₦airaland Forum

Author Unknown

Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on her. I wondered if this was the cockroach’s response to all the glory that was spoken about it! She started screaming out of fear. With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening. The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group. Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue. In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter. The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt. When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour? If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed? He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos. It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.

I realized even in my case then , it is not the shouting of my father or my boss that disturbs me, but it’s my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.
It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me. More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that hurts me.

Lessons learnt from the story: I understood I should not react in life. I should always respond.
The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded. Reactions are always instinctive, whereas responses are always intellectual.

Meditation: For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones.

I was waiting to pick up a friend at the airport. That day I had one of those experiences that change people‘s lives. It happened just two feet away from me. I noticed a man, carrying two bags, coming toward me. He stopped next to me to greet his family.

First of all, he laid down his bag and came closer to his younger son (about six years old), they gave each other a warm, loving hug. Then the father looked in his son’s eyes and said: “I missed you so much, it’s so good to see you, son!”

The boy smiled and said: “Me too, dad.”

Then the man turned to his older son (nine or ten years old), “Oh, you are quite the young man, I love you very much!” and cupped his face. Then they had the tenderest hug too.

Afterwards the father said “Hi, baby girl” to his daughter. She was squirling excitedly in her mother’s arm and watching her returning father all the time. The man gently took his little daughter, kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest. The little girl laid her head on his shoulder in pure contentment.

After several moments, then man looked at his wife and said “I‘ve saved the best for last!” and shared with her the most passionate kiss. They stared at each other, beaming big smiles. They reminded me of newlyweds.

Suddenly, I heard myself asking “Wow, how old have you been married?”

“We’ve been together 14 years, and have been married 12 of those.”

“Well then, how long have you been away?”

He replied with a smile on his face: “Two whole days!”

I was stunned, as I imagined that he had been gone for several weeks. I could only say: “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after 12 years!”

The man looked straight into my eyes and told me something that changed my life: “Don‘t hope, friend, decide!”

Meditate: Now it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked through a window, and saw, and there was Isaac, showing endearment to Rebekah his wife. – Genesis 26:8

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones.

The Snake was crawling on the ground. The Eagle flew to her and said: “How unfortunate you are, doomed to crawl all your life. Not like me - I am destined to fly.”

The Snake looked at the Eagle and said: “You are right, Eagle. I can’t fly. But only I know what it means to fly. How can you know that?”

The Eagle smiled, “You don’t have wing!”

“Thoughts are my wings,” said the Snake proudly. “Dreams are my heaven. While crawling on the ground I close my eyes and I see the heaven. I image that I’m crawling in heaven, not on the ground.

“Yes, it’s impossible to crawl in heaven, you can only fly. It means that in those moments I am flying. In my free thoughts I am learning to fly, Eagle. With my soul I rise to the high heaven, so when my time comes and my life as a snake comes to an end, I could ascend into the blue heaven, into the endless heaven and fly, to fly and not think about anything, enjoying my freedom. And I won’t be afraid to fly, because it won’t be a new thing for me.

“For you Eagle, the wings were given as you were born, but not for me. But the heaven will make us equal. We will be flying together one day, Eagle, under the clouds. Only I will be stronger and freer than you, because I have learned how to fly without having wings, simply crawling on the ground. Both things are available for me. I am not afraid to lose my wings because I know how to crawl, and I am not afraid to gain wings because I know how to fly.

“And what will you do, Eagle, if you lose your wings?”

Meditation: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. – Micah 7:8

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones.

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;
I envied her - she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two feet-the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm;
he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find”;
he turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue;
he stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go;
with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
with ears to hear what I would know.
I am blessed indeed. The world is mine;
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.

Meditation: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! – Psalm 150:6

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.

Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. The cups are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.”

God brews the coffee, not the cups. So, enjoy your coffee!

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.” Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly and bloom where you are planted! Then leave the rest to God.

Meditation: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? – Matthew 6:27

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.

Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

One morning there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days work” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?”

“Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us.

Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence – an 8-foot fence – so I won’t need to see his place or his face anymore.”

The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”

The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all.

It was a bridge — a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work handrails and all — and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.” The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder.

“No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother. “I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but, I have many more bridges to build.”

Meditation: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. – Matthew 5:9

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

and One Thing to Never Forget

Your presence is a present to the world.
You’re unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You’ll make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.

Don’t put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
Don’t take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasures are people together.

Realize that it’s never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have heath and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a star.

And don’t ever forget...
For even a day...
How very special you are.

Meditation: And these things shall be a statute of judgment to you throughout your generations in all your dwellings. – Numbers 35:29

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Author Unknown

A few years ago I lost my buddy Jack to cancer... Wait, wait! before you get all sad there's more to the story!

Jack knew me since the first breath I took on this earth. He was always in my life in some aspect or another. When he first got sick, I was mad. I didn't understand how this could happen to a guy like Jack and what I also didn't understand was how Jack didn't seem a bit worried. He continued on with life as if everything was perfectly normal. What was even stranger was he almost seemed happy about it. You would never see him when he wasn't smiling or laughing no matter how he felt physically, mentally he was happy.

Towards the end the only thing I could figure was he was just smiling because he knew he was going to beat us to heaven!

They say everything happens for a reason and although it really hurt to lose Jack, the strength and resiliency he showed throughout his battle touched a lot of people. He taught us that no matter the situation, no matter what cards we're dealt, life's a lot easier wearing a smile!

Meditation: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. – Philippians 4:4-5

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

This story starts long ago in the dim ages, when bear and bison swarmed the forest and the prairie. Or about 2004, which ever you prefer. I was working at a sporting goods/automotive store at the time, at the customer service counter. A father and his son, who appeared to be about 11, came in and asked where the camping equipment was. I pointed them towards the two areas that held our camping merch, and was about to go about doing something else boring when the boy piped up, "I'm going on my first Boy Scout camp out!"

Now, if you've read my other stories, you'll know that I'm an Eagle Scout. I take this position very seriously, and will do everything in my power to encourage and help young scouts on their trail to Eagle. So I looked over at my boss, a nice lady who hired me because of my outdoor experience in scouting, and asked if I could go help these people personally. She smiled and said yes.

The father was COMPLETELY out of his element with camping gear. By his attitude and behavior I would guess that he had never gotten further out of the city limits than a highway in his life. Everything in the aisle perplexed him, but thankfully his son's troop had given them a list of what equipment they'd need. So for about 20 minutes or so I went through the list with them, point by point, explaining what each thing was, what it did, what version to use, and how Kybo Tape is the scout term for toilet paper. That got quite a bit of laughter.

During this time I also talked with the kid. He was very new to scouting, only having joined a couple months prior. He was enthusiastic about getting to go out into the wilderness and camp and make campfires and fish and all the other activities he'd heard about. I talked about my experiences in scouting, which was all of what he was talking about and so much more. Climbing Mt Hood, going to National Jamboree, touring military bases, rafting down the Deschutes, the kid was very impressed. I kept telling him, "this is only the start, you have no idea how awesome it can get."

So we finally have a cart filled with a small tent, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, small first aid kit, beginner backpack, rope, shovel, water bottle, etc. Quite a haul, but I'd done my best to get everything that the kid would need while still keeping things cheap. Well, cheap-ish.

The total was something like a bit over $200. Now, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but if I could have taken a picture of the dad's face when the total came up, it would be worth a MUCH longer essay. It was a shock/fear/resignation combination that said, "damn, I didn't expect it to be this much. But he's so excited, I can't tell him no, it would break his heart. Maybe if I just eat Ramen for the next couple weeks, I can afford this." As dad reached reluctantly for his wallet, I flashed him a smile, looked at my boss, and knocked 20% off the total. "A scout is helpful and kind," I quoted. The father thanked me profusely, as did the son. They left with a spring in their step and smiles on their faces. My boss said, "That was very nice, but don't ever do that again." I replied, "But boss, you do realized that, from now on, they are going to be in here on a regular basis to buy camping equipment, right? I know that kid's look, he's just like me at that age, and he's going to be spending a LOT of dad's money here." She laughed, agreed, and the deed was put out of my mind as other customers approached.

But the story isn't done yet, dear reader! For about a week later, look who comes running through the door, but our little first-time camper, with dad trailing along. This kid very specifically wanted to see ME, because he had pictures and he wanted to show them to me. Awwww, sweet! Sure, let's take a look...hey, I know this camp! I know exactly where you were! So we talked about being at that camp, and taking the hike down the hill to the old camp location, and how the fishing in the lake is, and the deer that just don't care that you are around, and how the chow hall seems to be made mostly of sieves given how drafty it is. We had a brag board up for the hunters who had trophy hunts, so I pinned a couple of the better pictures to the board. This kid beamed with pride, then ran off to use the bathroom.

This is when dad chimed in, and thanked me for a much more personal reason. He and the kid's mom had gone through a fairly nasty divorce, and she had majority custody. Scouting events were one of the few ways that dad could spend extended quality time with his son, and this camping trip had been very good for the both of them. He got a little choked up about it, as did I. I simply told him, "this is what scouting is all about. ‘Help other people at all times.' This is just the tip of the iceberg."

Over the next year+, they became regulars of the store. I knew which troop they were with, a large and active one, so they were pretty consistently in need of various consumable camping supplies. More pictures got posted to the brag board. His first summer camp saw him earn four merit badges and the Mile Swim badge. I started to volunteer with his troop as a merit badge counselor, and had a great time.

However, real life gets in the way. School, and a couple of new jobs meant I couldn't devote the time I needed to help his troop out. We basically drifted apart, and the other things going on in my life made me forget about him and his dad.

Until late in 2010. I get a phone call out of the blue. The voice on the other end is deeper, self-confident. "Is _____ there?" "Yeah, that's me, who is this?" It's that young scout from the store, calling me up to invite me to his Eagle Court of Honor. I stood there in my kitchen in mute shock. All those memories of helping him out came flooding back. "You better believe I'll be there. I'll even try to fit into my old uniform."

And so I did. Though I eschewed the shorts and went for pants. This young boy, now turned into a young man, stood tall and proud as they pinned the Eagle Medal to his shirt, recited the Eagle Charge, and gave a short speech thanking people who'd made a difference in his life. He looked right at me as he gave the speech, pointed me out, and said, "this guy right here, he was the first adult to encourage me. His example as an Eagle was what I followed. I cannot thank him enough." Tears flowed.

Following the ceremony, I found his dad. Scouting had made both of them better people. He'd decided that being bitter towards his kid's mom wasn't what a scout leader (oh yeah, he was now an assistant scoutmaster, the bug bites very hard) should be doing. This had allowed their divorce to become more amicable, and they had successfully renegotiated custody some time earlier. He was a happier man, and was so proud of his son I was pretty sure his chest was going to burst. His son, now tall, strong, confident, and an obvious leader, was destined to go places. He would be graduating high school the next spring, and was looking at getting into college for a degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice. He wanted to live his Oath and Law by being a police officer. My own chest felt like it was going to burst at this point.

I still keep in touch with him. He's now coming up on his 21st birthday, and is readying applications for various police departments around town. I've already told him that I'd gladly be his reference, because he's one of the guys we all want to become a cop, someone with a strong and steadfast sense of duty, honour, integrity, generosity, and kindness of spirit. He'll make a damn fine officer, and I can say that a little part of that, just a little part, is because of my willingness to help him choose tents one day several years ago.

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

By Melissa D Zartman

This is the story of two frogs. One frog was fat and the other skinny. One day, while searching for food, they inadvertently jumped into a vat of milk. They couldn't get out, as the sides were too slippery, so they were just swimming around.

The fat frog said to the skinny frog, "Brother Frog, there's no use paddling any longer. We're just going to drown, so we might as well give up." The skinny frog replied, "Hold on brother, keep paddling. Somebody will get us out." And they continued paddling for hours.

After a while, the fat frog said, "Brother Frog, there's no use. I'm becoming very tired now. I'm just going to stop paddling and drown. It's Sunday and nobody's working. We're doomed. There's no possible way out of here." But the skinny frog said, "Keep trying. Keep paddling. Something will happen, keep paddling."

Another couple of hours passed.

The fat frog said, "I can't go on any longer. There's no sense in doing it because we're going to drown anyway. What's the use?" And the fat frog stopped. He gave up. And he drowned in the milk. But the skinny frog kept on paddling.

Ten minutes later, the skinny frog felt something solid beneath his feet. He had churned the milk into butter and he hopped out of the vat.

Most times our breakthroughs are contained in our next effort or action, but when we refuse to take such step because of the numerous disappointments we have experienced, we may not know the glory that lies ahead of us. So, don’t stop trying.

Meditation: And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. - Hebrews 6:11

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Once upon a time, a young wife named Yun Ok was at her wit's end. Her husband had always been a tender and loving soul-mate before he had left for the wars, but ever since he returned home, he was cross, angry, and unpredictable. She was almost afraid to live with her own husband. Only in glancing moments did she catch a shadow of the husband she used to know and love.

When one ailment or another bothered people in her village, they would often rush for a cure to a hermit who lived deep in the mountains. Not Yun Ok. She always prided herself that she could heal her own troubles. But this time was different. She was desperate.

As Yun Ok approached the hermit's hut, she saw the door was open. The old man said without turning around: "I hear you. What's your problem?"

She explained the situation. His back still to her, he said, "Ah yes, it's often that way when soldiers return from the war. What do you expect me to do about it?"

"Make me a potion!" cried the young wife. "Or an amulet, a drink, whatever it takes to get my husband back the way he used to be."

The old man turned around. "Young woman, your request doesn't exactly fall into the same category as a broken bone or ear infection."

"I know", said she.

"It will take three days before I can even look into it. Come back then."

Three days later, Yun Ok returned to the hermit's hut. "Yun Ok", he greeted her with a smile, "I have good news. There is a potion that will restore your husband to the way he used to be, but you should know that it requires an unusual ingredient. You must bring me a whisker from a live tiger."

"What?" she gasped. "Such a thing is impossible!"

"I cannot make the potion without it!" he shouted, startling her. He turned his back. "There is nothing more to say. As you can see, I'm very busy."

That night Yun Ok tossed and turned. How could she get a whisker from a live tiger? The next day before dawn, she crept out of the house with a bowl of rice covered with meat sauce. She went to a cave on the mountainside where a tiger was known to live. She clicked her tongue very softly as she crept up, her heart pounding, and carefully set the bowl on the grass. Then, trying to make as little noise as she could, she backed away.

The next day before dawn, she took another bowl of rice covered with meat sauce to the cave. She approached the same spot, clicking softly with her tongue. She saw that the bowl was empty, replaced the empty one with a fresh one, and again left, clicking softly and trying not to break twigs or rustle leaves, or do anything else to startle and unsettle the wild beast.

So it went, day after day, for several months. She never saw the tiger (thank goodness for that! she thought) though she knew from footprints on the ground that the tiger - and not a smaller mountain creature - had been eating her food. Then one day as she approached, she noticed the tiger's head poking out of its cave. Glancing downward, she stepped very carefully to the same spot and with as little noise as she could, set down the fresh bowl and, her heart pounding, picked up the one that was empty.

After a few weeks, she noticed the tiger would come out of its cave as it heard her footsteps, though it stayed a distance away (again, thank goodness! she thought, though she knew that someday, in order to get the whisker, she'd have to come closer to it).

Another month went by. Then the tiger would wait by the empty food bowl as it heard her approaching. As she picked up the old bowl and replaced it with a fresh one, she could smell its scent, as it could surely smell hers.

"Actually", she thought, remembering its almost kittenish look as she set down a fresh bowl, "It is a rather friendly creature, when you get to know it."

The next time she visited, she glanced up at the tiger briefly and noticed what a lovely downturn of reddish fur it had from over one of its eyebrows to the next. Not a week later, the tiger allowed her to gently rub its head, and it purred and stretched like a house cat.

Then she knew the time had come. The next morning, very early, she brought with her a small knife. After she set down the fresh bowl and the tiger allowed her to pet its head, she said in a low voice: "Oh, my tiger, may I please have just one of your whiskers?" While petting the tiger with one hand, she held one whisker at its base and, with the other hand, in one quick stroke, she carved the whisker off. She stood up, speaking softly her thanks, and left, for the last time.

The next morning seemed endless. At last her husband left for the rice fields. She ran to the hermit's hut, clutching the precious whisker in her fist. Bursting in, she cried to the hermit: "I have it! I have the tiger's whisker!"

"You don't say?" he said, turning around. "From a live tiger?"

"Yes!" she said.

"Tell me", said the hermit, interested. "How did you do it?"

Yun Ok told the hermit how, for the last six months, she had earned the trust of the creature and it had finally permitted her to cut off one of its whiskers. With pride she handed him the whisker. The hermit examined it, satisfied himself that it was indeed a whisker from a live tiger, then flicked it into the fire where it sizzled and burned in an instant.

"Yun Ok", the hermit said softly, "you no longer need the whisker. Tell me, is a man more vicious than a tiger? If a dangerous wild beast will respond to your gradual and patient care, do you think a man will respond any less willingly?"

Yun Ok stood speechless. Then she turned and stepped down the trail, turning over in her mind images of the tiger and of her husband, back and forth. She knew what she could do.

Meditation: By your patience possess your souls. – Luke 21:19

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Once a man was walking along a beach. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a boy going back and forth between the surf's edge and the beach. Back and forth this lad went. As the man approached, he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was stuck by the apparent futility of the task. There were far too many starfish. Many of them were sure to perish. As he approached, the boy continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the boy, he said: "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference."

The boy looked at the man. He then stooped down and pick up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said: "It sure made a difference to that one!"

Making a difference is not until you are able to touch people in their thousands or millions. But by going out of your way to attend to a solitary person, you may just make an impression that will have a multiplier effect on a million people or last a thousand years.

Meditation: B[i]ut Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” [/i]– Exodus 3:11

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Once a master was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and a master told one of his disciples, I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water and, right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to the master to drink!” So he came back and told the master, the water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.

After about half an hour, again the master asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to his master.

The master looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be ... and the mud settled down on its own, and you got clear water... Your mind is also like that. When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”

What did a master emphasize here? He said, it is effortless. Having 'peace of mind' is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process. When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Meditation: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. – John 14:27

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Author Unknown

Take a 10-30 minute walk every day and while you walk, smile.

Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.

When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, “My purpose is to… today.”

Live with the 3 E’s: Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy, and the 3 F’s: Faith, Family, Friends.

Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

Dream more while you are awake.

Try to make at least three people smile each day.

Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn, pass all your tests. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Make peace with your past, so it won’t mess up the present.

Don’t compare your life with others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

Forgive everyone for everything.

What other people think of you is none of your business.

Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will; stay in touch.

The best is yet to come… Believe.

No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

Do the right thing!

Call your family often.

Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: “I am thankful for…” – “Today I accomplished…”

Meditation: Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. – John 4:34

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study, told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and how much he loved him. He handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box.

Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with his name embossed in gold.

Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?!"

He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible behind.

Many years passed and the young man became very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old. He thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to him. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important documents and saw the Bible, new, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words... PAID IN FULL.

Just like this son, how often do we reject God's blessings because we expected them to come packaged in the way we imagined them?

Meditation: So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. – Luke 11:9-10

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law and four year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table, but the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated at the mess. "We must do something about grandfather," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he sometimes had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four year old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?"

Just as sweetly the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Momma to eat your food from when I grow up." The four year old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days, he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observing, their ears ever listening, and their minds ever processing the message they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day the building blocks are being laid for the child's future.

Let us be wise builders.

Meditation: It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. – Luke 17:2

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

My brother Kevin thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night. He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped outside his closed door to listen. "Are you there, God?" he said. "Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed." I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room.

Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humour. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in. He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labour. Apart from his size (he's 6'2", there are few ways in which he is an adult. He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7 year old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas, and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.

I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life? Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, returning to eat his favourite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed. The only variation in the entire scheme are laundry days, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied. He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05 eager for a day of simple work. He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores. And Saturdays -- oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. "That one's goin' to Chi-car-go!" Kevin shouts as he claps his hands. His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

I don't think Kevin knows anything exists outside his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips. He doesn't know what it means to be discontent. His life is simple. He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. He recognizes no differences in people, treating each person as an equal and a friend. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it. He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax. He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others.
His heart is pure. He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue. Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere.

And he trusts God. Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God -- to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an "educated" person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith. It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions. It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap -- I am. My obligations, my fears, my pride, my circumstances -- they all become disabilities when I do not submit them to Christ.

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of the Lord. And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all.

Meditation: Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. – Luke 18:17

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

This young man was driving home one evening, on a two lane country road. Work in this small mid-western community was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac, but he never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter coming on, the chill had finally hit home.

It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most of his friends had already left. They had families to feed and dreams to fulfill, but he stayed on. After all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here and he knew the country. He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was on either side, and with his headlights not working, this came in handy.

It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He'd better get a move on. You know, he almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help, for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe. He looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you Ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through.

She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.

Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added "...and think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off.

It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of an out of work actor--it didn't ring much.

Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.

The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.

Then she remembered Bryan….

After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for a hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which were four one-hundred dollar bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.

She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right - I love you, Bryan."

Meditation: Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. – Luke 6:38

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

There was once a man who was ship-wrecked and stranded on an island. Every day he prayed asking God to send someone to rescue him, but to his disappointment, no one ever came.

Months passed and this man learned how to survive on the island. During this time, he accumulated things from the island and stored them in a hut that he constructed. One day after hunting for food and returning back to his hut, much to his dismay he saw that his hut was on fire along with everything else he owned!

All of his possessions were going up in smoke! The only thing he had left were the clothes on his back. Initially he was in shock, and then he was consumed with anger and rage!

In his fury he threw a fist into the air and began cursing God and yelling, “God, how could you let this happen to me? I’ve been praying everyday for months about being rescued and no one has come, and now everything that I have is on fire! How could you do to this to me! Why did you let this happen?”

Later the man was on his hands and knees weeping heavily when he happened to look up and catch sight of a ship coming in his direction. The man was rescued and as they were heading back to civilization the man asked the captain, “How were you able to find me?”

The captain responded, “We were voyaging across the ocean when we noticed on the horizon a column of smoke going up. We decided to go check it out and when we did, that’s when we found you!”

Meditation: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. – Romans 8:28

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

A small town chamber of commerce invited a speaker to address its annual dinner. The community’s economy was bad, people were discouraged, and they wanted this motivational speaker to give them a boost.

During her presentation, the speaker took a large piece of white paper and made a small black dot at the center with a marking pen. Then she held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw.

One person quickly replied, “I see a black dot.”

“Okay, what else do you see?”

Others joined in agreement: “A black dot.”

“Don’t you see anything besides the dot?” – she asked.

A resounding “No” came from the audience.

“What about the sheet of paper?” – asked the speaker. “I am sure you have all seen it”, she said, “But you have chosen to overlook it.”

“In life, we also tend to overlook and take for granted many wonderful things that we have or happen around us and focus our attention and energy on small, dotlike failures and disappointments. The so called ‘problems’ that we have are usually like the black dot on the paper. They are small and insignificant if we can widen our horizon and look at the whole picture.”

Are you one of the people who focus your attention and energy on dot-like problems?

Meditation: And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits and its width ten cubits.” – Zechariah 5:2

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

Author Unknown

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.

When he left, the waiter put 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 two cups of coffee but paid for three and left. This time also, the waiter did the same; he put 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 trash 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.

A truly beautiful thought. Probably the most beautiful wall you may ever see anywhere!

Meditation: Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. – Matthew 6:1

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.

“Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy.

Boy: “I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees anymore” the boy replied. “I want toys. I need money to buy them.”

Tree: “Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.”

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited.

“Come and play with me” the tree said.

“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”

“Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily.

The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted.

“Come and play with me!” the tree said.

“I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.

“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”

So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years.

“Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you”, the tree said.

“No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the man replied.

Tree: “No more trunk for you to climb on.”

“I am too old for that now,” the man said.

“I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.

“I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied.

“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad.

When we grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble.

No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy.

You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.

Moral: Treat your parents with loving care. For you will know their value, when you see their empty chair. We never know the love of our parents for us; till we have become parents.

Meditation: Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. – Deuteronomy 5:16

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special play time with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling." His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope." I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.

When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey. To give me hope." We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God, share this need to heal people and be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

Meditation: And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. – Luke 6:33

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Author Unknown

You’d like Jaydee a lot. Most people do. He’s the kind of guy who listens when you talk, who smiles often, and who says things that make the people around him smile. He’s intelligent, but in a way that makes others feel comfortable. It’s the way he expresses himself in simple terms that you can understand – almost like he’s articulating the thoughts you already have in your head, but haven’t yet found the right words say aloud.

It doesn’t matter who you are either. Jaydee always has a way of relating to you. Because, in a way, he’s been there with you all along. He can think like you, so he understands you. So many of us have limitations in our perceptions. We understand the soldiers but not the politics governing the war. We understand the people who go to the movies but not the ones who attend NASCAR races. But somehow Jaydee gets all of us. It’s his gift.

If he hasn’t actually been to the NASCAR race you’re talking about, he’ll be honest about it – but he’ll make you feel as if he was right there with you. And once you return home after spending a night with Jaydee, you’ll catch yourself smiling and thinking that there needs to be more people like him in the world. Because if there were, there would be far less to worry about.

Jaydee passed away today. I don’t really want to discuss the details, because honestly they aren’t relevant. It could have been a car accident. It could have been old age. We are often far too concerned with how people died, rather than how they lived. And I want you to know how he lived. He told stories – lots of stories that contained subtle insights and wisdom about our lives and the world around us. And today, I want to share with you the last story he told me before he died:
His Last Story

One Sunday morning when I was a little boy my father surprised me and took me to the fishing docks. But instead of fishing, like all the other little boys and girls were doing with their fathers, we sat down on the end of one of the docks and watched all the other children fish. For hours, we sat there and watched until we left without ever casting a single fishing line into the water.

I was simultaneously sad and angry. On the drive home I told my father that I’d never forgive him for being so cruel to me. He looked at me, smiled and said, “I love you, Jaydee.” When I didn’t respond, he asked, “Did you notice how happy all the other little boys and girls were? Did you see their smiles? Could you feel the happiness in their hearts?” After a moment of silence I quickly snapped, “I don’t really care! I just want to go fishing like everyone else!” My father sighed and kept driving.

We went back to the fishing docks dozens of Sunday mornings throughout my childhood. And each time we saw hundreds of other little boys and girls jumping and laughing and celebrating as they reeled in fish. But we still never cast a single fishing line into the water. We just sat in there on the end of that same dock and watched. And my father never explained why. But he didn’t need to. Because years later, as I entered adulthood, I suddenly realized that those mornings we spent sitting on that dock was where I learned how to love.

Meditation: Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. – Philippians 2:4

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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aaronson: Do you serve Jesus or God because Jesus in this context is so over hyped cus only God must be praised...The 10 commandment states thou shall not serve any other god but God...This religion thing is so confusing could somebody set me straight biblically cus that's the reason I go to church unfortunately have stopped lately cus they discuss more finance than my bank in the name/topic of prosperity while I'm stuck not knowing the bases for Christianity and who to serve,God or Jesus.

Dear Aaronson,

Good question. The Person being referred to here is Jesus Christ, and He cannot be over-hyped because He is the exact image of God and the ONLY recourse to God. In John 14:6 the Bible says, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

In another instance, it is said of Him in Acts 4:11-12:
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’[a] Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Those who are preaching money and prosperity to you only have half knowledge of Jesus. Because, those are part of the things that naturally come with the full Package of knowing Jesus and being assured in His salvation.

In Chemistry, He turned water to wine.

In Biology, He was born without the normal conception;

In Physics, He disproved the law of gravity when he ascended into heaven;

In Economics, He disproved the law of diminishing return by feeding 5000 men with two fishes and 5 loaves of bread;

In Medicine, He cured the sick and the blind without administering a single dose of drugs,

In History, He is the beginning and the end.

In Government, it is written that He shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace

In Religion, He said no one comes to the Father except through Him;

So, who is he? He is Jesus!

He is the Greatest Man in History.

Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer.

He had no army, yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.

He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.

It’s a massive honour to serve such a Leader who loves us!

Meditation: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Recently I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the mother said, "I love you, and I wish you enough".

The daughter replied, "Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Mom".

They kissed and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?"

"Yes, I have," I replied. "Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?”

"I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral," she said.

"When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough'. May I ask what that means?"

She began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone."

She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. "When we said, 'I wish you enough', we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them."

Then turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory:

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how grey the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

She then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them; but then an entire life to forget them.

Meditation: Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set. – Proverbs 22:28

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a by-product of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

I ask God to help me love others, as much as He loves me.
God said, “Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.”

Meditation: Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12:8-9

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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All the flowers
Of tomorrow
Are in the seeds of today.

The surest way to go broke,
Is to sit around
And wait for a break.

People with goals succeed,
Because they know
Where they are going.

Do it now.
You become successful
The very moment you start.

It is better to be trusted
Than to be liked.
Under-promise, but over-deliver.

We have
Two ears and one mouth,
Think twice, speak once.

To succeed,
Do the best you can
Where you are, with what you have.

Meditation: Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly. – Job 8:7

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Author Unknown

Don’t wait for a smile
to be nice

Don’t wait to be loved
to love

Don’t wait to be lonely
to recognise the value of a friend

Don’t wait for the best job
to begin to work

Don’t wait to have a lot
to share a bit

Don’t wait for the fall
to remember the advice

Don’t wait for pain
to believe in prayer

Don’t wait to have time
to be able to serve

Don’t wait for anybody else’s pain
to apologies
…neither separation to make it up

Don’t wait because you don’t know
how long it will take.

Meditation: …Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” – John 13:27

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at blue-chip company.

The HR manager interviewed him, then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.

"You are employed," he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start."

The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, nor an email."

"I'm sorry," said the HR manager, "If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job."

The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do. With only $10 left in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10Kg tomato crate. He sold the tomatoes in a door-to-door round. In less than two hours, he had doubled his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60.

The man realized that he can survive this way, so he started to go earlier every day and return late. Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day. Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles.

Five years later, the man became one of the biggest food retailers in his country. He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the deal was concluded, the broker asked him his email.

The man replied, "I don't have an email."

The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an email, and yet have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an email?!"

The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy in a blue-chip company!"

Moral of the story

1. Internet/email is not the solution to your life.
2. If you don't have Internet/email and work hard, you can still be all that God hascalled you to be.

Meditation: He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He has set the world upon them. – 1 Samuel 2:8

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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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

Samson 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

Peter denied Christ

The Disciples fell asleep while praying

Martha worried about everything

Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

Zaccheaus was too short

Paul was too religious

Timothy had an ulcer, and

Lazarus was dead!

Therefore, no more excuses!

God can use you to your full potential if only you yield to Him. Besides, you are not the message, you are just the messenger. So, don’t disqualify yourself with your obsession with your inadequacies or insult God by questioning or rationalising His sense of judgement.

God doesn’t call the qualified; but, those He calls, He qualifies.

Meditation: For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are. – 1 Corinthians 1:26-28

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Daily Dew is published by Sons of Issachar Projects. To subscribe by email or read previous editions, visit www.daily-dew.com

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Be a blessing; share this with your loved ones. God bless you!