Gratitude for yet another Sabbath Day!

Today I was blessed to give a lesson in church on Charity.
It was simply amazing and as always, I think often that I get more out of the lessons than those I teach. I loved this story about what a touchstone is and how it works!

“The touchstone of compassion is a measure of our discipleship; it is a measure of our love for God and for one another.”

The two great commandments are the Lord’s touchstone for our discipleship.

In ancient times, one test of the purity of gold was performed with a smooth, black, siliceous stone called a touchstone. When rubbed across the touchstone, the gold produced a streak or mark on its surface. The goldsmith matched this mark to a color on his chart of graded colors. The mark was redder as the amount of copper or alloy increased or yellower as the percentage of gold increased. This process showed quite accurately the purity of the gold.

The touchstone method of testing the purity of gold was quick and was satisfactory for most practical purposes. But the goldsmith who still questioned the purity completed a more accurate test by using a process that involved fire.

I suggest to you that the Lord has prepared a touchstone for you and me, an outward measurement of inward discipleship that marks our faithfulness and will survive the fires yet to come.
It made me ... with my efforts, that I will be strong enough to survive the hard times yet ahead of me. Being made equal to anything that the Lord needs me to do!

On one occasion while Jesus was teaching the people, a certain lawyer approached him and posed this question: “Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus, the master teacher, replied to the man, who obviously was well-versed in the law, with a counter-question, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?”

The man replied with resolute summary the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”

With approval Christ responded, “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25–28).

The Savior taught us to love everyone, including those who may be difficult to love.

As if excusing himself for asking such a simple question of the Master, the lawyer sought to justify himself by further inquiring, “And who is my neighbour?” (Luke 10:29).Of course one of the greatest parables was this one...Parable of the Good Samaritan...(Luke 10:30–35).

I love the words to one of my favorite hymns!

Savior, may I learn to love thee,

Walk the path that thou hast shown,

Pause to help and lift another,

Finding strength beyond my own. …

Who am I to judge another

When I walk imperfectly?

In the quiet heart is hidden

Sorrow that the eye can’t see. …

I would be my brother’s keeper;

I would learn the healer’s art.

To the wounded and the weary

I would show a gentle heart.

I would be my brother’s keeper—

Lord, I would follow thee.

(Hymns, 1985, no. 220.)

Charity is the pure love of Christ and will not fail.  Loving others is “a more excellent way.”

This was a sweet story of someone that truly understands what Charity really means!

As a young man, Brother Vern Crowley said he learned something of the crucial lesson the Prophet Joseph had taught the early Saints in Nauvoo when he told them to “love others, even our enemies as well as friends.” This is a good lesson for each of us.

After his father became ill, Vern Crowley took responsibility for running the family wrecking yard although he was only fifteen years of age. Some customers occasionally took unfair advantage of the young man, and parts were disappearing from the lot overnight. Vern was angry and vowed to catch someone and make an example of him. Vengeance would be his.

Just after his father had started to recover from his illness, Vern was making his rounds of the yard one night at closing time. It was nearly dark. In a distant corner of the property, he caught sight of someone carrying a large piece of machinery toward the back fence. He ran like a champion athlete and caught the young thief. His first thought was to take out his frustrations with his fists and then drag the boy to the front office and call the police. His heart was full of anger and vengeance. He had caught his thief, and he intended to get his just dues.

Out of nowhere, Vern’s father came along, put his weak and infirm hand on his son’s shoulder, and said, “I see you’re a bit upset, Vern. Can I handle this?” He then walked over to the young would-be thief and put his arm around his shoulder, looked him in the eye for a moment, and said, “Son, tell me, why are you doing this? Why were you trying to steal that transmission?” Then Mr. Crowley started walking toward the office with his arm around the boy, asking questions about the young man’s car problems as they walked. By the time they had arrived at the office, the father said, “Well, I think your clutch is gone and that’s causing your problem.”

In the meantime, Vern was fuming. “Who cares about his clutch?” he thought. “Let’s call the police and get this over with.” But his father just kept talking. “Vern, get him a clutch. Get him a throwout bearing, too. And get him a pressure plate. That should take care of it.” The father handed all of the parts to the young man who had attempted robbery and said, “Take these. And here’s the transmission, too. You don’t have to steal, young man. Just ask for it. There’s a way out of every problem. People are willing to help.”

Brother Vern Crowley said he learned an everlasting lesson in love that day. The young man came back to the lot often. Voluntarily, month by month, he paid for all of the parts Vic Crowley had given him, including the transmission. During those visits, he asked Vern why his dad was the way he was and why he did what he did. Vern told him something of their Latter-day Saint beliefs and how much his father loved the Lord and loved people. Eventually the would-be thief was baptized. Vern later said, “It’s hard now to describe the feelings I had and what I went through in that experience. I, too, was young. I had caught my crook. I was going to extract the utmost penalty. But my father taught me a different way.”

A different way? A better way? A higher way? A more excellent way? 

… Charity encompasses all other godly virtues. It distinguishes both the beginning and the end of the plan of salvation. When all else fails, charity—Christ’s love—will not fail. It is the greatest of all divine attributes.

Out of the abundance of his heart, Jesus spoke to the poor, the downtrodden, the widows, the little children; to farmers and fishermen, and those who tended goats and sheep; to strangers and foreigners, the rich, the politically powerful, as well as the unfriendly Pharisees and scribes. He ministered to the poor, the hungry, the deprived, the sick. He blessed the lame, the blind, the deaf, and other people with physical disabilities. He drove out the demons and evil spirits that had caused mental or emotional illness. He purified those who were burdened with sin. He taught lessons of love and repeatedly demonstrated unselfish service to others. All were recipients of his love.

what a great reminder today...the perfect one I needed!
Hope you guys had a great Sabbath too!

Good Night dear friends!

Is there enough evidence?

I read this post yesterday from Jason F. Wright, one of my favorite authors.
I don't even know his friend that passed away, but I am touched by the wonderful things that Jason wrote about him.
I have often wondered about this quote, when I have thought about my own life.
“If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” 
It truly makes you stop and think about your choices and actions in life!
Good Night dear friends!

In memory of Paul Moore. (Joni Young Moore, Kodi Erekson Wright,Laurel Christensen Day, Chantelle Squires) ‪#‎justliketheson‬

Jason F. Wright Official Fan Page added 3 new photos.

12 hrs · 

I don't often post with tears in my eyes. But this is one of those rare moments that invites my pride to sleep a little longer today.

And maybe it's because this post is about the sun ... and the Son.

I learned in the middle of the night that my friend Paul Moore died. You might recall that I wrote about Paul and his inspiring family last fall. Introducing him to my wife Kodi just 10 days ago is among the highlights of our marriage.

Being part of a special film with the Moores in his final mortal days is among the highlights of my career.

Know this — few people have ever faced certain death with such faith, hope and charity.

Walking with my family on the beach early this morning in Corolla, North Carolina, I looked out at the Sabbath sun and felt such gratitude for having known him.

God didn't have to cross our paths. But He did.

It's a blessing I didn't earn, but one I will always cherish.

Looking at the rising sun, I wonder why I feel such love for Paul and his dear wife, Joni.

It's not because of their suffering — many of us walk every single day through a painful loop of hearts that break, mend and then break again.

It’s not because of the divine love they have for one another. I know many marriages, including my own, that are sealed tight in a partnership with God.

Looking at the sun rising in the east and bathing everything in its redeeming light, I think it's because Paul reminds me of the Son.

Let's be clear, Paul was not perfect. That word is reserved for the One we follow. But in so many ways, Paul reminds me of Christ.

He was kind, gentle, generous, forgiving, patient, hardworking, loving, longsuffering and knowledgeable. Paul knew the gospel because Paul lived the gospel.

Despite his trials, Paul rose each day like the sun. He was a source of light to many outside his humble town.

Just like the Son.

Then, when he faced certain death, at far too young an age, he did so with faith, hope and charity.

Just like the Son.

And as the sun came to life across the ocean at my sandy feet, Paul will one day rise again.

Just like the Son.

In memory of Paul Moore.
1979-2016

What goes around...comes around!

It was another fun filled day with the family. Erica went with me to work...I taught the 3rd Day of Christmas today, then Amy and the girls came over. Jeff and family went to Seattle and the Zoo, so they had a great time too.
Then tonight we all went and got dinner and took it to the park...what a great visit this has been with my brother and his sweet kids.
Then right before it got dark, we decided we wanted to run by Michaels the craft store and get a few things for the girls while they were here. It was important that we get them as addicted as we could to sewing, crafting, scrapbooking. What fun!

I loved this video that my daughter sent me of someone who truly understood what the quote " What goes around...comes around" meant. Watch it and see, it's only a couple of minutes but you will need tissues...Just sayin!
What goes around...goes around...Here:

I have watched this video a few times, and cry each time. What a wonderful reminder that life is short and that each day we have a chance to change someone's life for the better!
Good Night dear friends!

How will people sum up my life?

I am behind on writing this weekend, guess I sorta forgot what healthy feels like. Being busy and doing things again feels so wonderful.
I loved this article from Jason F. Wright, and how he explains his Grandmother's life. It made me wondered how people will describe my life when I am gone?
Makes me want to try harder in everything... when I think of that.
What a wonderful tribute from a Grandson!
Grand children are just quite the blessing aren't they?
Good night dear friends!

What 3 words would describe your life?

Mary Marva Thompson Fletcher. January 9, 1918 – June 18, 2014.

I’ve been blessed to speak on four continents in front of crowds ranging from seven to 7,000. I’ve spoken at schools, churches, corporate chicken dinners and at backyard barbecues.

Somehow through these years, I’ve maintained a streak of attending many funerals, but never speaking at one.

Last week in southern Utah, in the red shadows of Bryce Canyon, that streak was broken.

My maternal grandmother, Mary Marva Thompson Fletcher, passed away and was remembered in Cannonville, a town hand-painted by heaven in Garfield County.

Before the sun had set on the same day Grandma took her last beautiful breath on this short side of eternity, my aunt Rosemary Fletcher had asked if I’d speak at the service. Rosie has been so selflessly caring for Grandma for years, and if she asked me to walk to the edge of the Earth with no shoes and a broken big toe, I’d be in Denver by dark.When my mother called me from her home in Charlottesville, Virginia, the news was the classic double-whammy. Not only had her mother died, but my mom would not be able to attend. Recent back surgery keeps her from sitting for more than 20 minutes at a time, and the doctor said making the trip was impossible.

She began by explaining my grandmother’s lifelong love of the scriptures.A couple of days later, with my travel arrangements set, Rosie and I spoke by phone about what I might share.

“Did she have a favorite story, chapter or verse?” I asked.

The answer came before the verbal question mark. “Faith, hope and charity.

“Faith, hope and charity,” I repeated and Rosie explained her mother’s love for the scriptures teachings on the importance of those three attributes.

On the flights from D.C. to Detroit to Las Vegas. In a rental car with my brother racing north along Interstate 15 to Cedar City. Then, twisting along Route 20 through Panguich, Bryce and Tropic.During the days between that call and standing at the pulpit in a humble chapel in Utah’s Color Country, I heard those three words over and over.

“Faith, hope and charity.”

If your life had to be summed up before God and man in three words, if your friends and family gathered tomorrow to plant and fertilize your legacy, what three words would they use?

My grandmother made these words verbs in her life.During my remarks, I read sections of the chapter and noted the critical link between the three attributes and the active nature of these words.

She’d exercised her faith muscles and learned to trust in the Lord’s wisdom and not her own.

She’d turned hope into a routine for daily living. She knew hope in Christ’s Atonement was the only way she’d survive an occasionally challenging life and find eternal happiness in the next.

“Faith, hope and charity.”She truly accepted charity as the pure love of Jesus Christ. She learned that to truly love him is to follow him, and tried to see all of us the way he does. When the world was often quick to give up on someone, Grandma saw through a much longer lens and recognized infinite goodness and potential.

Three perfect words that describe Marva Fletcher’s imperfect but Christ-centered life.

How about you? What three words will be used to describe your time taking this temporal test with an eternal grade?As I write these final lines from 39,000 feet somewhere over Ohio, as I look out the window at a red sky that reminds me of the rocks in Grandma’s backyard, I can’t stop wondering what three words might be used to describe my own life when body and soul part for a season.

Me? I’ve got a long, long way to go, but if Grandma wouldn’t mind sharing, I’d be honored to use hers and to live in the golden glow of her and my grandpa’s righteous legacies.

“Faith, hope and charity.”

Time to earn them.

Brothers Jason Wright, left, Sterling Wright and Jeff Wright at Cannonville Cemetery for the services of their maternal grandmother Marva Fletcher.

I found the article here:

More than just riding!

I watched this story and loved how people take their talents and compassion for others...and end up making such a difference in the world. That is what life is all about I believe!

Stepney Bank Stables is an equestrian center that provide opportunities for children and adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to develop life skills.


You can see the you tube here:

Mission statement:Stepney Bank Stables is committed to making horses and riding accessible to the whole community. We offer opportunities to volunteers of all ages to develop in confidence and skills whilst helping others.

Our Values:
We provide outstanding equestrian training. Commercial riding lessons provide the focus for all other activities and enable us to support those most in need.

We engage with vulnerable young people and adults, raising their aspirations and helping them to feel positively about themselves and their futures.

By choosing to ride with us you can not only have a fantastic time, learn valuable skills whilst keeping fit but you will also be helping local disadvantaged young people.

 

Stepney Bank Stables - More than just riding!

Kid's project to help Oklahoma tornado victims!

 I have always been impressed on how Jason F. Wright, writes and when you read his books, how you often want to go out and make a difference in the world. Well, obviously Jason and his wife have taught that same principle of giving ...to their kids. Look at the idea they came up with!

Kids launch toy crane, stuffed animal project for Oklahoma tornado victims

---

June 11, 2013

My children have always enjoyed playing the toy crane machines that guard the entrances of grocery stores, malls, restaurants and arcades. Kason Wright, my 9-year-old son, has such a high success rate that the folks who service these machines coordinate their restocking schedule with his allowance day.
We often joke that if dropping out of elementary school and turning pro were an option, he'd hold a press conference, hire an agent and line up sponsorship deals.
My wife reminds me the kids come by their toy crane prowess honestly. I've been playing the toy crane since the toys were slathered in lead paint and the cost was just a nickel. Even now as an old-timer on the toy-crane circuit I'll often stop to play when I'm on my own. "Never let the skills go rusty," I tell myself.
One night last week, I listened as the boys giggle-chatted in the backseat about their embarrassment of stuffed-animals riches after a particularly successful stop at our local Walmart in Woodstock, Va. Kason and his 6-year-old brother, Koleson, had just won three times on our way out of the store.
Then, before we'd even left the shopping center parking lot, Kason asked the kind of question parents live for. "Dad, what if we sent all our toy crane prizes to the kids in Oklahoma who lost their stuffed animals in the tornado?"
I stopped the car and looked over my shoulder. "Really?"
"Well, we've got lots and some of those kids probably lost all of their stuffed animals."
It was yet another reminder that my children's goodness surpasses mine in almost every imaginable way.
By the time we pulled in to the driveway, Kason and Koleson had decided that their friends might also want to send their own toy crane prizes and other stuffed animals. They dubbed it The Toy Crane Project and made plans for a website to invite others to join their mission.
Later that night my wife and two daughters returned home and I listened as the boys laid out their idea. There's nothing quite like hearing your 6-year-old son describe with pure giddiness his plans to build a website with pictures, video and "infostructions."
Over the next few days, the boys began telling people about their project and started sorting through their own stash of stuffed animals. Meanwhile, longtime family friend Eric Farnsworth helped with graphics, Aaron Lee compiled a highlight reel for YouTube and Stephen Funk donated both expertise and Web space for the site.
Before details had even been announced, good pals Stuart Freakley and his young daughter, Anna, were on our porch donating the very first collection of stuffed animals. Kason and Koleson got their older sisters excited about the project, too, and organized piles of stuffed critters began appearing on the floor.
Thanks to our good friends at the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, we soon had a drop-off location for local donations and a mailing address for others who might wish to help from a distance. Anyone who knows her - or the spirit of the chamber - wasn't surprised that Jenna French, executive director, couldn't say "Yes!" fast enough.
Just like that, in less than a week, the desire to do good went from a dream hatched in the backseat of our car to plush reality.
Hours before the website and video went live, I asked Kason what he hoped the Toy Crane Project would accomplish. "I want to help make the kids in Oklahoma happy and feel loved and cared for."
"I think you just might do that," I answered.
If you'd like to join the project, please send your new or very gently used toy crane prizes or other stuffed animals to the Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce, Attention Toy Crane Project, 103 S. Main Street, Woodstock, VA 22664. Please include your name and return address.
Donations will be sorted and delivered to Oklahoma in stages throughout the summer. If volume surpasses the need, donations will be stored until opportunity arises in other areas. If we've learned anything this year, it's that we do not control the when and where of disaster, we only control the response.
So, whether you're a fan of toy cranes or not, whether you're a child or an adult, whether you live in Virginia, Utah or points in between, you are invited to join the childlike dream of two boys with a simple plan. With your help, we can "make the kids in Oklahoma happy and feel loved and cared for." Read more of Jason's work  here:

Thinking of Others first!

I loved this Christmas story. How I respected the Mother for what values she had taught her son. Don’t we all hope that we have taught our own kids, these very same values and virtues?

Any way it was great, hope you take the time to read it. Good night dear friends!

The Coat
 

Heber shivered in the cold.  He wrapped his thin, old coat around him.  It would soon be his birthday, and all he wanted was a warm coat.  He knew it would upset his mother if he asked for one.  They were so poor.  Sometimes they went to bed early because there was no fuel left to keep the house warm.  Sometimes they would go to bed hungry because there was not enough food.  To earn money, Heber's mother would often sew until far into the night, making clothes for other people.

On the day of Heber's birthday, his mother wished him a happy birthday and gave him a beautifully wrapped present.  He opened it up and inside the box was the most beautiful coat he had ever seen.  It was made from the material his mother had from other clothes, but it was new, and warm, and clean and fit him perfectly.  Heber could hardly wait to go out into the cold and feel its warmth.  He was so happy and grateful to his mother.

A few weeks later, Heber was on an errand on an especially cold day.  He saw a boy just his size crying in the cold snow.  The boy was only wearing ragged clothes and had no shoes on.  Heber knew how cold he must feel.  The boy looked longingly at Heber's coat.  Heber stopped and, almost without thinking, took the coat off and gave it to the boy.

That afternoon, Heber' mother saw him wearing his old coat.  She asked him, "What have you done with your lovely new coat?"  Heber wondered for a moment how to tell her.  Then he explained, "I saw a boy and he needed it lots worse than I did, so I gave it to him."

Heber's mother couldn't believe it.  She asked, "Couldn't you have given him your old coat?" 

Heber looked up at his mother, hoping she would understand, and saw her eyes fill with tears.  He threw his arms around his mother as she answered her own question.  "Of course you couldn't, Heber" she said, "of course you couldn't."

Heber had so much love in his heart that he didn't want to see anyone sad, or cold, or hungry.  Jesus was the same way.  Jesus felt great love and compassion for everyone he met.  He wants us to be like him and show compassion for all people.  ~ Heber J. Grant

Matthew 25:40  “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”

"You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out
are the moments when you have done things for others." - Henry Drummond

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is every wasted." – Aesop

“Only a life lived for others is worth living”. - Albert Einstein

Charity never faileth

I was very grateful that I woke up this morning without a migraine. I am thankful that I felt well enough to go to church. Being able to attend church, really does recharge my spiritual batteries. Some weeks are harder than others, and last week was a tough one for me since I was sick a lot. When I am in pain, it is harder to read, study or pray like I would like to. Pain gets in a way of a lot of things. So today was great, and it felt good to be up and about. One of the teachers talked about Charity and how it blesses the lives of those who give it, and also to those that receive it. Here are a few notes from that lesson...

"I have in mind the charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant of others and lenient toward their actions, the kind of charity that forgives, the kind of charity that is patient.

I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others.

There is a serious need for the charity that gives attention to those who are unnoticed, hope to those who are discouraged, aid to those who are afflicted. True charity is love in action. The need for charity is everywhere.

Needed is the charity which refuses to find satisfaction in hearing or in repeating the reports of misfortunes that come to others, unless by so doing, the unfortunate one may be benefited. The American educator and politician Horace Mann once said, “To pity distress is but human; to relieve it is godlike.”

In a hundred small ways, all of you wear the mantle of charity. Life is perfect for none of us. Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life. May we recognize that each one is doing her best to deal with the challenges which come her way, and may we strive to do our best to help out.

Charity has been defined as “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love,”the “pure love of Christ … ; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with [her].”  ~ Thomas S. Monson

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”  ~ Mother Teresa

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” Jesus Christ

"Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows."   ~Moliere

"And what did you do for someone today?"

I think now that I am putting up my Christmas decorations that my heart can't help but turn to Jesus Christ and all that He has done for me. How grateful I am for my knowledge and testimony of Him. It makes Christmas extra special.

Jeff and I went out on a Date night tonight and we went to the movies. Now there are few and movies that I really feel are decent enough to even go to, but this one was great. The moral of the story was just one person who took time out of her busy and full life, to touch the life of someone else. Someone who came from a whole different world than hers and yet she saw past the color of his skin, the clothes on his back, the circumstance which he came from and saw the person. This person felt like he helped her change her life more than she did him. I love those movies that make you feel like being a better person when you leave.

I read an article by Thomas S. Monson. He talked about a man who was taught this very principle every day, by words and example. His name was Jack McConnell, MD. He grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia in the United States as one of seven children of a Methodist minister and a stay-home-mother. Their circumstances were very humble. He recounted that during his childhood, every day as the family sat around the dinner table, his father would ask each one in turn,  " And what did you do for someone today?" The children were determined to do a good turn every day so they could report to their father that they had helped someone. Dr. McConnell calls this exercise his father's most valuable legacy, for that expectation and those words inspired him and his siblings to help others throughout their lives. As they grew and matured, their motivation for providing service changed to an inner desire to help others.

Besides Dr. McConnell's distinguished medical career---where he directed the development of the tuberculosis tine test, participated in the early development of the polio vaccine, supervised the development of Tylenol, and was instrumental in developing the magnetic resonance imaging procedure, or MRI--he created an organization he calls Volunteers in Medicine, which gives retired medical personnel a chance to volunteer at free clinics serving the working uninsured. Dr. McConnell said his leisure time since he retired has "evaporated into 60-hour weeks of unpaid work, but (his) energy level has increased and there is a satisfaction in (his) life that wasn't there before." He made this statement: "In one of those paradoxes of life, I have benefited more from the Volunteers in Medicine than my patients have." There are now over 70 some clinics across the United States.

The Savior taught his disciples, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." I know in my life personally, I am the happiest when I am losing myself in service to others. It helps me keep my problems in perspective and it also makes me feel a warmth and happiness that I just can't find any other way. So tonight I would like to challenge all of you to make this question of "What did I do for someone today?" a daily part of your life, I know that I am going to try and make it more of a habit in our home. Yes, it is the Christmas season, not a better time to start a Christ like tradition in our homes. Good night dear friends!

"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness."  ~Seneca

"The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."  ~William Wordsworth

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Priorities

I liked this article, it seems like so often we get our focus and priorities out of order. Just reading this made me take a second look at my life and my choices. Yes, it helped me get my priorities back in balance. Take a minute to read this and think about how you would answer the questions.

Good night dear friends

 Fifteen Things God Won’t Ask
  by: Author Unknown

God won’t ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

God won’t ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

God won’t ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.

God won’t ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed.

God won’t ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.

God won’t ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.

God won’t ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.

God won’t ask what your job title was, but will ask if you reformed your job to the best of your ability.

God won’t ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.

God won’t ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.

God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.

God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbors.

God won’t ask about the color of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.

God won’t ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn’t.

 

"EVERY GOOD ACT IS CHARITY. A MAN'S TRUE WEALTH HEREAFTER IS THE GOOD THAT HE DOES IN THIS WORLD TO HIS FELLOWS."   ~Moliere

"CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, BUT SHOULD NOT END THERE"  ~ Proverbs

 

Charity

I read this story and loved it because I really believe that charity truly is one of the most important virtues that one can have. We have friends that are out of work and we ourselves have been down that road on more than one occasion. It is such a hard place to be, but like this story we are reminded that we aren't the only ones going through tough times. When you share your load with others and theirs with you, life seems to get a bit easier to handle.

I hope we can know our neighbors and friends well enough to be able to be there for them, if they need us. I think that is what life is all about. Enjoy this story and remember we need not be alone in our struggles.

Good Old-Fashioned Sharing From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People

"Friendship isn't a big thing―it's a million little things."  ~ unknown

It wasn't that I was embarrassed my husband was out of work. The situation was what it was. It's just that we are private people and don't share our problems easily with others. So when he lost his job, we just acted like nothing had changed and no one seemed to notice.

It didn't take too long, maybe two weeks, and my kids' friends noticed that Kyle's dad was home a lot more. When asked about it, I told my good friend and neighbor, Tammy, we were out of work and looking. She then told me that her husband had been applying for graveyard shifts all over town because his company was going under. I was shocked! We were constantly doing things together and I hadn't a clue they were struggling.

I didn't feel like we were the only ones going through this anymore. I always knew that others were struggling with the economy in a downturn, but now I had a comrade to share my woes with.

Knowing what they were going through, I wanted to help them, even though we didn't have much ourselves. So, I became the reconnaissance shopper. I scour the coupons and ads, and match things up to pay half-price for many items. I call Tammy when I get done with my planning session and offer to pick up things for her at the discounted price. It seems like our money goes even farther because we are willing to share.

It goes the other way too. Tammy and her husband have given us enough wood to heat our home this winter. They have the tools to cut firewood and they did extra for us. It has been a huge help to reduce our gas bill to almost nothing.

There are other examples of helping each other. I taught Tammy how to make bread and rolls; she watches my kids when I go to job interviews; I make dessert for Tammy's family party; she drives my kid to the bus stop in a snow storm… and the list goes on.

I don't have much to give but I can give of myself. I can have charity, love, and hope in my heart, and the more I give those away, the more I get them back.

 

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am I? And if not now, when?"  ~ Rabbi Hillel

"He who wished to secure the good of others, has already secured his own."  ~ Confucius

"Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows." ~ Moliere