The following are items which have been posted to our mailing list. Enjoy!
A FRIEND IS A TREASURE
Posted by: Christine
1. Don't worry about knowing people just make yourself worth knowing.
2. Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.
3. If you can buy a person's friendship, it is not worth it.
4. True friends have hearts that beat as one.
5. If you cannot think of any nice things to say about your friends, then you have the wrong friends.
6.. Make friends before you need them.
7. If you were another person, would you like to be a friend of yours?
8. A good friend is one who neither looks down on you nor keeps up with you.
9. Be friendly with the folks you know.. if it weren't for them you would be a total stranger.
10. A friend is never known till he is needed.
11. Friendship is a responsibility...not an opportunity.
12. Friendship is the cement that holds the world together.
13. Friends are those who speak to you after others don't.
14. The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail and not his tongue.
15. Pick your friends, but not to pieces.
16. A friend is one who puts his finger on a fault without rubbing it in.
17. The way to have friends is to be willing to lose some arguments.
18. If a friend makes a mistake, don't rub it in....rub it out.
19. Deal with other's faults as gently as if they were your own.
20. People are judged by the company they keep and the company they keep away from.
21. A friend is a person who can step on your toes without messing your shine.
22. The best mirror is an old friend.
23. The best possession one may have is a true friend.
24. Make friendship a habit and you will always have friends.
25. You will never have a friend if you must have one without faults.
26. Doing nothing for your friends results in having no friends to do for.
27. Anyone can give advice, but a real friend will lend a helping hand.
28. You can make more friends by being interested in them than trying to have them be interested in you.
29. A real friend is a person who, when you've made a fool of yourself, lets you forget it.
30. A friend is a person who listens attentively while you say nothing.
31. You can buy friendship with friendship, but never with dollars.
32. True friends are like diamonds, precious but rare; false friends are like autumn leaves, found everywhere.
33. A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg even though you're slightly cracked.
Posted by: Jeanne
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 favor. 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 only 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.
We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a 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, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
Author unknown
Stop, Look And Listen
Posted by: Krista
We grew up hearing Stop, Look and Listen,
But I often wonder what we are missing.
At the time we were told that for watching for cars,
But I also do it when watching the stars.
If we took the time to Stop, Look and Listen more,
We would hear more than we did before.
Stop, Look and Listen to the everyday things,
And you'll be surprised by the happiness this brings.
Stop what your doing and close your eyes,
Can you see and hear the things that make up our lives?
Like the laughter of children we do not know,
Or the tears from a stranger with no where to go.
Stop, Look and Listen and feel what its like,
For the child that just got his first bike.
Stop, Look and Listen with all of your might,
And you could behold a beautiful sight.
Just take the time and try it and you will see,
How life is filled with wonders for you and me.
Judy,©1998
Do You Have Enough Fun In Your Life?
Posted by: Lisa
(1) Have you ever walked barefoot in the snow? (10pts)
(2) Have you ever gone skinny dipping? (8pts)
(3) Have you ever eaten a whole box or cookies or 1/2 gallon of ice cream? (4pts)
(4) Have you ever stayed up all night talking to a friend? (2pts)
(5) Have you ever gone out for amidnight stroll? (8pts)
(6) Have you ever eaten a flower to find out the taste? (10pts)
(7) Have you ever given someone a present just because? (8pts)
(8) Have you ever written someone a poem? (4pts)
(9) Have you ever gone into a photo boooth and made silly faces with a friend (4pts)
(10) Have you ever left a really big tip because you were having a great day? (10pts)
(11) Have you ever payed the toll for a stranger? (2pts)
(12) Have you ever stopped to help a stanger in need? (10pts)
(13) Have you ever sat in an emergency room with a friend? (8pts)
14) Have you ever talked to a puppy or kitten? (4pts)
15) Have you ever tried to count the stars? (2pts)
16) Have you ever given someone a back rub because they had a bad day? (6pts)
17) Have you ever cooked dinner for a sick friends family? (6pts)
18) Have you ever driven someone to the airport? (2pts)
19) Then kissed them goodbye and cried? (4pts)
20) Have you ever served someone breakfast in bed? (2pts)
21) Have you ever layed in the snow and made a snow angel, since becoming an adult? (4pts)
22) Have you ever stopped your car to look at a rainbow or a sunset? (6pts)
23) Have you ever picked strawberries and ate so many you could barely move? (6pts)
24) Have you ever danced in public...like a park or the sidewalk? (4pts)
25) Have you ever slept out under the stars? (8pts)
26) Have you ever kissed a complete strangerbecause you won something or just for fun? (10pts)
27) Have you ever cheered so loud for the home team that you lost your voice (4pts)
28) Have you ever baked fresh bread.not in a machine? (2pts)
29) Haveyou ever stayed in bed all day..and you were not sick? (6pts)
30) Have you ever had one full day of fun? :) (20pts)
Scoring:
Under 100 and you need to add some fun to your life
100-124 You need a bit more fun!!!
125- 154 You are having some fun now! Keep up the good work!
155-184 YOU are so much fun!!!!!
YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MOM WHEN:
Posted by: Someone needs to claim this!
Your feet stick to the kitchen floor ... and you don't care.
You can't find your cordless phone, so you ask a friend to call you and you run around the house madly, following the sound until you locate the phone downstairs in the laundry basket.
Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.
Your favorite television show is a cartoon.
Peanut butter and jelly is eaten at least in one meal a day.
You're willing to kiss your child's boo-boo, regardless of what body part it happens to be on.
Your kids make jokes about farting, burping, pooping, etc and you think it's funny.
You're so desperate for adult conversation that you spill your guts to the telemarketer that calls and HE hangs up on YOU!
Spit is your number one cleaning agent.
The closest you get to gourmet cooking is making rice krispie bars.
You're up each night until 10pm vacuuming, dusting, washing, drying, loading, unloading, shopping, cooking, driving, flushing, ironing, sweeping, changing sheets, changing diapers, bathing, helping with homework, paying bills, clipping coupons, folding clothes PLUS swinging, playing baseball, bike riding, pushing trucks, cuddling dolls, rollerblading, playing basketball, football, catch, blowing bubbles, coloring, jumping rope,
PLUS raking, trimming, planting, edging, mowing, painting and walking the dog.
You get up at 5:30am and you have no time to eat, sleep, drink or go to the bathroom and yet ... you still manage to gain 10 pounds!!!!
AND
Posted by Lisa
1. You count the sprinkles on each kid's cupcake to make sure they're equal.
2. You want to take out a contract on the kid who broke your child's favorite toy and made him/her cry.
3. You have time to shave only one leg at a time.
4. You hide in the bathroom to be alone.
5. You child throws up, and you catch it.
6. Someone else's kid throws up at a party, and you keep eating. 7. You consider finger paint to be a controlled substance.
8. You mastered the art of placing large quantities of pancakes and eggs on a plate without anything touching.
9. Your child insists that you read Once Upon a Potty out loud in the lobby of the doctor's office, or, better yet, in the lobby of a Grand Central Station... and you do it.
10. You hire a sitter because you haven't been out with your husband in ages, then spend half the night talking about and checking on the kids.
11. You hope ketchup is a vegetable because it's the only one your child eats.
12. You cling to the high moral ground on toy weapons, while your child chews his toast into the shape of a gun.
13. You can't bear the thought of your son's first girlfriend.
14. You hate the thought of his wife even more.
15. You donate to charities in the hope that your child won't get that disease.
16. You find yourself cutting your husband's sandwiches into unusual shapes.
17. You fast-forward through the scene when the hunter shoots Bambi's mother.
18. You use your own saliva to clean your child's face.
19. You obsess when your child clings to you upon parting during his first month at school, then obsess when he skips in without looking back the second time.
20. You can't bear to give away baby clothes--it's so final.
21. You hear your mother's voice coming out of your mouth when you say, "Not in your good clothes!"
22. You stop criticizing the way your mother raised you.
23. You read that the average five year old asks 437 questions a day and feel proud that your kid is above average.
24. You say at least once a day, I'm not cut out for this job, but you know you wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
The Warrior
Posted by: Denise
This morning my thoughts traveled along
To a place in my life where days have long since gone
Beholding an image of what I used to be
As visions were stirred, and God spoke to me
He showed me a Warrior, A soldier in place
Positioned by Heaven, yet I saw not the face
I watched as the Warrior fought enemies
That came from the darkness with destruction for me
I saw as the Warrior would dry away tears
As all of Heaven's Angels hovered so near
I saw many wounds on the Warrior's face
Yet Weapons of warfare were firmly in place
I felt my heart weeping, my eyes held so much
As God let me feel the Warrior's prayer touched
I thought 'how familiar' the words that were prayed
The prayers were like lightning that never would fade
I said to God 'please, the Warrior's name'
He gave no reply, he choose to refrain
I asked, 'Lord, who is broken that they need such prayer?'
He showed me an image of myself standing there
Bound by confusion, lost and alone
I felt prayers of the Warriors carry me home
I asked 'Please show me Lord, this Warrior so true'
I watched and I wept, for Mother...
the Warrior was you!
If I had My Child to Raise All Over Again
By Diane Loomans
Posted By: Michele (Webmommy)
If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd finger paint more and point my finger less
I'd do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes
I would care to know less, and know to care more
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play
I'd run through more fields, and gaze at more stars
I'd do more hugging and do less tugging
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later
I'd teach less about the love of power and more about the power of love.
Only One Childhood
Posted By: ALYMYTY
I stopped to watch my little girl
busy playing in her room.
In one hand was a plastic phone;
in the other a toy broom.
I listened as she was speaking
to her make believe little friend
and I'll never forget the words she said,
even though it was pretend.
She said, "Suzie's in the corner
cuz she's not been very good.
She didn't listen to a word I said
or do the things she should."
In the corner I saw her baby doll
all dressed in lace and pink.
It was obvious she'd been put there
to sit alone and think.
My daughter continued her "conversation,"
as I sat down on the floor.
She said, "I'm all fed up I just don't know
what to do with her anymore?
She whines whenever I have to work
and wants to play games, too;
she never lets me do the things
that I just have to do?
She tries to help me with the dishes,
but her arms just cannot reach
and she doesn't know how to fold the towels
and I don't have the time to teach.
I have a lot of work to do
and a big house to keep clean.
I don't have the time to sit and play --
don't you know what I mean?"
And that day I thought a lot about
making some changes in my life;
as I listened to her innocent words
that cut me like a knife.
I hadn't been paying enough attention
to what I hold most dear.
I'd been caught up in responsibilities
that increased throughout the year.
But now my attitude has changed,
because, in my heart, I realize
I've seen the world in a different light
through my little darling's eyes.
So, let the cobwebs have the corners
and the dustbunnies rule the floor,
I'm not going to worry about
keeping up with them anymore.
I'm going to fill the house with memories
of a child and her mother
for God grants us Only One Childhood,
and we will never get another.
Don't Look Back--You're Not Going That Way
Posted By: Maria
When you travel though life
there are always those times
when decisions just have to be made
And the choices are hard
and solutions are scarce
and the rain seems to soak your parade!
There are some situations
where all you can do
is simply let go and move on
Gather courage together
and choose a direction
that carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles
and take a step forward
the process of change can be tough
But think about all
the excitement ahead
if you can be stalwart enough!
There could be adventures
you never imagined
just waiting around the next bend
And wishes and dreams
just about to come true
in ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships
that spring from new interests
as you challenge your status quo
And learn there are so many
options in life
and so many ways you can grow!
Perhaps you'll go places
you never expected
and see things that you've never seen
Or travel to fabulous
faraway worlds
and wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth
and affection and caring
a "somebody special" who's there
To help you stay centered
and listen with interest
to stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort
in knowing your friends are
supportive of all that you do
And believe that whatever
decisions you make
they'll be the right choices for you!
So keep putting one foot
in front of the other
and taking life day by day
There's a brighter tomorrow
that's just down the road
Don't look back--
you're not going that way!
Get your own Free Home Page