10 Rules For a Happy Day

10 Rules for a Happy Day- Author Unknown

I hope you enjoy these 10 rules for a happy day.  What a great philosophy of life. If we all lived by these rules, what a different world this would be! (Today I am going to break the format I usually use with this blog. Rather than add my thoughts at the end of the unknown author’s entry, I am going to interject Bible verses that came to my mind while reading the rules.)

10 RULES FOR A HAPPY DAY- Author Unknown

1. TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK:
If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind… I will not respond in a like manner. (Matthew 5:39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.)

2. TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY “ENEMY:”
If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask GOD to bless that individual. I understand the “enemy” could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger. (Matthew 5:44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you)

3. TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY:
I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip. (Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.)

4. TODAY I WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE:
I will find ways to help share the burden of another person. (Galatians 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.)

5. TODAY I WILL FORGIVE:
I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way. (Forgiveness can be very hard, but here is the verse that helps me when it is the hardest: Romans 12:20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Maybe it is the thought of the burning coals on his head that helps the most, even if they are burning coals of kindness:)

6. TODAY I WILL DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE, BUT I WILL DO IT SECRETLY:
I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another. (Matthew 6:3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing)

7. TODAY I WILL TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WISH TO BE TREATED:
I will practice the golden rule – “Do unto others as I would have them do unto me” – with everyone I encounter. (Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.)

8. TODAY I WILL RAISE THE SPIRITS OF SOMEONE WHO IS DISCOURAGED:
My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life. (I Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.)

9. TODAY I WILL NURTURE MY BODY:
I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank GOD for my body. (I Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.)

10. TODAY I WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY:
I will spend a little more time in prayer today: I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to GOD’s voice!!! (Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God)

“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and hope of salvation as a helmet.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8

Have a blessed day!

Anyway

 

Anyway-Mother Theresa

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help, but may attack you if you try to help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

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I remember an activity in one of my college classes in which we were asked to write about a famous person we would like to meet, or would have liked to meet if they were already gone from this world.  While I don’t remember who I said back so many years ago, I know that Mother Theresa would be at the top of my list now.  I admire her so much for her lifestyle of service to others.  The quotes above are credited to her in some sources and as ‘unknown author’ in others.  Either way, they sound like her life philosophy to me.

The Bible tells us often that we are to treat others well despite how they treat us.  No, we aren’t to be doormats for being treated badly, but we aren’t to respond to them poorly even if they are treating us badly.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.”  Later in Matthew, in the 25th chapter, Jesus basically tells us that when we are kind to others, it is the same as being kind to him.  I try to remember those passages when I am around someone who is ‘rubbing me the wrong way.’  I don’t always succeed in responding the way I should, but I am getting better at it:)

Have a wonderful week- my hope is that we don’t have any opportunities to fine tune the skill of responding to prickly people with kindness and compassion, but if we do run into a few thorns this week, let’s remember that it is a golden opportunity to practice the Golden Rule!

Have a blessed day!

Toast

 

Toast- author unknown

Hank and Laura had been married for over thirty years. Their lives had settled into a comfortable routine and they seemed very content.  Now that Hank was retired, he started each day by making them a big breakfast.  While he worked, he had only been able to do this on the weekends, so he was excited to be able to do this during the week also.  For him, this was a way of expressing his love for Laura by beginning the day by serving her.  Laura was a hard worker, keeping their house looking wonderful, taking care of many of the daily details of running a home and he was more than grateful for her skills.  He wanted her to begin the day with some relaxation time while he waited on her.  So, being able to do this seven days a week rather than just two was very gratifying for him.

One morning, about two weeks after his retirement, he proudly brought a plate of eggs, hash browns, and toast to his sleepy wife.  He sat it down in front of her, kissed her on her forehead and went back to the stove to dish up his own breakfast.  To his amazement, when he turned around, he saw his wife in tears.  He rushed over to her, crying, “Honey, what ever is wrong?”

It took a few minutes, but finally Laura told him something that shocked him.  “For thirty years, you have given me crustless toast.  I could handle it when it was only two days a week, but now every single day you get the best part of the breakfast. I just don’t know if I can handle such selfish behavior every day!”  She burst into even bigger tears.

Hank was stunned!  He sat quietly for a moment and then he, too, began to cry.  “Oh, Laura, why didn’t you say anything?  All these years, I cut off the crust because I thought you didn’t like it!”

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Today’s story brings up two more aspects of healthy relationship:  communication and putting others first.  Without both traits, a relationship can flounder, as seen by poor Hank and Laura’s experience.  Hank was definitely doing his part to put Laura first, serving her faithfully all those years.  Yet, his act of service was tainted because Laura did not do her part in communicating her feelings to him.  I can only imagine the undercurrent of resentment that built up in her and how it affected their relationship.  Had she asked him early on why he cut the crust off or if she could please have her toast with the crust left on, how might their relationship have been even better?

I have heard many such stories and have been amazed by them.  One friend found out two years into her marriage that her husband hated split pea soup.  She had made it frequently because when they were dating he had praised her soup when she served it to him.  He thought if he told her he didn’t like it, she would be offended.  He didn’t see that there is a difference in not liking a particular food and not liking someone’s cooking.  Another story was told when a friend was counseling a couple.  The man said his wife wasn’t meeting his needs.  Through skilled probing by the counselor, you won’t believe what came up.  Seriously, you won’t!  His wife lovingly made his lunch every day, but she cut his sandwich from side to side rather than corner to corner.  When he was a boy, his mom cut sandwiches from corner to corner, all the while telling him how much she loved him.  He associated love with corner cuts!

Proverbs 24:26 tells us that an honest answer is like a kiss on the lip.  To me, that describes wholesome communication.  Being honest doesn’t have to be hurtful; there is usually a tactful way to express what needs to be said.  That type of honesty is definitely like a kiss.  That type of honesty nurtures rather than cuts down.

I’m sure you have already guessed the scripture I am going to use to illustrate the concept of putting others first:  Luke 6:31.  Often called the Golden Rule, it says simply, “ Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Oh, what a different world it would be if every human being followed this rule!  In a relationship, when both people live by this philosophy, both have their needs met consistently.

So, today look for ways to improve relationships through honest communication and selfless actions.

Have a blessed day!

Burnt Biscuits

Burned Biscuits – Author Unknown

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! All my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing…never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said, “Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then.”

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Mom put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides–a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!”

As I’ve grown older, I’ve thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I’m not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each other’s faults and choosing to celebrate each other’s differences is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. And that’s my prayer for you today…that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship! “Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket–keep it in your own.” So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine. And PLEASE pass this along to someone who has enriched your life–I just did! Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

“Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil–it has no point.”

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“A little burned biscuit never hurt anyone.”  What a great response that was to what would have been in many homes the beginning of a nightly war.  This man’s response was so compassionate and a wonderful lesson for his child.  Rather than belittling his wife for her error, complaining or refusing to eat, he affirmed her in a very loving way.  Realizing that she was exhausted from a difficult day, he lovingly ate the burnt biscuits as if they were the best in the world.

So often I see the opposite in relationships.  While out recently I observed a man relaying a story to a group of friends.  He seldom finished a sentence without his wife correcting him.  ‘No, it was a Tuesday, not a Wednesday.’  ‘Honey, you know it was red, not green.’  And so on.  Not an easy thing to witness, I can only imagine how it made him, or his friends, feel.

In our interactions with others, let us always remember the Golden Rule:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12)  Imagine a world in which everyone followed this rule!  Compassion would rule, ridicule would die.  Hearts would not need to heal because they wouldn’t be broken in the first place.  Maybe the world won’t be that way this side of the Rapture, but I can do my part in making it a better place in my own small way!  And really, with all the grace God extends me on even my worst days, how can I do less for others?

Have a blessed day!

The Winds of Forgiveness

I posted this blog this past March, but it fits in with this topic of forgiveness so perfectly, I am including it again!

Winds of Forgiveness- Author Unknown

Two friends, Paul and Jeffrey were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey, they had an argument. Jeffrey slapped Paul in the face. Paul was hurt, but without saying anything, he wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face.

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath.  As Paul bathed, he got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but Jeffrey saved him.  After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:  Today my best friend saved my life.

Jeffrey was puzzled and asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone.  Why?”

Paul replied, “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away.  But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

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I love catchy phrases and the phrase in the story ‘the winds of forgiveness’ really caught my eye.  What a beautiful picture it paints in my mind to envision the events that have caused me pain being swept away by a warm, compassionate wind.  Along with the events themselves are swept the pain, the resentment and the bitterness they too often cause.

Probably one of the most well-known verses in Scripture is Luke 6:3, often called the Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”   But, take a look at the context of that verse, preceded by these words, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”

I think we have all heard of the family of a murder victim standing up in court and telling the murderer that they are forgiven.  That act is as much for the healing of the family as it is for the impact it will have on the murderer and any observers.  That act also exemplifies the words in Luke 3.  I remember a friend one time telling me of some co-workers who were making her life miserable.  She was so frustrated and hurt that she didn’t know what to do.  I sympathized with her and then, paraphrasing Proverbs 25:22 in Karen-eze, told her, “Go and heap coals of kindness on their heads- they won’t know how to handle it!”  Indeed, she came back a few days later and reported that when she responded with kindness, they were shocked and didn’t know how to handle it, so stopped their tormenting actions.  She was tickled pink, let me tell you!

So, if there is someone in your life who has caused you pain, take Jesus’ words to heart and treat them the way you would like to be treated:  forgive them and heap some coals of kindness on the fire.  Watch the flames change from deadly to heart warming!

Have a blessed day!

Do Unto Others

Do Unto Others- author unknown

He was driving home one evening, on a two lane country road. Work in this
small Midwestern community, was almost as slow as his beat up Pontiac, but
he never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he’d been unemployed,
and with winter raging on, the chill had finally hit home.

It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it, unless
they were leaving town. Most of his friends had already left. They had
families to feed and dreams to fulfill. But he stayed on. After all, this
was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here and he knew the
country.

He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was on either side, and
with his lights not working, which came in handy. It was starting to get
dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He’d better get a move on.

You know, he almost didn’t see the old lady, stranded on the side of the
road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he
pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still
sputtering when he approached her.

Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help
for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look safe, he
looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out
there in the cold.

He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He
said, “I’m here to help you ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s
warm? By the way, my name is Bryan,”

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough.
Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning
his knuckles a time or two.

Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands
hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and
began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only
just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid.
Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk.

She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right
with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have
happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought twice about the money. This
was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there
were plenty who had given him a hand in the past.

He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act
any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the
next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the
assistance that they needed, and Bryan added, “And think of me.” He waited
until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing
day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.

A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a
bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip
home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The
whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone
of an out of work actor, it didn’t ring much.

Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She
had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day
couldn’t erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months
pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The
old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a
stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for
her hundred-dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone
by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be,
then she noticed something written on the napkin under which was four 100
bills.

There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said:
“You don’t owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me
out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is
what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you,”

Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve,
but she never stopped thinking about the lady. That night when she got home
from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what
the lady had written.

How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With
the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her
husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss
and whispered soft and low, “Everything’s gonna be all right. I love you,
Bryan.”
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Probably one of the most famous verses in the Scriptures is Luke 6:31, called The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It is a beautiful life philosophy and one that greatly impacts the world when it is followed and acted upon.
We don’t always get the kind of payback that was in this story for following this rule, but I wonder how often we would be surprised at the impact this rule has on the world. I love the concept of ‘Pay it Forward,’ that I’ve seen in videos and articles in the past few years. If we all ‘pay it forward’ without worrying about the immediate payback for us, what a great world this will be!

Today, look for ways to pay it forward.  They may seem small to you, but their impact on others is often magnified a thousand times.  A smile and a kind word can change a day, even a life.

Have a blessed day!

Anyway

Anyway-Mother Theresa

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help, but may attack you if you try to help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

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I remember an activity in one of my college classes in which we were asked to write about a famous person we would like to meet, or would have liked to meet if they were already gone from this world.  While I don’t remember who I said back so many years ago, I know that Mother Theresa would be at the top of my list now.  I admire her so much for her lifestyle of service to others.  The quotes above are credited to her in some sources and as ‘unknown author’ in others.  Either way, they sound like her life philosophy to me.

The Bible tells us often that we are to treat others well despite how they treat us.  No, we aren’t to be doormats for being treated badly, but we aren’t to respond to them poorly even if they are treating us badly.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.”  Later in Matthew, in the 25th chapter, Jesus basically tells us that when we are kind to others, it is the same as being kind to him.  I try to remember those passages when I am around someone who is ‘rubbing me the wrong way.’  I don’t always succeed in responding the way I should, but I am getting better at it:)

Have a wonderful week- my hope is that we don’t have any opportunities to fine tune the skill of responding to prickly people with kindness and compassion, but if we do run into a few thorns this week, let’s remember that it is a golden opportunity to practice the Golden Rule!

The Law of the Garbage Truck

The Law of the Garbage Truck- Author Unknown

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.  My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!’

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, ‘The Law of the Garbage Truck.’

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you.  Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so….. ‘Love the people who treat you right.. Pray for the ones who don’t.  Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.’

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How often are your days filled with garbage?  How often do you let it tarnish your day and affect your relationships with others?  It is so very easy to do.  I love the analogy in this story which relates my tarnished interactions to garbage, for that is just what they are.  Luke 6:31 tells us, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  I definitely don’t appreciate it when I am treated to the garbage-like attitudes of those around me.  Why, then, is it so easy for me to treat them to my garbage?

On the flip side, why do I empower the garbage of others to tarnish my day?  My goal is to be more and more like the taxi driver and let their garbage roll right off me with no effect on my day.  Proverbs 25:21-22 says, “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;    if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”  I see in these verses that we have the power to change the garbage of others, to turn it into a blessing on them rather than a curse.  Have you ever tried heaping coals of kindness on the head of a cranky store clerk?  I just love to watch their frown turn upside down as they respond to a positive attitude and the kindness of a stranger!

Today, look for opportunities to turn stinky garbage into sweet-smelling incense as you heap coals of kindness on the heads of those around you, no matter how they may be acting or treating you in the beginning!  Have a blessed day!

Mid-Week Giggle: Toddler’s Laws

Toddlers’ Laws

Toddler Property Laws- author unknown

1. If I like it, it’s mine.
2. If it’s in my hand, Its mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it’s mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, It’s mine.
5. If it’s mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I am doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks like mine, it is mine.
8. If I saw it first, it’s mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it’s broken, it’s yours.
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If you are around toddlers, you will know how true this list is! We are born with a self-centered spirit and have to be taught and learn to share or to think of the needs of others. Some of us learn that lesson better than others, don’t we? I love being with people who are selfless and so in tune to the needs of others that they make everyone around them feel special. Just being around them builds others up. Here’s how their list might look:

1. If I like it, I will share it with you so you can enjoy it too.
2. If it is in my hand, it is probably because I am offering it to you.
3. If I can take it from you, it will only be to fix it or make it even better for you.
4. If I had it a little while ago, I probably passed it on to you.
5. If it’s mine, it will probably be shared with you.
6. If I am doing or building something, I welcome your input or help.
7. If it looks like mine, it can look like yours too.
8. If I saw it first, I will happily point it out to you.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, I will ask if you are finished before I use it.
10. If it is broken, I will fix it or get a new one before I share it with you.

The Bible has a little philosophy that reminds me of this second list. It’s often called the Golden Rule. It is found in Matthew 22:37-39 and says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” I have often commented that if we all truly lived by this rule, the world would be a fantastic place. Today, I will make a committed effort to live out this verse and make my part of the world better.

Have a blessed day.

The Burning House

The Burning House Author unknown

A couple, who we shall call John and Mary, had a nice home and two lovely children, a boy and a girl. John had a good job and had just been asked to go on a business trip to another city and would be gone for several days. It was decided that Mary needed an outing and would go along too. They hired a reliable woman to care for the children and made the trip, returning home a little earlier than they had planned.

As they drove into their hometown feeling glad to be back, they noticed smoke, and they went off their usual route to see what it was. They found a home in flames. Mary said, “Oh well it isn’t our fire, let’s go home.”

But John drove closer and exclaimed, “That home belongs to Fred Jones who works at the plant. He wouldn’t be off work yet, maybe there is something we could do.” “It has nothing to do with us.” Protested Mary. “You have your good clothes on lets not get any closer.”

But John drove up and stopped and they were both horror-stricken to see the whole house in flames. A woman on the lawn was in hysterics screaming, “The children! Get the children!” John grabbed her by the shoulder saying, “Get a hold of yourself and tell us where the children are!” “In the basement,” sobbed the woman, “down the hall and to the left.”

In spite of Mary’s protests John grabbed the water hose and soaked his clothes, put his wet handkerchief on his head and bolted for the basement which was full of smoke and scorching hot. He found the door and grabbed two children, holding one under each arm like the football player he was. As he left he could hear some more whimpering. He delivered the two badly frightened and nearly suffocated children into waiting arms and filled his lungs with fresh air and started back asking how many more children were down there. They told him two more and Mary grabbed his arm and screamed, “John! Don’t go back! It’s suicide! That house will cave in any second!”

But he shook her off and went back by feeling his way down the smoke-filled hallway and into the room. It seemed an eternity before he found both children and started back. They were all three coughing and he stooped low to get what available air he could. As he stumbled up the endless steps the thought went through his mind that there was something strangely familiar about the little bodies clinging to him, and at last when they came out into the sunlight and fresh air, he found that he had just rescued his own children.

The baby-sitter had left them at this home while she did some shopping.
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Wow! Does this story give new meaning to the Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12. I’m sure you know it. It says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” We’ve looked at this topic before in this blog, but it is a powerful one and well worth addressing again. Just think how Mary would have felt if she convinced John not to go back into the burning building. I doubt if she would have ever been able to forgive herself for the deaths of their children. I can only imagine how guilty she felt even when they were safe, knowing that she had almost done so.

Once again, just imagine a world in which every single person treated everyone the way they wished to be treated. A world in which there was no rudeness, no backstabbing, no violence, no betrayals, no emotional pain. Quite a picture, isn’t it? One day we won’t have to imagine that, because that is what Heaven will be like! What a wonderful world that will be!

Have a blessed day!