The Barber's Story

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed.

As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation.
They talked about so many things and various subjects:

When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said:

“I don’t believe that God exists.”

“Why do you say that?” asked the customer.

“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist.
Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.”

The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.

The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: “You know what? Barbers do not exist.”

“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”

“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”

“Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”


“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s! why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

God loves you [:)]

OUR DEEPEST FEAR

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

DON'T QUIT- KEEP PLAYING

Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That's the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't exactly graceful flowing music. But when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

BREAKING FREE!!!

One day the prison warden came to me and said, "A representative from the German embassy is here to see you. Get dressed and go down to the gate."

As I walked towards the gate where visitors waited to see prisoners, the lady from the embassy saw me and shouted, "Today I have good news for you! You are being released! The moment you sign this release form you're a free man. You'll need to be a little pateient and wait inside the hospital for a few days while arrangements are made to take you to the airport, but from now on you are a free man!"


I signed the form and returned to the hospital, bubbling with joy. As soon as I reached my room I took off my prison uniform and threw it on the floor. The guard didn't know about my release and angrily threatened to punish me. I laughted and informed him, "I'm no longer your criminal! I'm free to go!"


I feel so sorry that many Christian live in bondage even though Jesus has signed their release form with his own blood, when you've been set free, you should act like it!

So instead of living life hunched over, weighed down by the burden of your sins and the devils seeds of doubt, you should remember that you were set free on the cross. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" So break free from those chains of bondage, throw them on the floor- you were set free on Calvary! Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world!!!

Two Horses

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. From a distance, each looks like every other horse. But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice something quite amazing. Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind.

His owner has chosen not to have him put down,but has made a good home for him.
This alone is amazing. If nearby and listening, you will hear the sound of a bell.

Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.
Attached to her halter is a small bell. It lets her blind friend know where she is, so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see how she is always checking on him, and that he will listen for her bell and then slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she will not lead him astray.
When she returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, she stops occasionally and looks back, making sure her friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges. He watches over us and even brings others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. 
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see. 

Please listen for  God's bell leading you!  Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

The Builder

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. " This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."
What a shock! What a shame! If he had known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. Our lives on earth are in a way building our homes in heaven. Yet we build our homes in a distracted way, willing to put up less than the best.Then with shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized earlier, we would have done it differently.

The bible in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 1 says "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Our house here on earth is referred to as merely a tent.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your home. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. Strive as much as you can with good deeds.

The Touch of the Masters Hand

It was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." 

But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.


The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understnad what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."


And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.



Romans  Chapter 9 verse 21


Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

Myra 'Brooks' Welch


Kindly contributed by:
S. Simons

I Am Perfect Just The Way I Am

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots  of water..
Ofcourse the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. " I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, " Didn't you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and everyday while we walk back, you water them for me. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table with. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house. "

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting. God knows these flaws and still see's the potential and the good in us. Just as 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21 says  "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." He knows our flaws and sent Jesus to die for us so that in His death we might be born again in righteousness.
So why can't we accept ourselves and others for who they are, just the way they are.

Footprints In The Sand

One night I had a dream
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets
of footprints in the sand,
one belonging to me
and the other to my Lord.
When the last scene of my life shot before me
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
There was only on set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This always bothered me
and I questioned the Lord
about my dilemma.
"Lord, you told me when I decided to follow You,
You would walk and talk with me all the way.
But I'm aware that during the most troublesome
times of my life there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You most,
you leave me."
He whispered,  "My precious, precious child,
I love you and will never leave you
never, ever during your times of trial and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints
It was then that I carried you."

Margaret Fishback Powers

I am going through something quite difficult myself. I needed that reassurance that He is always with me.

 So I am taking comfort in Hebrews 13 verse 5 which says: " Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you." I am putting all worries and confusion aside and concentrating more on the fact that He will never fail me nor will He forsake me. I have God Almighty in my corner, He that never sleeps nor slumber ( Psalm 121 verse 4). He that knows the very number of hairs on my head ( Luke 12 verse 7). He is the great shepherd!!

I choose to take comfort in the Lord! You should do the same

The Fire Furnace

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to read the scriptures, and make them the subject of conversation. While reading the third chapter of Malachi they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." One lady's opinion was that is was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them what he said on the subject.

She went accordingly and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her. "But Sir" she said, "do you sit while the work of refining is going on?" "Oh, yes, madam," replied the silversmith; "I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

The lady at once saw the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace; His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random; "the very hairs of your head are all numbered."

As the lady was leaving the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had forgotten to mention that the only way that he knows when the process of purifying is complete when he sees his own image reflected in the silver....

--Author Unknown

God see's it necessary to put us through the trial, tribulations and temptations of everyday life, but He never takes His eye off of us. Sometimes life spirals out of control and nothing seems to go according to our plans. We feel down, discouraged, defeated and alone. This is the time to remember that God never takes his eye off of us. He doesn't blink or look away. And when He starts to see His own reflection in us, that is when we are ready to be taken out of the furnace of life. So whatever you may be going through, remember that God's eye is on you. And he will never put you through a fire that is too hot for you to handle.

Spring is around the corner!

The Beginning

So what will my very very first post be about? The beginning of course. 


John 1 verse 1 : " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."


Wow! God, my very own Father, was there in the beginning! You know how powerful that is? He was there before anything and everything WAS! He was there before it all came into being! So what could he possibly not know or understand? He was there, he MADE it all and he let it all be!


So I really have no reason to worry. And neither do you : )


That also reminds me to put God first in everything I do. To invite him to bless my actions, thoughts and desires before I take anything on. Invite him into your life too. Ask Him to guide you to make the right decisions and to  bless your plans.


 May he bless me as I take this blogging stuff on!


Speaking of beginnings- Spring is just around the corner! : )