unfaithful, and stomach the immoral acts of you both: After all, there is no God that disciplines your actions. 

I do not want to deprive my readers of one important truth! When God said that, “…whatsoever God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6), it does not only mention of the relationships of a husband and a wife. There is even a greater mystery in this, that God wants us to understand.

(Ephesians 5:29-32) “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

Christ and the true Church are inseparable by God’s will! 

Do you want to study statistics? Divorce? Learn it from a reliable source. There is no circumstance that will separate the Church from Christ! 

(Romans 8:35, 37-39) “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

“…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Not even the 10 idiotically invalid questions of these imaginary people can separate me from my God!

It does make sense, doesn’t it? 

Reference: click here.

RELATIONSHIPS

“For a family to live harmoniously, the wife must learn to submit herself to her husband. If you want to buy a refrigerator, consult your husband first. In the first place, he is the breadwinner. If he gives his consent, then, go ahead. You may buy one. If that is the case, do you think they will still quarrel? Not anymore, because he has given her his consent. The husband is the head in the household; he is the president. If the president has approved something, the vice president also approves it. Who is the president? Ephesians 5:23—

“For the husband is the head of the wife.”

The husband is the head of his wife. Therefore, if you are the husband, but you are just the vice president in the house, that means, you do not believe in God. In a marital relationship, the husband is the head, and his wife must be under his subjection. And if a wife submits herself under the subjection of her husband, there will never be any quarrel between the two of them. If you want to visit your parents, you seek for the permission of your husband. If he consents, even if you go home late, he will not be angry with you. Who knows, he might even fetch you there. Because he loves you and because you understand each other, he might even fetch you from your parents’ house.

Just consider the trains. Trains will not collide and clash against each other so long as they stick to their respective rails, even if one of them gets out of order. A husband and a wife have their respective rails to tread. And as long as they stick to their own rails, everything will run smoothly; no accidents will happen. But why do accidents happen? Why are some children neglected? Why do they turn out to be drug addicts? Why do some children become gamblers and bystanders? Why do they loiter in the streets? Why? Both the husband and the wife had gone off the track, especially today when some couples just beget children without proper planning. (“Dear, it’s been two months since my last menstruation.”) Then, her mother-in-law how many children do they already have. She said 12, and she is conceiving for the 13th. And because of that, she was ascribing the blame to her husband. But his husband ascribed the blame on her, saying that she liked it too. That is the usual story. And at my age, I have witnessed similar situations.

There are also parents who would even give justification for their negligence. They would reason out that, it is better that they are many because, many will be working for their livelihood. There are really parents who bear children just to have somebody to work in their behalf. That is not good.

Personally, I believe that loving parents normally prepare for their child even before he is born. They buy the baby a crib, diapers, etc, although diapers today are no longer a problem because of the availability of disposable diapers. But in the past, long before the baby is born, the expecting mother already prepares the diapers. She would even embroider them with the word “baby”. The parents also plan for their child’s future. (“When she grows up, we would send her to St. Agnes, or St. Mary. They also plan for the course that they want their child to pursue. That is what I mean by “planning”.)

There are also husbands would run their hands on the tummy of their pregnant wives. They would talk to the baby inside (“When are you going to come out? I hope you are a girl”). And the reason they want a girl is, for her to work in a cabaret when she grows up. That is wrong. A child must be loved; he/she must not be made a laborer.

If we are going to live in accordance to the laws being spoken in the Bible, the wife must submit herself to her husband. The husband, on the other hand, is under the authority of Christ. He must live by the doctrines of God; he must not cheat his wife. That is the next topic that we are going to study. We will try to find out the qualities of a man to whom the woman must submit herself.

But always bear in mind, sisters, for a woman not to go wrong, she must abide by the doctrines of God. She must put herself under the subjection of her husband. (Next time, we are going to study the kind of husband a man should be.)

At this point, let us focus our discussion on the women. First of all, the Bible admonished the woman to be modest, both in her ways and in her manner of dressing. She must not be contentious and talkative. What else? Colossians 3:18 gives the commandment for women–

“Wives, submit yourself unto your husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:33—

“And the wife see that she reverence her husband.”

Abraham was revered by Sarah. Sarah called Abraham “Lord”. Therefore, the women were commanded to revere their husbands. Why? Because, there are wives who do not respect their husbands. Sometimes, the wife even shouts at her husband in the presence of other people. (“Tulume, how shameless you are! You do not even want to help me in the household chores! Go home and cook rice.”) She does not even consider that her husband was with his friends. Does that kind of woman have any respect for her husband?

A woman who respects her husband will not confront him in the presence of other people. There was a woman who heard that her husband was womanizing. So, she looked for him. She found him with other bystanders. But she did not make a scene right there and then. In fact, she courteously excused herself to everybody. (She told them, “Dear, one moment please. Please, excuse us. We will just have to talk about an important matter.” The husband asked, “What is it?” She answered, “Come, we will talk about it at home.”)

(When they reached home, she pinched him hard, and said, “How dare you womanize!”)

I admire that woman because she was able to control her emotion. She expressed it only when they have reached home.

The women were commanded to revere their husbands. You must respect your husband. You must not divulge to other people the things that your husband keeps. Do not tell anyone that he has ringworm in his buttocks. There are women who are like that. They do not hesitate telling other people that their husband has a body odor. Bear in mind that, even he has body odor, you must learn to accept him for what he is. Do not think that just because he has a body odor, you could already flirt with other men. No! Instead, you have to do something about his body odor. You will never be saved if you flirt with other men simply because your husband has a body odor. You will go to hell; you will not be saved. Find a remedy to his body odor. You buy him alum. Apply it in his armpit after he has taken a bath, and you’ll see, he’ll never smell bad the whole day. There are lots of remedies to it. That is the best thing that you can do. He is already your husband. Why don’t you just sing …

“You’re my Everything Everything I need You’re the song I sing And the book I read You’re a way beyond belief I just make it brief You’re my winter, summer, Spring, my everything.”

Even if he has a body odor, you can no longer return him to his parents. That is, if you want to be saved. Is that true, or not? Do not fool around; do not go with other men. You will not be saved if you do that. The soul of a man is very important. In this world, you are already considered fortunate if you live up to 80, or 90 years. Do you think we still reach that age? Nowadays, there are people who die at the age of 31. Today, the life span of a man is much shorter.

Let’s say you lived in this world for 100 years. Let’s say that you died after 100 years. Are you not afraid that your soul, should you go wrong, will experience eternal punishment? That is why we should prepare. A wise man prepares, not only for the present, but also for the future. He is taking into consideration not only the present but also of what is yet to come. There are many challenges that await him in the future, and he is preparing for those.

Sisters, do you want to be worthy in the eyes of God? Do not forget the fundamental doctrines taught to you. Be modest in your manners … in the way you dress up … in dealing with other people. Also, submit yourself, in full subjection, to your husband. And lastly, revere your husband, and keep on doing good things all the days of your life.

>>>> Click here for reference.

This Is What Friends Are For

In this world, the only thing permanent is change (thus, the saying goes).

Maintaining friendship with anybody entails a lot of guts, patience, and understanding. It is almost impossible to have a permanent friend in human society today. But what is impossible under human standards is possible with God. 

When I was in elementary school, I have learned a proverb that says: “Make new friends, but don’t forget the old; for new ones are silver, and the old ones are gold”. Biblically speaking, friends can be part of the inheritance from fathers.

(Proverbs 27:10) “Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.”

But how can we preserve friendship? We must know whom to befriend and the factors that will destroy the friendship! The God of the Bible defines for us a true friend.

(Proverbs 18:24) “There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” RSV

The closeness of a true friend is enduring.

(Proverbs 17:17) “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

A true friend’s criticism may hurt, but it is a sign of a true friend. 

(Proverbs 27:6) “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

I have been following these examples set by the Bible regarding friendship, but those who do not understand, when I speak with frankness and truthfulness, with the intention to correct a beloved friend, sometimes turn to be a bitter enemy. If only people can see the heart, I should have made more friends than enemies. It happened to the apostles of Christ. 

(Galatians 4:16-17) “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.” NIV

There is a Spanish proverb that says, “El enemigo peor es él que era una vez un amigo” (The worst enemy is he who was once a friend). Beware! Do not make enemies out of friends, but make friends out of enemies. 

(1 Corinthians 9:20-23) “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Beware, also, of the words of a talebearer!

(Proverbs 16:28) “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.”

If you want to maintain friendship, apply to yourself the virtues and values of a true friend. Do not expect it from your friend alone, it must be symbiotic. Jesus taught His disciples the greatest friendship attainable among human beings. 

(John 15:13-15) “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

The Disciples of Christ applied this friendship among brethren. 

(3 John 1:4) “But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.”

Enduring friendship is attainable in the Church of God. Jesus and His disciples are the best of friends anybody can have.

Click here for reference.

THE CALLING...

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:  also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Proverbs 1:23-30

.....

25 years of my life looking for God and finding the right way... Now, the time is over...

I studied... I looked for it... but all turned-out nothing... I realized that the first way to have God is to turn at His reproof... and the rest will follow...

I believe it is the time of His calling... to follow His will and obey His laws... Yeah, He strecthed His hands for He wants me to be saved... An offer which He gave... it is only up to me if I will take His offer...

It is a matter of choosing and my path which He is my Leader and my guide...

To my God, I will not loose this opportunity that you have gave me...

Don't leave me, my God.

I want to be 6 again

To Be 6 Again

To Whom It May Concern:

I hereby officially tender my resignation as an adult.  I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of a 6 year old again.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money, because you can  eat them.

I want to play kickball during recess and paint with watercolors in art.

I want to lie under a big Oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summers' day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple.  When all you knew were colors, addition tables and simple nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.  When all you knew was to be happy because you didn't know all the things that should make you worried and upset.

I want to think that the world is fair.  That everyone in it is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible.

Somewhere in my youth...  I matured and I learned too much.  I learned of nuclear weapons, war, prejudice, starvation and abused children.

I learned of lies, unhappy marriages, suffering, illness, pain and death.

I learned of a world where men left their families to go and fight for our country, and returned only to end up living on the streets ...begging for their next meal.

I learned of a world where children knew how to kill...and did!!

What happened to the time when we thought that everyone would live forever, because we didn't grasp the concept of death?  When we >thought the worst thing in the world was if someone took the jump rope from you or picked you last for kickball?

I want to be oblivious to the complexity of life and be overly excited by little things once again.

I want to return to the days when reading was fun and music was clean. When television was used to report the news or for family entertainment and not to promote sex, violence and deceit.  I remember being naive and thinking that everyone was happy because I was.

I would walk on the beach and only think of the sand between my toes and the prettiest seashell I could find.  I would spend my afternoons Climbing trees and riding my bike.  I didn't worry about time, bills or where I was going to find the money to fix my car.

I used to wonder what I was going to do or be when I grew up, not worry about what I'll do if this doesn't work out.

I want to live simple again.  I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind and making angels in the snow.

I want to be 6 again.

Author: Unknown

THE SON

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war.

He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly.

He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting.

The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift".

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. We will start the bidding with this picture of the son.

Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters" someone shouted.

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross.

Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

YOU TOO! JUST BELIEVE!