The Wicker Basket

As I was reading this story it struck me that I am such a person. I received from a friend through e-mail this story and I want to share it with you. I am not for sure who wrote this but, I want to thank them for it.

“THE WICKER BASKET”

The story is told of an old man who lived on a farm in the mountains of
Eastern Kentucky with his young Grandson. Each morning, Grandpa was up
early sitting at the kitchen table reading from his old worn-out Bible. His
Grandson, who wanted to be just like him, tried to imitate him in any way he could.

One day the Grandson asked, 'Papa, I try to read the Bible just like you
but I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the book. What good does reading the Bible do?'
The Grandfather
quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, 'Take this old
wicker coal basket down to the river and bring back a basket of water.'
The boy did as he was told, even though all the water leaked out before he could get back to the house.

The Grandfather laughed and said, 'You will
have to move a little faster next time,' and sent him back to the river with
the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the old
wicker basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his
grandfather that it was 'impossible to carry water in a basket,' and he went
to get a bucket instead. The old man said, 'I don't want a bucket of water;
I want a basket of water. You can do this. You're just not trying hard
enough,' and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.
At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak
out before he got far at all. The boy scooped the water and ran hard, but
when he reached his Grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath he said, 'See, Papa, it's useless!'

'So you think it is useless?' The old man said, 'Look at the basket.'
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time he realized that the
basket looked different. Instead of a dirty old wicker coal basket, it was clean.
'Son, that's what happens when you read the Bible. You might not
understand or remember everything, but when you read it, it will change you from the inside out.'

Moral of the wicker basket story: Take time to read a portion of God's
word each day; it will affect you for good--even if you don't retain a word.

Thought for Today: God's Love is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but not its end.

I really like this story because I don't retain things too well anymore...
old age may have something to do with it, but I figure my
brain just gets overloaded!
God isn't concerned about your brain anyway,
He's more concerned about your heart.

To Realize

Felt I should pass this on. A friend sent it to me and I realized I have experienced a few of these statements.

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.
To realize the value of a friend or family member:
LOSE ONE.
The origin of this letter is unknown,

Remember...
Hold on tight to the ones you love!
Peace, love and prosperity to all!

Clothes Line Rules

This is for all individuals who remember the day the clothes line dotted the country side. Have a good laugh as you read.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:

You have to be a certain age to appreciate
this. I can hear my mother now.....grin!

(if you don't know what clotheslines
are, better skip
this).
1. You had to wash the clothes line before
hanging any clothes-walk the
entire lengths of each line with a damp
cloth around the lines.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain
order, and always hang "whites" with "whites,"
and hang them first.

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders -
always by the tail!
What would the neighbors think?
4. Wash day on a Monday! . . . Never hang
clothes on the weekend, or Sunday, for
Heaven's sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside
lines so you could
hide your "unmentionables"
in the middle (perverts & busy bodies,
y'know!)

6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero
weather . . . Clothes would
"freeze-dry."

7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking
down dry clothes!
Pins left on the lines were
"tacky!"

8. If you were efficient, you would line the
clothes up so that each item did
not need two clothes pins, but shared one of
the clothes pins with the next washed item.

9. Clothes off of the line before dinner
time, neatly folded in the
clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.
10. IRONED?! Well, that's a whole other
subject!

A POEM
A clothesline was a news forecast To
neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could
keep When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link For
neighbors always knew If company had stopped
on by To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy
sheets" And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table
cloths" With intricate designs.

birth From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were
hung, So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,You'd
know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck, As
extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung
with l lines sagged With not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon If
wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their
brows, And looked the other way . . ..

But clotheslines now are of the
past, For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home Is
anybody's guess!
I really miss that way
of life. It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other
best By what hung on the
line!

Read This Slowly

I received this from a friend. As I began reading it I thought I am one of those who goes over the speed limit all the time. I have never been stopped for speeding. But, after reading this I have come up short and realized that I have to slow down.

Read This Slowly

Jack took a long look at his speedometer
before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone.
Fourth time in as many months.
How could a guy get caught so often?
When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour,
Jack pulled over, but only partially.
Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard.
Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror.
The cop was stepping out of his car,
the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church?
Jack sunk farther into his trench coat.
This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church
A guy who happened to be a little eager
to get home after a long day at the office.
A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car,
he approached a man he saw every Sunday,
a man he'd never seen in uniform.
'Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.'

'Hello, Jack.' No smile.

'Guess you caught me red-handed
in a rush to see my wife and kids.'
'Yeah, I guess.' Bob seemed uncertain.
Good.

'I've seen some long days at the office lately.
I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once.'
Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement.
'Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight.
Know what I mean?'
'I know what you mean
I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct '
Ouch.
This was not going in the right direction.

Time to change tactics.
'What'd you clock me at?'
Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?'

'Now wait a minute here, Bob.
I checked as soon as I saw you.
I was barely nudging 65.'
The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

Please, Jack, in the car'

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard.
He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad.
Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?
Whatever the reason,
it would be a month of Sundays
before Jack ever sat near this cop again.


A tap on the door jerked his head to the left.
There was Bob, a folded paper in hand
Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches,
just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

'Thanks.'
Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word.
Jack watched his retreat in the mirror.


Jack unfolded the sheet of paper.
How much was this one going to cost?
Wait a minute.
What was this? Some kind of joke?


Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
'Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter.
She was six when killed by a car.
You guessed it - a speeding driver.
A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free.
Free to hug his daughters, all three of them.
I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven
before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man
A thousand times I thought I had.
Maybe I did, but I need to do it again.
Even now.
Pray for me.
And be careful, Jack,
my son is all I have left.'

'Bob'
Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car
pull away and head down the road.
Jack watched until it disappeared.
A full 15 minutes later, he too,
pulled away and drove slowly home,
praying for forgiveness and
hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived
Life is precious.
Handle with care.
Drive safely and carefully.
Remember, cars are not the only things
recalled by their maker.

May today there be peace within you.
May you trust God
that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
'I believe that friends are quiet angels
who lift us to our feet
when our wings
have trouble remembering how to fly.'

Quilt of Holes

Quilt of Holes

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles;
an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all. I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth toge ther, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise..

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through. God determines who walks into your life ...it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.'

Father, bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! And may their lives be full of your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you. Amen.

I Am Back

I have never been happier than yesterday when I picked up my new computer and monitor. I now have more memory, a DVD port, and a bigger monitor. Now I can stand back and see everything on a page. Life is going very well. I planted a garden, do some walking, mowing the yard, visit with my children, and visit with friends. What a life.

HELLO

Sorry I have not been around. My computer died last week. I am so happy for libraries with computer set ups. I hope to have a newer one by the end of the week. A friend is making me a newer one with more memory. I hope to be able to go on Y-Tube some. Nothing really new in Indiana. Crops are in and growing. We need rain so they can grow some more. I have been visiting my daughters in Michigan. They are doing well and are very busy with their lives. Will try to be back on by the end of this week. All have a good week and have a great summer.