FW: Ten Commandments for Life GB

Good morning. I hope everyone is doing fine this great day. I've borrowed this email from my friend Click. It is something we can call apply to ourselves. I hope to able to send out one tonight. I wrecked my car Friday; I'm fine, just still plenty sore. But some blessings came out of it and I will share those plus some pictures of my poor little car. Hope to hear from the insurance company today or tomorrow and then it will soon be on the road to recovery.

Brenda

Someone has written these beautiful words. One must read to understand the deep meanings in them. They are like the Ten Commandments to follow in life all the time. 1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble; it is a "steering wheel" that directs us in the right path throughout life. 2] Do you know why a car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the rear view mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, look ahead and move on. 3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write. 4] All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry, they can't last long either. 5] Old friends are like Gold! New friends are Diamonds! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a base of Gold! 6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, it's just a bend, not the end!" 7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities. 8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision." 9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them; and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you. 10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away today's PEACE. If you really enjoyed this, PLEASE pass to others. It may brighten someone's day !! Praying for love and peace to fill the coming Year.

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FW: Best Poem in the World B&SM

BEST POEM IN THE WORLD I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp-- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice. Herb, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake. 'And why is everyone so quiet, So somber - give me a clue.' 'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock. No one thought they'd be seeing you.' JUDGE NOT!! Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. Every saint has a PAST... Every sinner has a FUTURE! Now it's your turn... Share this poem.

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Kids - dirty clothes - Mom going on strike!!

Good morning everyone. I hope you are staying warm wherever you are. It’s kinda dreary, wet and very chilly here in Manteo. When I let Haley out this morning about 6:30 it was sleeting in Manns Harbor but it had turned to rain by the time I left for work.

I was just looking at Facebook as I was eating my cereal. I never eat breakfast until I get to work. I don’t like to eat real early so after I get in and get lights and heat on, I take a few minutes for my cereal. I noticed a post from one of my friends; she was discussing the chores she had to do today; dishes and laundry. She also talked about digging out all the dirty clothes from her children’s rooms and how she found her son’s clothes behind his dresser, under the bed, etc. It reminded me of something I did several years ago….that’s why I chose my subject.

The kids and I moved to Manns Harbor in March 1988, right in the middle of tax season. I had one weekend to get moved, travel to Merry Hill to get my furniture (a huge U-Haul truck full) and get my home set up. I had purchased a mobile home, 14’ x 80’ and I was so proud of it. It was really pretty, wall papered walls instead of all dark paneling. Each of us had our own bedroom, although I guess Ray got the short end of the stick. Being the youngest, he got the smallest room and it was pretty small. Prior to moving to Manns Harbor, we had lived in Nags Head where I managed a Cottage Court for about 7 years in addition to my full time job as an accountant. My life was really busy and the boys were pretty good help, even though they were quite young.

After the move, I guess they thought since I didn’t have the cottage court to manage any more, their chores would cease. And, I have to admit for a while, they did. I really enjoyed keeping house. I like a clean house; I don’t care if there are toys in the floor, homework spread out, just the usual things strewn about from normal living; but I want it clean. Dirty dishes washed, beds made after you get up in the morning, wet towels hung over the shower bar, dirty clothes in the hamper….you get the picture. And I give the boys credit, they loved having a nice place to live so much that they were pretty good about keeping their rooms clean. Then, gradually, things began to change. Dirty clothes were left on the bedroom floor, dropped by the hamper in the bathroom, wet towels were left by the bed, ice cream bowl left on the bedside table…here again, you get the picture. Well, being the good Mom that I am, (ha-ha) I just cleaned things up, asked them to not do it again.

After a while, I decided things had to change. By this time, I was the treasurer/membership secretary of NCBBA and my spare time was almost nil. I told the boys they had to start doing better. They tried but evidently didn’t try hard enough for me. It would be better for a week or so, then right back to all the bad habits. I finally had it. I called them in the living room one night for a sit-down talk. They really hated those things. I told them starting that night, I was on strike. I would no longer do their laundry, would not cook for them, would not clean their room or bathroom for them. I would make sure there was food that they could either make a sandwich or cook something in the microwave. I was no longer their maid. The only things I would do? I would call them twice to get up for school – if that didn’t get them out of bed – cold water would. And they would go to Church with me. They couldn’t visit friends and friends couldn’t visit them. They just looked at each other like I had lost my mind and quite frankly, I probably had at that moment. TJ went to school the next day and told his friend Richard about it and they thought it was quite funny. It was hard for me to not take care of them. It’s just one of those things a mother does naturally; but I stayed strong. Now, I didn’t cook for myself either. I did the same thing they did – made a sandwich or fixed something in the microwave. I didn’t have the heart to fix myself supper and not fix something for them. On the Sunday following the meeting of the minds, some of my Church friends had found about it. Some of them supported me; some criticized me. But you know, none of them had to walk in my shoes and all of them had a husband to help with things at home…..I didn’t. I was a single parent.

This situation lasted about two weeks. TJ caved first—he couldn’t find clean clothes to wear to school. He came to me and told me he had realized what I did for them and he would be better about helping me. Did he mean that? Probably not – then. Ray held out the longest. He always was a stubborn little cuss. He more or less told me the same thing. Did he mean it? Again, probably not – then. They did do better. I never expected them to be perfect just more responsible. As time went on, they both helped me out a lot. During tax season when I might not get off work until between 7:00 and 8:00, they would have cooked supper, washed their dishes and left my dinner in the microwave. They started doing their own laundry. Was I being mean to my kids or abusing them? I honestly don’t think so. Children need to have responsibilities and learn that their parents are parents. We aren’t maids, drivers, banks, etc.

Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. I think this means all aspects of life. Are my children perfect? Absolutely not!! They don’t have a perfect Mom either. But they have grown up to be young men that know how to clean house, do laundry, sew on buttons, cook (although they probably learned that in self-defense since I am not a very good cook and don’t like to cook) and be very respectful of women. I am so blessed to have them and love them very much.

Have a great day everyone.

Brenda

boutlaw@carolinaregion.com

FW: The sparrow at Starbucks CM

Good morning. I am very late today. I never got up until 7:30!!! I really dislike starting my morning off by being behind. So, instead of trying to come up with an email on my own, I’m sending you this one I received from my friend, Click. It is a beautiful email and I’m sure you will enjoy it. I’m also sending it to him so he will know how he helped me out this morning…..in more ways than one.

Have a great day everyone. Love you!!

CONSIDER ..................

The SPARROW at STARBUCKS The song that silenced the cappuccino machine It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square . Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth. For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me.. She was swaying to the beat and singing along. After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked. "No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?" To my delight, she accepted my invitation.. "You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?" "Well. ... do you know any hymns?" Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look. "Name one." "Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one." "Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?" My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one." She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing. “Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?” The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion. “I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free. For His eye is on the sparrow And I know He watches me.” When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get something' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued.. I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!" "Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said. "Why is that?" "Well . .." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song." "Really!" I exclaimed. "Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual.. "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week." I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?" She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything's gonna be just fine." She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone. Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it. God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that God could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trustingGod and singing the songs, everything's gonna be okay. The next time you feel like GOD can't use YOU, just remember... Noah was a drunk Abraham was too old Isaac was a daydreamer Jacob was a liar Leah was ugly Joseph was abused Moses had a stuttering problem Gideon was afraid Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer Rahab was a prostitute Jeremiah and Timothy were too young David had an affair and was a murderer Elijah was suicidal Isaiah preached naked Jonah ran from God Naomi was a widow Job went bankrupt John the Baptist ate bugs Peter denied Christ The Disciples fell asleep while praying Martha worried about everything The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once Zaccheus was too small Paul was too religious AND Lazarus was dead! No more excuses now!! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger. God bless you by passing this on to someone else, if you'd like. There is NO LUCK attached. If you delete this, it's okay: God's Love Is Not Dependent On E-Mail. Author: John Thomas Oaks Brenda

Commit

Good morning everyone. I hope everyone had a great night’s sleep and is ready to face a new day. My little “weather bug” is calling for rain, thunderstorms and 65 degrees today! What a difference from a week or so ago.

In my Bible reading a few days ago, I came across 3 verses that I have heard many times, but they sort of took on a new meaning for me as I read them again. Psalm 37:3-5: “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” In the past I’ve often thought, that just because things didn’t happen like I wanted them to, God wasn’t paying attention to my prayers and I wasn’t getting “the desires of my heart”. I’ve come to realize that He always answers my prayers, in whatever way He knows is best for me. And sometimes the best answer for me is “NO”. None of us like to be told no. It starts when we are very young and it seems like that is all we hear from our parents. We don’t like it when we get older either. There’s no one at my house to tell me no and no one for me to tell no. But, God often tells me no. I don’t always understand why, but I have come to the realization that I just have to accept it, without question, knowing His way is the best way.

These verses also say “commit and trust”. Commitment is hard. Not many people today know how to commit to anything. The rising divorce rate is a testament to that. So many young people are willing to settle for living together instead of committing to the union of marriage. So many of them think the world owes them a living. They experiment in things that often lead to heartbreak and a lot of them are committed to only one thing…living for today and taking no thought for tomorrow. But sadly that is not all there is to life. Committing to a job…..that is almost a thing of the past also. People flit from job to job to job, looking for themselves. I realize I am truly blessed in that respect. On February 9, I will have had my job for 37 years….quite a record. I’ve only had 3 other jobs. To me, making a commitment is like making a promise. If I commit to do something, I am going to do my very best to keep that commitment. In order to commit to God, you also have to trust Him. The verse says if you do both of those things….”he shall bring it to pass”.

I often have trouble totally trusting people; partly because I have been hurt in the past by people I’ve trusted. I sometimes have trouble trusting God too. It’s not because I don’t believe He can do it. I just wonder if He WILL do it. I know I am not worthy of the things He does for me and I guess that is why trust doesn’t come easy for me. But if I commit myself to God, and trust, the rest will fall into place. I was saved in 1988 but have seen the biggest change in my life since my Church had revival in September 2009. Maybe I have finally realized that I have to Trust, Delight and the biggest of all, Commit myself to the Lord and then I will dwell in the land, be fed, have the desires of my heart and He will bring “it” to pass. What is “it”? I don’t know – whatever God has in store for me.

Have a great day and even if it rains all day….it is a day the Lord hath made, rejoice and be glad in it. Embrace the day and all it has to offer you.

Brenda

boutlaw@carolinaregion.com

Start your day off with a chuckle

Good morning everyone. I hope you all had a good night’s rest and are ready for a new day. I’ve been awake since just a little before 5:00 and Haley finally ran me out of bed at 5:45. Oh well, maybe I can get to work a little early today.

In the process of cleaning up my office last night and filing away 2010 papers, I ran across a book of emails I have collected over the last 3 or 4 years. I thought this one was cute so I will share it. I may have sent it to some of you previously. If so, maybe you can enjoy another chuckle.

Recently, when I went to McDonald’s I saw on the menu that you could have an order of 6, 9 or 12 Chicken McNuggets. I asked for a half dozen nuggets. “We don’t have half dozen nuggets,” said the teenager at the counter. “You don’t?” I replied. “we only have six, nine or twelve”, was the reply. “So I can’t order a half dozen nuggets, but I can order six?” “That’s right”, she replied. So I shook my head and ordered six McNuggets. (Unbelievable but sadly true…)

I was checking out at the local Walmart with just a few items and the lady behind me put her things on the belt close to mine. I picked up one of those dividers that they keep by the cash register and placed it between our things so they wouldn’t get mixed. After the girl had scanned all of my items, she picked up the divider, looking it all over for a bar code so she could scan it. Not finding the bar code, she said to me, “Do you know how much this is?” I said to her “I’ve changed my mind; I don’t think I’ll buy that today”. She said “OK”, and I paid her for the things and left. She had no clue to what had just happened.

A woman at work was seen putting a credit card into her floppy drive and pulling it out very quickly. When I inquired as to what she was doing, she said she was shopping on the Internet and they kept asking for a credit card number, so she was using the “ATM thingy”. (keep shuddering!!!)

I recently saw a distraught young lady weeping beside her car. “Do you need some help?” I asked. She replied, “I knew I should have replaced the battery to this remote door unlocker. Now I can’t get into my car. Do you think they (pointing to a distant convenience store) would have a battery to fit this?” “Hmmm, I don’t know. Do you have an alarm, too?” I asked. “No, just this remote thingy,” she answered, handing it and car keys to me. As I took the key and manually unlocked the door, I replied, “Why don’t you drive over there and check about the batteries. It’s a long walk….”

Several years ago, we had an intern who was none too swift. One day she was typing and turned to a secretary and said, “I’m almost out of typing paper…what do I do?” “Just use the paper from the photo copier”, the secretary told her. With that, the intern took her last remaining blank piece of paper, put it on the photo copier and proceeded to make five “blank” copies. (Just to make all my blond friends feel better…she was a brunette)

A mother calls 911 very worried asking the dispatcher if she needs to take her kid to the emergency room, the kid had eaten ants. The dispatcher tells her to give the kid some Benadryl and he should be fine. The mother says, “Well I just gave him some ant killer….” Dispatcher: “Rush him to emergency!”

I hope maybe this brightened your day a little; maybe got you to smile, maybe giggle.

After a very long, trying phone call with a customer, who was not understanding anything he was saying, I heard my son, TJ, say….”I can fix a lot of things; but I absolutely cannot fix stupid!”

Have a great day – embrace it and all it has to offer.

FW: Spend wisely!! A Must Read !! ChS

I received this in an email from a friend I don’t think I have ever met in person. We are “cyber-space” friends. He always sends me the neatest emails and I especially like this one. Sometimes, I am not a good steward of my time. But when you break it down like this, it makes you aware of how mindful we should be of our time.

Thanks, Click, for sharing this.

Subject: Spend wisely!!

Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.

However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules. The first set of rules would be:

Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

You may only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day. The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, "its over, the game is over!" It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY this GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost.

Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time... WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about that, and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply, and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day!

Start spending.

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