Missed Blessing — Parable of the Drowning Man

How many times have you missed the blessing because it didn’t come in the way, shape, or form you wanted, or expected?

You can say the message of the following story is — trust God but use common sense. However, it also makes me think about our expectations and how we sometimes miss the blessing/missed being blessed because we are too focused on it appearing the way, or by the means, we want or expect. Sometimes we don’t even realize our prayers have been answered because it didn’t happen the way we had in mind.




Parable of the Drowning Man

There’s a man, let’s say his name is Dave. Dave owns a beautiful house on the bank of a river. Over the last few weeks, the town Dave lives in has been hit with one storm after another, and with each storm the river rises. This morning the Weatherman on the local news forecasted the storm of the century. The river that Dave lives on is expected to crest at 30 feet above its normal level; Dave’s house and life are in danger. The News is encouraging people who live on this river to voluntarily evacuate. Dave ignored the evacuation suggestion and shouted at the TV, “God will take care of me!” The river water continued to rise. Local neighbors with boats rode around and offered Dave a ride to safety. Dave said no thank you to the ride and told his neighbors, “God will take care of me!” Dave was now sitting on his rooftop because the water was up to the second floor of his home and was still rising. The Coast Guard sent a helicopter to Dave’s house to rescue him. Dave refused to leave and told the Coast Guard, “God will take care of me!” The water continued to rise and Dave drowned. As he approached the gates of Heaven he asked St. Peter why. He asked how could God let him die when he had such faith? He said he always believed God would take care of him. How could God forsake him now when he needed him the most? St. Peter said to Dave with a sigh, “Dave, God tried to take care of you but you refused his help. He sent you a warning and suggestion to evacuate in the newscast, he sent you a rescue boat and then he sent you the Coast Guard in a helicopter. But, you refused all the help that God was sending you because you were failing to see that God can only help you, if you let him. Everything was right before your eyes and you refused to pay attention and accept it.”

Are your expectations blocking your blessings?




Life’s Scars

Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When you think about those hurting times in your life, were those major hurts caused by a loved one?

I just read this poem called “Life’s Scars,” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It got me thinking — “Is this true?” I thought about my own experiences as well as the experiences of others. I realized…I’ve talked to a lot of people, read books and heard stories, and I noticed the one thing these people all have in common is that the major hurts they talked about were caused by a loved one — parent, guardian, child, sibling, aunt, uncle, spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend. I know there are people who have been maimed or killed at the hands of a stranger. There are people who have been tortured and raped by strangers. There are soldiers who come back from war emotionally scarred. The survivors and the victim’s family members are affected for life. These are not the people I’m talking about. We all experience hurt. Before their trauma they probably had been hurt by a loved one too. Maybe everyone hasn’t been hurt or wounded by a loved one, but a lot of people have –and most likely will be at some point in their lives. It may or may not be intentional. Just some food for thought.

Life’s Scars

They say the world is round, and yet
I often think it square,
So many little hurts we get
From comers here and there.
But one great truth in life I’ve found,
While journeying to the West-
The only folks who really wound
Are those we love the best.
The man you thoroughly despise
Can rouse your wrath, ’tis true;
Annoyance in your heart will rise
At things mere strangers do;
But those are only passing ills;
This rule all lives will prove;
The rankling wound which aches and thrills
Is dealt by hands we love.
The choicest garb, the sweetest grace,
Are oft to strangers shown;
The careless mien, the frowning face,
Are given to our own.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
Love does not grow on every tree,
Nor true hearts yearly bloom.
Alas for those who only see
This cut across a tomb!
But soon or late, the fact grows plain
To all through sorrow’s test:
The only folks who give us pain
Are those we love the best.
–Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Why Women Have Sex

According to a new book, there are 237 reasons why women have sex. And most of them have little to do with romance or pleasure.

Last week I happened to catch the Jay Leno show the night Dr. Phil was his guest. Dr. Phil happened to mention that there is a recent study out on the “237 Reasons Women Have Sex.” Wow! I certainly don’t think I can come up with that many reasons. Actually, it’s not something I’ve really given any thought. However, since this piqued my curiosity I decided to see what I could find out about it on the web. So here’s my findings:

Why Women Have Sex

There’s a book called “Why Women Have Sex.” It is by Cindy Meston, a clinical psychologist, and David Buss, an evolutionary psychologist. Meston and Buss have interviewed 1,006 women from all over the world about their sexual motivation, and in doing so they have identified 237 different reasons why women have sex. From the reams of confessions, it emerges that women have sex for physical, emotional and material reasons; to boost their self-esteem, to keep their lovers, or because they are raped or coerced. Love? That’s just a song. We are among the bad apes now. Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/sep/28/sex-women-relationships-tanya-gold

“Why Women Have Sex” book excerpt at amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Why-Women-Have-Sex-Understanding/dp/0805088342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256680602&sr=1-1




CNN took to the streets to ask real women why they have sex.

Top 50 Reasons Men and Women Have Sex
http://www.livescience.com/health/070731_top_fifty.html




Why We Have Sex

Researchers asked more than 400 men and women, ranging from 17 to 52 years old, to identify the various reasons why people have sex. Then, more than 1,500 undergraduate students were asked about their sexual experiences and attitudes.

The combined results revealed 237 sexual motivations, which the psychologists, David Buss and Cindy Meston of the University of Texas at Austin, sorted into four major factors and 13 sub-factors:

Physical reasons—reduce stress (“It seemed like good exercise”); feel pleasure (“It’s exciting”); improve or expand experiences (“I was curious about sex”); and the physical desirability of a partner (“The person was a good dancer”).

Goal-based reasons—practical considerations (“I wanted to have a baby”); social status (“I wanted to be popular”); and revenge (“I wanted to give someone else a sexually transmitted disease”).

Emotional reasons—love and commitment (“I wanted to feel connected”); expression (“I wanted to say ‘thank you’”).

Insecurity-based reasons—self-esteem (“I wanted the attention”); a feeling of duty or pressure (“My partner kept insisting”); to hold onto a mate (“I wanted to keep my partner from straying”).

They also found significant gender differences. For instance, men were more likely than women to endorse being motivated by experience seeking, mere opportunity and physical appearance. Examples included: “The person was available,” “I wanted to increase the number of partners I had experienced” and “The person had an attractive face.”

Women were more motivated than men by certain emotional factors, such as “I wanted to express my love for the person.” Read more here: Why We Have Sex: 237 Reasons Revealed http://www.livescience.com/health/070731_survey_sex.html




If you want to see the 237 Reasons to Have Sex, click on the link below:

237 Reasons to Have Sex (What men and women told sex researchers in a new study)

Men’s Health has listed all 237 Reasons to Have Sex. Click the link to see the reasons:
http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=sex.relationships&category=better.sex&conitem=fc1a0ac9bc0d3110VgnVCM10000013281eac____&page=1




Have you ever stopped to think about the reasons you have/had sex?

Halloween history and humor

Have you ever wondered how halloween got started, or why people go out “trick or treating”?

Here’s a little history on the origins of halloween along with some halloween humor.

Real Story of Halloween -Ancient Origins of Halloween:

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. Read more here: http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween




Halloween Comes To America:

As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.

It was much more common in…Read more here: http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween/halloween-comes-to-america




Today’s Traditions:
http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween/today-s-traditions

Around the World:
http://www.history.com/content/halloween/real-story-of-halloween/around-the-world

History of the Jack-O-Lantern:
http://www.history.com/content/halloween/the-jack-o-lantern/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern




Halloween Humor:

1 – Cabbie Kisses the Nun:

A cab driver picks up a nun. She gets into the cab, and the cab driver won’t stop staring at her.

She asks him why he is staring.

He replies: “I have a question to ask you, but I don’t want to offend you”.

She answers, “My son, you cannot offend me. When you’re as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I’m sure that there’s nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive.”

“Well, I’ve always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me.”
She responds, “Well, let’s see what we can do about that. But first, you have to be single and you must be Catholic.”
The cab driver is very excited and says, “Yes, I’m single and Catholic!”

“OK” the nun says. “Pull off to the side of the road, “maybe we will see what we can do.”

The nun plants a whopper of a kiss on the cabbie! But when they get back on the road, the cab driver starts crying.

“My dear child,” said the nun, why are you crying?”
“Forgive me, but I’ve sinned. I lied. I must confess, I’m married and I’m Jewish.”

The nun says, “That’s OK, my name is Kevin and I’m going to a Halloween party.”

———————————————————————————-

2 -Costume Party:

A couple was invited to a swanky masked Halloween Party. She got a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone. He, being a devoted husband, protested, but she argued and said she was going to take some aspirin and go to bed, and there was no need of his good time being spoiled by not going. So he took his costume and away he went.

The wife, after sleeping soundly for one hour, awakened without pain, and as it was still early, she decided to go to the party. In as much as her husband did not know what her costume was, she thought she would have some fun by watching her husband to see how he acted when she was not with him.

She joined the party and soon spotted her husband cavorting around on the dance floor, dancing with every nice chick he could, and copping a little feel here and a little kiss there. His wife sidled up to him and being a rather seductive babe herself, he left his partner high and dry and devoted his time to the new stuff that had just arrived.

She let him go as far as he wished; naturally, since he was her husband. Finally he whispered a little proposition in her ear and she agreed, so off they went to one of the cars and had a little bang.

Just before unmasking at midnight, she slipped away and went home and put the costume away and got into bed, wondering what kind of explanation he would make for his behavior.

She was sitting up reading when he came in and asked what kind of a time he had. He said, “Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have a good time when you’re not there.”

Then she asked, “Did you dance much?”

He replied, “I’ll tell you, I never even danced one dance. When I got there, I met Pete, Bill Brown and some other guys, so we went into the den and played poker all evening. But I’ll tell you… the guy I loaned my costume to sure had a real good time!”

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Humor – Do I look like an Idiot?

Do you follow the directions when taking your meds?

Here’s a funny video a friend shared with me. It’s an example of why we need to follow the directions when taking meds.

How to Stay Young in Heart and Mind to Maximize Your Life

Is 85 the New 65?
How to stay young in heart and mind
to maximize your life!

by Al Weatherhead

  

I’ll begin by stating an absolute truth: age is a state of mind.

You may dismiss my declaration as a cliché, but I’m here to tell you that it’s an invaluable secret.

What’s more, if you embrace the wisdom at its core by practicing my approach to dealing with life’s trials and tribulations, you’ll discover a personal fountain of youth that will provide you with the physical, spiritual and emotional energy to experience the world with a child’s wonder and delight.

It may sound like a lot to promise… Especially if you’re currently in the grip of a serious and chronic illness… but as readers of my book, THE POWER OF ADVERSITY: Tough Times Can Make Your Stronger, Wiser, and Better, know, I too have struggled to conquer serious illness and regain my youthful vigor.

I’ve endured – and surmounted – terrible arthritis, serious heart disease and major depression. What’s more I’m a recovering alcoholic. Today, at age 84, I’m healthy, and happily married to the woman of my dreams; a proud father and grandfather; CEO of a multi-million dollar company; and a thoughtful philanthropist.

I assure you that the rules I share with you today on how to stay young at heart and in mind by harnessing the power of adversity have stood the test of time. In fact they’ve helped me beat Father Time and stay young… and they can do the same for you!

Rule #1 Attitude and the Mind – The power of positive imagery

The number one factor to maintaining your youth is to develop a youthful perspective – by keeping a positive mindset.

The mind, overwhelmed by fear, can be like a drop of mercury on a table, slithering and breaking into wildly evasive squirts and pieces. On the other hand, the mind when positively rooted in a deep passion for life, is more certain and powerful than the forces which rotate the earth.

You will go a long way toward overcoming your adversities that do so much to age you when you avail yourself of the power of positive thinking. I know this to be true because it is that same power that enabled me to control my alcoholism, beat arthritis and accomplish what was once considered impossible: total reversal of heart disease.

Start now to put positive imagery to work for you. One powerful technique to help you do so that I elaborate upon in my book is to not think when facing a life-challenge:  “I have to do it.” Instead, think: “I have it to do.” This will help you take control of your adversity – and your life.

You see, staying young is all about choice. So choose to be young – or restore your youth – by thinking positively with the right imagery. Decide now to regain the healing optimism we all once had as infants learning to walk, when we took our first albeit wobbly but determined steps into our bright futures!

Rule #2 Meditation – The art of letting go

Practicing meditation is the way to create and sustain your positive mindset. Most of the time, our heads are filled with an endless loop of the same thoughts formed over our lives. They drive us to distraction and often plunge us into anxiety. This mental stress and strain becomes physical stress, which greatly contributes to our aging.

Meditation helps alleviate mental stress, short-circuiting the aging process. Far from being a mystical art, meditation is as down to earth and results-oriented as physical exercise. There’s lot of information available on different ways to meditate. Do a bit of web surfing or browse the shelves of your local bookstore to find a method that feels right for you. I meditate in the pool, by concentrating on my breathing while swimming laps.

Rule #3 Communication — Articulating the speech of the heart

The poet W.B. Yeats described prayer as the “inarticulate speech of the heart.” Our youthful goal is to articulate the heart’s thoughts and feelings, to help us revitalize our spirits, reconnect with others, and replenish our youth.

It was my rheumatoid arthritis that shoved me stumbling along the first few steps of the communication path. Before that bout of suffering, I had barricaded myself from the world. As I struggled with the relentless pain, depression and a lack of certainty about the future, I was granted the gift of a lifetime: the opportunity to relearn how to trust others. I also relearned that trying to get through life alone wears away one’s youth, both inside and out. Reaching out to others and accepting their reaching out to you will go a long way to help you stay young.

You know, at my age the world would probably expect me to dodder about reminiscing about my “better days.” But for me, that could never be.

I still revel in going to my office each day at Weatherchem, the best plastics closure company in America, to chat with my employees and feel the surge of human connection. I also look forward to…

Opening a letter from one of the many philanthropic causes I support, experiencing the sweetness of knowing I am making a positive difference in the world and longing to do more…

Swimming laps in the pool, scudding through the water like a cloud through the blue sky as I meditate on the miracle and mantra of my breathing…

And ending each day talking to my beloved wife, Celia, exchanging words and touches, sharing all that has passed between us and anticipating all that is yet to come…

You, too, can recharge and replenish your body, mind and spirit. Take the first steps to maximize your life right now by following these powerful and liberating rules to stay forever young!

Al Weatherhead is the author of The Power Of Adversity and chairman and CEO of Weatherchem, a private manufacturer of plastic closures for food, spice, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products.

 

Thank you Mr. Weatherhead for writing this article and being my first guest post on this blog.

Believe In Yourself

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” –Norman Vincent Peale




“If you want to be confident, but don’t normally act that way, today, just this once, act in the physical world the way you believe a confident person would.” –Wayne Dyer




“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson




Here’s an inspirational song about believing in yourself from the movie Happy Feet titled “I Believe.”




“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NAS)

BELIEVE!

Life according to Mother Teresa

Life Is
by Mother Teresa

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.




ANYWAY

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help but will attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

*Kent Keith originated this poem in 1968, and Mother Teresa placed it on her children’s home in Calcutta in a slightly different version. As a result, many have attributed it to Mother Teresa

17 Reasons Why People Get Married

Did you get married for love?

We like to think that everyone gets married for love, but that isn’t always the case. Maybe love had something to do with it – or not. Maybe it was a combination of reasons. I’ve listed seventeen reasons why people get married. Can you add to the list?

Reasons Why People Get Married:

1 – Love

2 – To have children

3 – To help raise the child/children they already have

4 – Pregnancy

5 – Money/Financial support

6 – To stay in the country

7 – To try to hide the fact that they are homosexual

8 – Were Drunk or high on something and it sounded like a good idea at the time

9 – Arranged marriage

10 – Because everyone else is doing it. Other people’s expectations

11 – Companionship

12 – Escape from home

13 – To avoid pain. Rebounding from a breakup

14 – They always wanted to be married. Tradition

15 – Someone to take care of their sick or elderly mother/father

16 – Thinks the other person is just too good of a catch to let slip by

17 – They want someone to cater to them. They want a Stepford Wife: cook, clean house, satisfy their every sexual desire, have babies, boost their self-esteem, stroke their ego. They want a robot.

Be The Best Of Whatever You Are

We all dream of great deeds and high positions, away from the pettiness and humdrum of ordinary life. Yet success is not occupying a lofty place or doing conspicuous work; it is being the best that is in you. Rattling around in too big a job is much worse than filling a small one to overflowing. Dream, aspire by all means; but do not ruin the life you must lead by dreaming pipe dreams of the one you would like to lead. Make the most of what you have and are. Perhaps your trivial, immediate task is your one sure way of proving your mettle. Do the thing near at hand, and great things will come to your hand to be done.

If you can’t be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a scrub in the valley – but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill;
Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a bush be a bit of the grass,
And some highway happier make;
If you can’t be a muskie then just be a bass -
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We can’t all be captains, we’ve got to be crew,
There’s something for all of us here.
There’s big work to do, and there’s lesser to do,
And the task you must do is the near.

If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail -
Be the best of whatever you are!

–Douglas Malloch