FOOD FOR THE SOUL - Author Unknown

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer, a building 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.






His employer 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 it was easy to see that his heart was no longer in his work. He had lost his enthusiasm and had resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.



When the carpenter finished his work and his boss came to inspect the new 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 for ourselves. 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.

SCARS OF LIFE - by Juliet Fernandes

                   

Some years ago,

On a hot summer day

In South Florida ,

A little boy decided to go

For a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.

In a hurry to dive into

The cool water,

He ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.

He flew into the water,

Not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together.

In utter fear,

He ran toward the water,

Yelling to his son as loudly

As he could.

Hearing his voice,

The little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn

To swim to his father.

It was too late.

Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.

From the dock,

The father grabbed his little boy by the arms

Just as the alligator

Snatched his legs...

That began an incredible

Tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father,

But the father was much

Too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams,

Raced from his truck,

Took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital,

The little boy survived.

His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack

Of the animal.

And, on his arms,

Were deep scratches

Where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort

To hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter

Who interviewed the boy

After the trauma,

Asked if he would

Show him his scars.

The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter,

'But look at my arms.

I have great scars

On my arms, too.

I have them because

My Dad wouldn't let go.'

You and I can identify

With that little boy.

We have scars, too.

No, not from an alligator,

But the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars

Are unsightly and have

Caused us deep regret.

But, some wounds,

My friend,

Are because God has refused

To let go.

In the midst of your struggle, He's been there

Holding on to you...

The Scripture teaches that

God loves you.

You are a child of God.

He wants to protect you

And

Provide for you in every way.But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life

Is filled with peril -

And we forget

That the enemy is waiting

To attack.

That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have

The scars of His love

On your arms,

Be very, very grateful.

He did not and will not ever let you go.

You just never know

Where

A person is in his/her life

And

What they are going through. Never judge another

person's scars,

Because you don't know

How they got them...

Someone needs to know that God loves them,

And you love them, too-

Enough to not let them go.

Always

Tell Your Family

And Friends

How Much

You Love Them!!! I just did!!

                               

I NEED YOU - Author unknown

 

My friend, I need you now
Please take me by the hand.
Stand by me in my hour of need,
Take time to understand.

                  

Take my hand, dear friend,
And lead me from this place.
Chase away my doubts and fears,
Wipe the tears from off my face.

                               

Friend, I can't stand alone.
I need your hand to hold,
The warmth of your gentle touch
In my world that's grown so cold.

  

Please be a friend to me
And hold me day by day.
Because with your loving hand in mine,
I know we'll find the way.

           

WOMEN'S FASHION IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY