A Happy Birthday!

Remember My Birthday????

As you well know, we are getting closer to my birthday.
Every year there is a celebration in my honor and I think that this year the celebration will be repeated. During this time there are many people shopping for gifts, there are many radio announcements, TV commercials, and in every part of the world everyone is talking that my birthday is getting closer and closer.

It is really very nice to know, that at least once a year, some people think of me. As you know, the celebration of my birthday began many years ago. At first people seemed to understand and be thankful of all that I did
for them, but in these times, no one seems to know the reason for the celebration. Family and friends get together and have a lot of fun, but they don't know the meaning of the celebration.

I remember that last year there was a great feast in my honor. The dinner table was full of delicious foods, pastries, fruits, assorted nuts and chocolates. The
decorations were exquisite and there were many, many beautifully wrapped gifts. But, do you want to know something? I wasn't invited. I was the guest of honor and they didn't remember to send me an invitation.

The party was for me, but when that great day came, I was left outside, they closed the door in my face......... and I wanted to be with them and share their table.


In truth, that didn't surprise me because in the last few years all close their doors to me.

Since I was not invited, I decided to enter the party without making any noise. I went in and stood in a corner. They were all drinking; there were some who were
drunk and telling jokes and laughing at everything. They were having a great time.

To top it all, this big fat man all dressed in red wearing a long white beard entered the room yelling Ho-Ho-Ho! He seemed drunk. He sat on the sofa and all the children ran to him, saying : "Santa Claus, Santa Claus"... as if the party were in his honor !


At 12 midnight all the people began to hug each other; I extended my arms waiting for someone to hug me and .... do you know ... no one hugged me.

Suddenly they all began to share gifts. They opened them one by one with great expectation. When all had been opened, I looked to see if, maybe, there was one for me.
What would you feel if on your birthday everybody shared gifts and you did not get one ? I then understood that I was unwanted at that party and quietly left.

Every year it gets worse.

People only remember to eat and drink, the gifts, the parties and nobody remembers me.

I would like this Christmas that you allow me to enter into your life.

I would like that you recognize the fact that almost two thousand years ago I came to this world to give my life for you, on the cross, to save you. Today, I only want that you believe this with all you heart. I want to share something with you. As many didn't invite me to their party, I will have my own celebration, a grandiose party that no one has ever imagined, a spectacular party.

I'm still making the final arrangements. Today I am sending out many invitations and there is an invitation for you. I want to know if you wish to attend and I will
make a reservation for you and write your name with golden letters in my great guest book. Only those on the guest list will be invited to the party. Those who don't answer the invitation, will be left outside.

Do you know how you can answer this invitation?

it is by extending it to others whom you care for...


I'll be waiting for all of you to attend my party this
year... See you soon .... I love you !

- Jesus

Practice makes perfect! Psalms 34:1 I will bless ...

Practice makes perfect!

Psalms 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?"
The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the room with you." The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week."
A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy."
The rabbi then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week."
A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat -- only the nine of us."

This is a funny story but how many of us know how to be truly thankful in the face of trial? Many powerhouses of the faith who preceded us realized the importance of mastering thankfulness. How much more should we who have so much more than they!

We have an opportunity this Thanksgiving week, to practice being thankful! If we’re struggling today, let’s practice paising God in thankfulness for all the good things He's done! He deserves all of our praise regardless of our circumstance!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Rivka and Elianna WhittenCurrently near Be'er Sheva, Israel

Pumpkin ... You ... God ... Fall ... !

Happy Autumn,

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

This was passed on to me from another pumpkin. Now, it is your turn to pass it to a pumpkin. I liked this enough to send it to all the pumpkins in my patch.

Happy Fall.

A.S.A.P

Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? Generally we think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new way to deal with those rough days along the way.

*************

There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

********

My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass this to four people you want to be blessed.

This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached, please do not break this pattern; prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards, let's continue to pray for one another.

God bless and have a nice day!

MUCH LOVE --



In the tiny petal of a tiny flower
that grew from a tiny pod,
Is the miracle and the mystery
Of all creation and God!


This is lovely.. I try to keep it going.

God said No!

I hope that you can get the effects on your computers! The words are great, but the movements of the faces add a lot....:-)

(Unfortunately I can't post the faces here now ... Sorry guys!)

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 byproduct 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 asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

If you love God, send this to ten people.

THIS DAY IS YOURS DON'T THROW IT AWAY

May God Bless You,

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world"

"May the Lord Bless you and keep you,
May the Lord Make his face shine upon you,
and give you Peace.....Forever"
"Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them,
but you know they are always there."

A Perfect War !

Yeah ! Its between legality and morality as usual. But why is it war this time ?



Actually, you can take it as you like, ....... a contrast, a lost connection or a debate. But I take it to be war because, its what happened in me. Yeah ! It happened !!



But, what actually is it ?



Its, what should I do ?



First, before, I answer this question, let me tell you the story. I know, this is what you want to know first !



OK ! Here it is !



May be I was 14 or 15 years old then. Doing my final years of school, dreaming about the big brother days of college. A new math teacher was appointed in our school and he made a good impact on the whole school. Everyone know him for his hot blood and innovative approaches in teaching and learning. As I’m good at math and known among school folks of my controversies, we came together often and got together well. Eventually, I ended up being his pet student and he my Idol/Hero. By the time I’m in my final year of school, he made a good group of students who come to him every evening for math tuition. So, obviously they become my friends and we all started being a gang. A gang well known in the city as ‘ Gnani Gang ‘. Every one know us, at least every legal authority, from courts to Panchyathi office to every constable in every police station in the city.

I learned being grown up. I started drinking, watching p***, going to late night movies without telling to my parents, mid-night parties and a lot. But I still wonder why I never messed up with girls. They always been a foreign thing, even though I watched x-rated videos and all other guys have girl-friends, who meet them secretly in my house. I’m not blaming anyone for I learned all that, neither me :-). It just happened so.

One day in my final year of school, we had a late night party and we all got drunk. At the end of the party all are inebriated except for me and my teacher and he said we are going some where and took me there. It is a hut made of straw with a table for some bottles and glass tumblers and a big bed-sheet spread on the ground. He introduced me to some of them and this one in particular. He is a gangster who is hiding out then, for there are a lot of crime reports filed against him. At that age I used to believe there exist god gangsters as they show in movies. So, I felt like I’m doing a good job hanging with a real-life hero.



And they started talking and planning about killing someone. As their talks went by, I’m growing curious and started concentrating on it. Listening to every detail. Since, I’m in drunk, I couldn’t get it all ( now I don’t know what exactly it was as they spoke, word by word, but I remember the picture that I picturised based on the words), so I tried hard. At times, I felt like I should help and gave them some advises, being feeling proud as if I’m doing a part of heros job. They gave me a compliment, saying I could make a great politician, about what I felt proud.

Later I went home dropping my teacher at his home on my bike. Two days later, I was reading, as usual, newspaper which said a priest has been killed the night before at around 10:15 PM on the street. When I was reading I felt proud for I know it far before the news paper know.

From then, I read for an other week, a lot of funny stories made by the media, in news papers and had fun getting amazed at the way people interpret facts and build stories no where near to the truth. Later it got faded out in the wind that is gone by the time, both in my mind and on the papers. But for that one week it made a good deal of noise in the political drama by both religious and social leaders.



So, now, back now, here I’m ...... here, thinking of what I did in a completely different perspective.



Oh! Really ?



I don’t know, but I could see some sin in that.



I just see the sin now ?



No!



Actually I know its wrong, but ....... let me explain it.



Right then, when it happened, I didn’t have a judging mind. I’m all about being crazy. Being the one, who give everyone, a surprise and just do what I like to do, just for fun ....... Later on, it came to me a lot of times, but I had reasons ....... I mean reasons, reasons that say I’m right ...... in many ways ....... in all ways.



This gangster is under the financial and moral support for life of this politician, who asked him to do that. So, he was just obeying his master. Gnani was just helping his friend on his errand, ho helped him a lot of times. I was in there, with no knowledge of what is going on, but what is happening (I’m talking about inner nad outer consciousness). But now (when I was rethinking), it was past. May duty to past is to tell what I know to who need to know. But what will come out of it. Gnani and the Gangster going to jail.



Actually, Gnani lost his first child in birth and met with an accident that took him six months to recover. Should he still go through any more prosecution ? Should I just spoil his life’s flow and provoke the evil in him ? What if I forgive him in the name of Holy Spirit ?



So, should I let the gangster and the political leader go with it ?



I don’t have to worry about everything. God knows it and he will show to the one person, whom he made take care of it, how to do that . So, I’m fine.



I used to believe no one do, what is not planned by God for them. Even sin is ! I still believe sin is created b God, or how else something come out of no creator and God is the only creator of anything. So, I didn’t do anything out of God’s will.

This was what I used to believe. But now, in the new perspective of Christ, I totally got lost. Even now, I may don’t do much good taking the culprit to Justice, rather disturb a beautiful life of a man. I know, I did something wrong, and I no more do this or let this happen. And, if I have to confess, as for the laws of obedience, what else I do than being a cause to an other havoc, that may lead to some other sin or a total disaster of my own and others life, everyone loved me so much, my family and a lot more many.



Does God appreciate this by obeying the law or breaking the law for good sake ?



Is what I’m doing really good ?



What if I just be calm and write a letter to Gnani about how I feel and pray for forgiveness ?



Man ! Its simple !!



Is it ?



Is there a responsibility, I should be responsibility, I should be responsible for?



If so, what is it ?



Do I have something to do with that ?

Or am I just worrying about something I really don’t have to as I always do ?



But why did I hear about this story ? Is it just happened and its not a message to me ?













Do you want to hear this story ?

Here it is !

A high school guy and his older friend went to a shop. The older guy went into shop, robbed it and killed the girl behind the counter and came back to car while the young guy was waiting in car. As the young guy realized, there is something wrong, he insisted the older guy told him all that happened and abused him that he will kill him to if he said a word out. So, the young guy kept it a secret and two weeks later both of them were in jail.

A Story of Three Trees

Do not miss any line from this.Sometimes we get what we need and not what we want... Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, Someday, I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems and be decorated with intricate carvings. Everyone would see my beauty. The second tree said, Someday, I would be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of other world. Everyonewill feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull. Finally, the third tree said, I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close tothem I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all times, and people will always remember me.After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One came to the first tree and said, This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into atreasure chest. At the second tree, one of the other woodsmen said, this looks like a strong tree. I should be able to sell it to the shipyard. The second tree was happy, because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship. When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened, because it knew that, if it were cut down, its dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, I don't need anything special from tree, so I'll take this one, and he cut it down When the first tree arrived at the carpenter, he was! Made into a feed box for animals, placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship andcarrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into largepieces and left alone in the dark.Then years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they laid the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time. Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose, and the tree didn't! 'T think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man and he stood and said Peace, and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat. Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets and the crowd mocked the man who was carrying it. Finally the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.



The moral of this story is that; when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but his ways are always best. Sometimes the heart sees what the eyes can't. Keep it moving...pass it on, so it could inspire more people. Cheers