Dead Flowers

Dead Flowers
=============

I spent the week before my daughter’s June wedding running
last-minute trips to the caterer, florist, tuxedo shop, and the
church about forty miles away.

As happy as I was that Patsy was marrying a good Christian
young man, I felt laden with responsibilities as I watched my
budget dwindle.

So many details, so many bills, and so little time. My son Jack
was away at college, but he said he would be there to walk his
younger sister down the aisle, taking the place of his dad who
had died a few years before. He teased Patsy, saying he’d
wanted to give her away since she was about three years old!

To save money, I gathered blossoms from several friends who had
large magnolia trees. Their luscious, creamy-white blooms and
slick green leaves would make beautiful arrangements against
the rich dark wood inside the church.

After the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, we
banked the podium area and choir loft with magnolias. As we
left just before midnight, I felt tired but satisfied this
would be the best wedding any bride had ever had! The music,
the ceremony, the reception – and especially the flowers -
would be remembered for years.

The big day arrived – the busiest day of my life – and while
her bridesmaids helped Patsy to dress, her fiance Tim walked
with me to the sanctuary to do a final check. When we opened
the door and felt a rush of hot air, I almost fainted; and then
I saw them – all the beautiful white flowers were black.
Funeral black. An electrical storm during the night had knocked
out the air conditioning system, and on that hot summer day,
the flowers had wilted and died.

I panicked, knowing I didn’t have time to drive back to our
hometown, gather more flowers, and return in time for the
wedding.

Tim turned to me. ‘Edna, can you get more flowers?
I’ll throw away these dead ones and put fresh flowers in these
arrangements.’

I mumbled, ‘Sure,’ as he be-bopped down the hall to
put on his cuff links.

Alone in the large sanctuary, I looked up at the dark
wooden beams in the arched ceiling. ‘Lord,’ I prayed, ‘please
help me. I don’t know anyone in this town. Help me find someone
willing to give me flowers – in a hurry!’

I scurried out praying for four things: the blessing of white
magnolias, courage to find them in an unfamiliar yard, safety
from any dog that may bite my leg, and a nice person who would
not get out a shotgun when I asked to cut his tree to shreds.

As I left the church, I saw magnolia trees in the distance.
I approached a house…No dog in sight. I knocked on the door
and an older man answered. So far so good. No shotgun. When I
stated my plea the man beamed, ‘I’d be happy to!’

He climbed a stepladder and cut large boughs and handed them
down to me. Minutes later, as I lifted the last armload into my
car trunk, I said, ‘Sir, you’ve made the mother of a bride
happy today.’

‘No, Ma’am,’ he said. ‘You don’t understand what’s happening
here.’

‘What?’ I asked.

‘You see, my wife of sixty-seven years died on Monday. On
Tuesday I received friends at the funeral home, and on
Wednesday . . . He paused. I saw tears welling up in his eyes.

‘On Wednesday I buried her.’ He! looked away.
‘On Thursday most of my out-of-town relatives went back home,
and on Friday – yesterday – my children left.’

I nodded.

‘This morning,’ he continued, ‘I was sitting in my den crying
out loud. I miss her so much. For the last sixteen years, as
her health got worse, she needed me. But now nobody needs me.
This morning I cried, ‘Who needs an eighty-six-year-old wore-
out man? Nobody!’ I began to cry louder. ‘Nobody needs me!’
About that time, you knocked, and said, ‘Sir, I need you.’

I stood with my mouth open.

He asked, ‘Are you an angel? The way the light shone around
your head into my dark living room…’

I assured him I was no angel.

He smiled. ‘Do you know what I was thinking when I handed you
those magnolias?’

‘No.’

‘I decided I’m needed. My flowers are needed. Why, I might have
a flower ministry! I could give them to everyone! Some caskets
at the funeral home have no flowers. People need flowers at
times like that and I have lots of them. They’re all over the
backyard! I can give them to hospitals, churches – all sorts of
places. You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to serve the
Lord until
the day He calls me home!’

I drove back to the church, filled with wonder. On Patsy’s
wedding day, if anyone had asked me to encourage someone who
was hurting, I would have said, ‘Forget it! It’s my only
daughter’s wedding, for goodness’ sake! There is no way I can
minister to anyone today.’

But God found a way – Through dead flowers.

‘Life is not the way it’s supposed to be. It’s the way it is.
The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.’

~by Edna Ellison~

Books by Edna Ellison http://tinyurl.com/ccr2ta

THE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

They tell the story of a mountain climber, who desperate to conquer the
Aconcagua, initiated his climb after years of preparation. But he wanted
the glory to himself, therefore, he went up alone. He started climbing and
it was becoming later, and later. He did not prepare for camping but
decided to keep on going. Soon it got dark…

Night fell with heaviness at a very high altitude. Visibility was zero.
Everything was black. There was no moon, and the stars were covered by
clouds. As he was climbing a ridge at about 100 meters from the top, he
slipped and fell. Falling rapidly he could only see blotches of darkness
that passed. He felt a terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity.

He kept falling….and in those anguishing moments good and bad memories
passed through his mind. He thought certainly he would die. But then he
felt a jolt that almost tore him in half. Yes!! Like any good mountain
climber he had staked himself with a long rope tied to his waist.

In those moments of stillness, suspended in the air he had no other choice
but to shout, “HELP ME GOD”, “HELP ME!”

All of a sudden he heard a deep voice from heaven…”What do you want me to
do?”

“SAVE ME”

“Do you REALLY think that I can save you?”

“OF COURSE, MY GOD”

“Then cut the rope that is holding you up.”

There was another moment of silence and stillness. The man just held tighter
to the rope.

The rescue team says that the next day they found, a frozen mountain climber
hanging strongly to a rope… TWO FEET OFF THE GROUND.

How about you? How trusting are you in that rope? Why don’t you let it go?
I tell you, God has great and marvelous thing for you.

CUT THE ROPE AND SIMPLY TRUST IN HIM…

– Author Unknown

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRENGTH AND COURAGE

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STRENGTH AND COURAGE

It takes strength to be firm.

It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard.

It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer

It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain.

It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in.

It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend’s pain.

It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide feelings.

It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse.

It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone.

It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love.

It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive.

It takes courage to live.

“….as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor
forsake you. Be strong and of good courage….” (Joshua 1:5b-6a)

– Author Unknown

Tea Time

One day my mother was out and my dad was in charge of me and
my brother, who is four years older than I am. I was maybe one
and a half years old and had just recovered from an accident
in which my arm had been broken, among other injuries. Someone
had given me a little tea set as a get-well gift, and it was
one of my favorite toys.

Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and
my brother was playing nearby in the living room when I
brought Daddy a little cup of “tea,” which was just water.
After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy
tea, my mom came home. My dad made her wait in the living room
to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was “just the
cutest thing!”

My mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with
a cup of tea for Daddy and she watched him drink it up.

She then asked, “Did it ever occur to you that the only place
that baby can reach to get water is the toilet?”

THE CAB RIDE

Twenty years ago, I drove a cab for a living. It was a cowboy’s life, a life
for someone who wanted no boss. What I didn’t realize was that it was also a
ministry. Because I drove the night shift, my cab became a moving
confessional. Passengers climbed in, sat behind me in total anonymity, and
told me about their lives. I encountered people whose lives amazed me,
ennobled me, made me laugh and weep. But none touched me more than a woman I
picked up late one August night.

I responded to a call from a small brick fourplex in a quiet part of town.
I assumed I was being sent to pick up some partiers, or someone who had just
had a fight with a lover, or a worker heading to an early shift at some
factory in the industrial part of town. When I arrived at 2:30 a.m., the
building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait
a minute, then drive away. But I had seen too many impoverished people who
depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation
smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be
someone who needed my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the
door and knocked.

“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something
being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small
woman in her 80s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a
pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie.
By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one
had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There
were no clocks on the walls, no knick-knacks or utensils on the counters. In
the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said.

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took
my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my
kindness.

“It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I
would want my mother treated.”

“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, then asked, “Could you drive
through downtown?”

“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.

“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice”.

I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

“I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have
very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

“What route would you like me to take?” I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the
building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through
the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were
newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had
once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d
ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit
staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m
tired. Let’s go now.”

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building,
like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.
Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were
solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been
expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door.
The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

“How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.

“Nothing,” I said.

“You have to make a living,” she answered.

“There are other passengers,” I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me
tightly.

“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.”

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a
door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in
thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman
had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What
if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a
quick review, I don’t think that I have done very many more important things
in my life.

We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But
great moments often catch us unaware – beautifully wrapped in what others
may consider small ones.

– Author Unknown

Eight Gifts

Eight Gifts You Can Give at No Cost
===================================

1) THE GIFT OF LISTENING…
But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming,
no planning your response. Just listening.

2) THE GIFT OF AFFECTION…
Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and
handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you
have for family and friends.

3) THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER…
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny MountainWings stories.
Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.”

4) THE GIFT OF A WRITTEN NOTE…
It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet.
A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime
and may even change a life.

5) THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT…
A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super
job” or “That was a wonderful meal” can make someone’s day.

6) THE GIFT OF A FAVOR…
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

7) THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE…
There are times when we want nothing better
than to be left alone.
Be sensitive to those times,
and give the gift of solitude to others.
THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION…
The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to
someone, really it’s not that hard to say, “Hello” or “Thank You.”

~Author Unknown~

A Mentor

A mentor is not a person who gives you advice.

A mentor is a person whose advice you follow.

~Mike Murdoch~

Case Closed

Case Closed
============

Several women appeared in court, each accusing the others of
causing the trouble they were having in the apartment building
where they lived.

The women were arguing noisily even in the court.

The judge, banging his gavel to quiet them, said,

“We are going to do this in an orderly manner.
I can’t listen to all of you at once.
I’ll hear the oldest first.”

The case was dismissed for lack of testimony.

THE AWAKENING

A time comes in your life when you finally get it…when, in the midst of
all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the
voice inside your head cries out – ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on. And, like a child
quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder
once or twice, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world
through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to
change…or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the
next horizon.

You come to terms with the fact that neither of you is Prince Charming or
Cinderella and that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings
(or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of “happily ever
after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born
of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will
always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are … and that’s OK.

They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the
process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you
(or didn’t do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can really
count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say
and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it’s not always
about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the
process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they
are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties..and in the
process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world around
you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you’ve been fed about how you
should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what you
should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you should
make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who you should
marry, the importance of having and raising children, and what you owe your
parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view.

And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really
stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to
discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have
bought into to begin with … and in the process you learn to go with your
instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive.

And that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop
maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated
ideals of a bygone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation
upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the
world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance
of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and
that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love.

How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and when to walk
away.

You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would
have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.

And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing
things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK….and that it is
your right to want things and to ask for the things you want … and that
sometimes it is necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love,
kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won’t settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple.

And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect.

You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to
exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you
take more time to rest.

And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.

So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you
deserve…and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it
happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need
direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone…and that it’s OK to risk
asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is the greatest robber baron of
all: FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that
whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away
the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a
cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think
you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good
people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.

You learn that God isn’t punishing you or failing to answer your prayers.

It’s just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state – the ego.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be
understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and
poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we
take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only
dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a
long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you
make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle
for less than your heart’s desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open
to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God by your side you take a stand,
you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as
best you can.

– Author Unknown

Knee-Mail

RULES FROM GOD FOR 2009

1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day.

‘Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it’
Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way
to improve your looks.

‘The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward
appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart.’ I Samuel 16:7

3 Shut Up!!

Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so
He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking.

‘He who guards his lips guards his soul.’ Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!…

For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything..

‘Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do
good…’ Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!…

To the Lord.

‘I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.’ Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!…

For something higher.

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own
understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He will direct your
path.’ Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!…

Your Prayers.

‘Do not worry about anything; Instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.’ Philippians
4:6

I thought this was mighty special, just like you.

Pass this on and brighten someone’s day, and remember:

God answers Knee-Mail.

– Author Unknown