The best sermons are lived not preached

Thanks to John C.

1. Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I'm working on for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, "Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile."

2. Today, I asked my mentor - a very successful businessman in his 70's- what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiled and said, "Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing."

3. Today, after a 72-hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn't recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, "On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center."

4. Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.

5. Today at 7AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.

6. Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother's hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, "I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often."

7. Today, I kissed my dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.

8. Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, "Why?" She replied, "So you can help me save the planet." I chuckled again and asked, "And why do you want to save the planet?" Because that's where I keep all my stuff," she said.

9. Today, when I witnessed a 27-year-old breast cancer patient laughing hysterically at her 2-year-old daughter's antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.

10. Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, "I hope you feel better soon."

11. Today, I was feeling down because the results of a biopsy came back malignant. When I got home, I opened an e-mail that said, "Thinking of you today. If you need me, I'm a phone call away." It was from a high school friend I hadn't seen in 10 years.

12. Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn't eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, "We can share it."

The best sermons are lived, not preached

PARENTS DAY

By Diane Forrest

This has been a very family oriented month...this past week especially.  We had cousin's day, aunt and uncle day, Family reunion Month, and today is Parent's Day.  Now you are probably wondering why parent's day?  We have a Mother's Day and a Father's Day aren’t they getting enough recognition?

According to Wikipedia, In the United States, Parents' Day is held on the fourth Sunday of every July. This was established in 1994 when President Bill Clinton signed a Congressional Resolution into law (36 U.S.C. § 135) for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children. “The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Trent Lott. It was supported by members of the Unification Church, which also celebrates a holiday called Parents' Day, although on a different date. United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said: "Replacing Mother's Day and Father's Day with a Parents' Day should be considered, as an observance more consistent with a policy of minimizing traditional sex-based differences in parental roles."  Leave it to a senator from Mississippi to come up with yet another holiday to honor our family members.

According to dateandtime.com, Parents’ Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday each year. Citizens, organizations, and federal, state, and local governmental and legislative entities are encouraged to recognize Parents’ Day through proclamations, activities, and educational efforts to recognize, uplift and support the role of parents in bringing up their children.

The Parents’ Day Council plays an active role in celebrating and promoting Parents’ Day through a range of events and activities.  For example, the council honors “Parents of the Year” at local, state and national levels. Those who have been nominated or selected are people who exemplify the standard and ideal of positive parenthood. Exemplary parents from each state are nominated for “National Parents of the Year”.

Parents’ Day is a popular time for people to send cards and gifts, including flowers, cakes and food hampers, to those who play an important role as a positive parental figure in their lives. It is also a time for families to come together for lunches or dinners. Special tributes to parental figures that are seen as role models are made through local announcements, at church services, or at local community events. Parents’ Day proclamations and rallies have been held in recent times and involved organizations such as the United Civil Rights Councils of America.

How will you be celebrating Parent's Day?

CELEBRATING AMERICA’S FREEDOMS

Let Freedom Ring..

By Terry Orr

Independence Day 2013 – It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. How will you celebrate this day?

Giving thanks each and every day when I awake for being alive; for another day to help others; thanking the Lord for all he has provided; and asking for guidance for this new day.

Today is also another day for giving thanks to all those men and women who have protected our country and way of life – far too many have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy our freedoms – as freedom is not free!

Please follow this link http://www.tinker.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100812-059.pdf , read, save and print it!  It is an excellent and informative document that explains why we celebrate our Freedom’s in America throughout the year.

For some interesting facts regarding the Fourth of July – please follow this link http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb13-ff14.html

Happy Independence Day America!!  Wishing you a happy, safe and enjoyable celebration.

 (Photos from Google) 

Nation’s Volunteer Week

By Diane Forrest

As I was sitting in church on Sunday, I was reading over the list of the activities for the week.  Saturday they are asking for volunteers to meet and help out people in the community.  Things they normally do are small repairs on homes, yard work, housework, or any type of thing that needs doing.

My mother frequently volunteers in many areas.  She works each week at the local hospital, she volunteers at the children's home, and she can also be found at the church working in many areas.  She helps with the television crew, library, nursery, and helps when there is a death in the church family.  My father also does alot of volunteer work, working at Habitat, Rotary; he has served on probably every committee in town, and with the Boy Scouts.  He can also be found lending his hand at the church and other civic events.

I like to volunteer as much as I can, although I’m not in the same league as my parents, I do help at church, and with the children's home, and frequently help with the elderly at church.

Volunteers give their time, energy, and even own money to help their fellow man.  They don't expect anything in return, but today I would like to ask you to give them something.  They need and deserve your thanks and gratitude for a job well done.

This week we are celebrating the nation's volunteers, so don’t forget to give them praise, and if you don't know anyone who volunteers their time, then why not take a couple of hours out of your day to volunteer in your community?