Tagged: todays story

Several years ago I noticed something strange: people seemed to be smiling at me more often. During my young adult years people had never smiled at me that much. Most of the people I saw seemed to have grim, tense faces. They would look at me for only a second or avert their eyes altogether. Sometimes they would nod or say “hi” but more often said nothing at all. All that seemed to change, though, as I got older. For some surprising reason people were suddenly greeting me with a warm smile when I passed them. Their eyes seemed to...

THE GIFT OF LISTENING . . . But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening. THE GIFT OF AFFECTION . . . Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.  THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER . . . Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”  THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE . . . It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet....

The disciples surely thought it was finished, that the world had gone insane. How could the Father allow this to happen? Was Jesus teaching all in vain? Both Mary’s surely thought it was finished, as they witnessed their worst fears, seeing the Man they both loved near death. They could hardly see Him through their tears. The high priests surely thought it was finished, their voices rising in a victory shout, as they watched their plan grow to fruition, thinking their competition had been wiped out. Pontius Pilate just wanted it finished. To what crimes can this Man confess? Since...

The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance.   Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.” Promptly a return message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.” The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south–I am the captain!” Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north–I am a seaman third class Jones.” Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter...

Time has passed; I’m growing old. There is much that I have seen betwixt the time when I was born and all the years between. Many a lesson has been learned on this journey of my life with mountains of joy and happiness and valleys of toil and strife. Through years of struggle, I came to see the value of work and trial. In time I learned to be content and reflect on it awhile. And in those quiet moments, I learned this to be true: My life would have no meaning, Lord if I had not found you. Every...