I am reading Dreams of a Woman by Sharon Jaynes. It is a really great book. I recommend it to everyone. I wish it wasn't a womany title, because the men need its message to. I was expecting something a bit different when I selected the book. I have to admit I was a little disappointed at first, but, wow this book, in addition to others I have recenlty read, has changed my understanding of the atonement and Jesus Christ. I love it!!
Anyway, here is the excerpt I wanted to share:
One day my son was turning flips on the monkey bars on the playground and got a peice of bark in his eye. "Get it out!! Get it out!!" he cried. While he was in pain and desperately wanted me to remove the bark, he wouldn't remove his hand from his eye to let me attend to it. He vacillated between "Get it out" and "Don't touch it". Finally the pain overcame his fear, and he decided to trust me. It took me 45 minutes to convince him to remove his hand and 30 seconds for me to remove the peice of bark from his eye.
What a lesson: Let go and let God.
Along the same lines, I heard a story about a little boy who had his hand caught in a valuable vase. His elders pushed and pulled, tugged and twisted, but nothing worked. After some time, they decided they would have to break the vase, valuable as it was, to free the boy's hand. But before the hammer came crashing down on the beautiful procelain, the boy's father coaxed him one last time. "Son, I want you to open your fingers and spread them apart, draw them together at the tips, and try one more time to slide your hand from the vase."
He replied, "I can't open my fingers like that, Daddy, because if I do, I'll drop my penny!"
The boy's hand was stuck becaue his tight fist clutched a penny. They were about to sacrifice something very valuable because he would not let go of something worthless.
How about you? Are you hanging on to disappointment, an unfulfilled dream, not allowing yourself to be free to move where God wants you to move? Like the boy with his hand caught in the vase, are you held captive because you, too, refuse to let go? Oh my friend, God has such great plans for us, His children. Let's let go of the past and be free to become all that He has created us to be.
Broken Dreams
Just as my child brings his broken toys
with tears for me to mend,
I took my broken dreams to God
because he was my friend.
But then instead of leaving Him
in peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How could You be so slow?"
"What could I do, My child," He said,
"You never did let go."
By Faith Mitchner
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
The Bamboo Tree
This is one of my favorite stories. I heard it on a system cd's a few years ago. And, I related with it so much. To me, it goes back to learning line upon line. Sometimes I think we all feel that we aren't getting where we want to be/becoming the person we want to become etc. fast enough. I know you can all relate. This story helps me keep things in persepective. It helps me know that I AM growing. Even when it appears on the surface that there has been no change!! Enjoy!! (You can find it on page 59 of Day by Day with James Allen; a great book)
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Bamboo Tree
Bamboo Tree grow up to about a 100 feet high in the air. But, the most incredible thing about them is how they grow. You have to water the bamboo tree every day for 5 years and you cannot miss one single day or it will not sprout
When the bamboo tree sprouts, after 1825 days of watering it grows 3 feet every 24 hours and within six weeks it will grow over 90 feet high. You can actually sit and watch it grow.
So, imagine you if you decided to grow a bamboo tree in your backyard. You took your little stock and you dug your three feet and you covered it and you are out there watering it every day. So, suppose one of your neighbors sees you doing this for several days and asks “What are you watering this same spot every day for?” And you tell him, “Well I am going to grow a bamboo tree. So, after five years of watering this every day it is going to sprout and grow ninety feet high. You oughta do it too!” (Do any of you relate??)
Well, they turn to you and say, “Well no, I’ll wait and see if it works for you.”
So, the next year the same neighbor sees that you are watering that same spot of ground and he asks, “Why do you keep watering the same spot and nothing happens?” And you tell the man, “It takes time to grow a bamboo tree but once it comes out of the ground it’s the most awesome sight to see. You oughta grow one too!!” The neighbor just laughed and replied, “No, I’ll just wait and see how yours turns out.”
Well, the third year the neighbor isn’t talking to you anymore and doesn’t want anything to do with you. And the whole neighborhood has heard about this crazy person on the block who keeps watering every day and hoping to grow a bamboo tree. And the fourth year they are sizing you up for a straight jacket and none of the children are allowed to play near your home.
But, in the fifth year the ground breaks open and that stock that you had planted catches its first rays of sunshine and away it goes. Six weeks later the neighbors are admiring the awesome sight that you now have and wishing that they had a bamboo tree. But, they would have to wait five years for theirs to grow. Boy, do they wish they had listened to you five years ago.
_______________________________________________________
Bamboo Tree
Bamboo Tree grow up to about a 100 feet high in the air. But, the most incredible thing about them is how they grow. You have to water the bamboo tree every day for 5 years and you cannot miss one single day or it will not sprout
When the bamboo tree sprouts, after 1825 days of watering it grows 3 feet every 24 hours and within six weeks it will grow over 90 feet high. You can actually sit and watch it grow.
So, imagine you if you decided to grow a bamboo tree in your backyard. You took your little stock and you dug your three feet and you covered it and you are out there watering it every day. So, suppose one of your neighbors sees you doing this for several days and asks “What are you watering this same spot every day for?” And you tell him, “Well I am going to grow a bamboo tree. So, after five years of watering this every day it is going to sprout and grow ninety feet high. You oughta do it too!” (Do any of you relate??)
Well, they turn to you and say, “Well no, I’ll wait and see if it works for you.”
So, the next year the same neighbor sees that you are watering that same spot of ground and he asks, “Why do you keep watering the same spot and nothing happens?” And you tell the man, “It takes time to grow a bamboo tree but once it comes out of the ground it’s the most awesome sight to see. You oughta grow one too!!” The neighbor just laughed and replied, “No, I’ll just wait and see how yours turns out.”
Well, the third year the neighbor isn’t talking to you anymore and doesn’t want anything to do with you. And the whole neighborhood has heard about this crazy person on the block who keeps watering every day and hoping to grow a bamboo tree. And the fourth year they are sizing you up for a straight jacket and none of the children are allowed to play near your home.
But, in the fifth year the ground breaks open and that stock that you had planted catches its first rays of sunshine and away it goes. Six weeks later the neighbors are admiring the awesome sight that you now have and wishing that they had a bamboo tree. But, they would have to wait five years for theirs to grow. Boy, do they wish they had listened to you five years ago.
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