Parents' Ten Commandments

1.  Teach them using God's word.  (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)   

2.  Tell them what's right and wrong.  (1 Kings 1:6)

3.  See them as gifts from God.  (Psalms 127:3)

4.  Guide them in Godly ways.  (Proverbs 22:6)

5.  Discipline them.  (Proverbs 29:17)

6.  Love them unconditionally.  (Luke 15:11-32)

7.  Do not provoke them to wrath.  (Ephesians 6:4)

8.  Earn their respect by example.  (1 Timothy 3:4)

9.  Provide for their physical needs.  (1 Timothy 5:8)

10. Pass your faith along to them.  (2 Timothy 1:5)

Throwing things out... and I'm an expert!

Last Week I threw out Worrying,
it was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me;
I couldn't do things my way.

I threw out those Inhibitions;
they were just crowding me out.
Made room for my New Growth,
got rid of my old dreams and doubts.

I threw out a book on MY PAST
(didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with New Goals,
started reading it today.

I threw out childhood toys
(remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
threw out the one from long ago.

Bought in some new books too,
called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, You should've seen the dust.

I ran across an OLD FRIEND,
haven't seen him in a while.
I believe his name is GOD,
Yes, I really like His style.

He helped me to do some cleaning
and added some thing's Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE and FAITH,
Yes I placed them right on the shelf.

I picked up this special thing
and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT - its called PEACE.
Nothing gets me down anymore.

Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble
there just isn't any place.

Its good to do a little house cleaning,
get rid of the old things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.

A cup of coffee

 I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighbouring town of Venice (Italy), the city of lights and water. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man entered and sat at an empty table beside us. He called the waiter and placed his order saying, ‘Two cups of coffee, one of them there on the wall.’

We heard this order with rather interest and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two.

As soon as he left, the waiter pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying ‘A Cup of Coffee’.

While we were still there, two other men entered and ordered three cups of coffee, two on the table and one on the wall. They had the two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he pasted a piece of paper on the wall saying, ‘A Cup of Coffee’.

It was something unique and perplexing for us. We finished our coffee, paid the bill and left.

After a few days, we had a chance to go to this coffee shop again. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man poorly dressed entered. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, 'One cup of coffee from the wall'.

The waiter served coffee to this man with the customary respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying.

We were amazed to watch all this, as the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dust bin. Now it was no surprise for us – the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by the inhabitants of this town made our eyes well up in tears.

Ponder upon the need of what this man wanted... He enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-esteem, he has no need to ask for a free cup of coffee, without asking or knowing about the one who is giving this cup of coffee to him. He only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left.

Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!

Forever friends

To all my Tiger friends!
Sometimes in life,
You find a special friend,
Someone who changes your life
Just by being a part of it


Someone who makes you laugh
Until you can't stop
Someone who makes you believe
That there really is good in the world


Someone who convinces you that
There really is an unlocked door
Just waiting for you to open it.
This is a Forever Friendship


When you're down,
And the world seems dark and empty,
Your forever friend lifts you up in spirit
And makes that dark and empty world
Suddenly seem bright and full.


Your forever friend gets you through
The hard times, the sad times,
And the confusing times.
If you turn and walk away,
Your forever friend follows.


If you lose your way,
Your forever friend guides you
And cheers you on.
Your forever friend holds your hand
And tells you that everything
Is going to be okay.


And if you find such a friend,
You feel happy and complete,
Because you need not worry.
You have a forever friend for life,
And forever has no end.

A Ball of Clay

By Bob Perks

A ball of clay in your hands. Your life.

A single musical note on a staff.  Your part of life's song.

A finger print.  You touched life and it remembers.

A kind word spoken. Eternal echoes you may not hear.

A gesture, an action done out of kindness.  Action reverberates into the future even in ways you may never know. 

To love.  To live fully.

To be loved.  The reward.

To give without expectation. The truest form of giving.

To receive graciously.  The gift you give the giver.

To laugh.  To see light.  

To smile.  To share the light.

To forgive.  To be bigger than the hurt, stronger than the transgressor, more Christ-like than the sinner.

To fall.  To learn.

To rise after every fall.  To win over and over again.

To be thankful and grateful.  To live humbly and fully aware of the bountiful life you have discovered in the ball of clay.

"I believe in you!"

The oak tree

A mighty wind
Blew night and day
It stole the oak tree's leaves away

Then snapped its boughs
And pulled its bark
Until the oak was tired and stark

But still the oak tree held its ground
While other trees fell all around
The weary wind gave up and spoke
How can you still be standing Oak

The oak tree said, I know that you
Can break each branch of mine in two
Carry every leaf away
Shake my limbs, and make me sway

But I have roots stretched in the earth
Growing stronger since my birth
You'll never touch them, for you see
They are the deepest part of me

Until today, I wasn't sure
Of just how much I could endure
But now I've found, with thanks to you
I'm stronger than I ever knew.