There, I Grow Again

Author Unknown

Don't worry if you have problems! Which is easy to say until you are in the midst of a really big one, I know. But the only people I am aware of who don't have troubles are gathered in little neighborhoods. Most communities have at least one. We call them cemeteries.

If you're breathing, you have difficulties. It's the way of life. And believe it or not, most of your problems may actually be good for you! Let me explain.

Maybe you have seen the Great Barrier Reef, stretching some 1,800 miles from New Guinea to Australia. Tour guides regularly take visitors to view the reef. On one tour, the guide was asked an interesting question. "I notice that the lagoon side of the reef looks pale and lifeless, while the ocean side is vibrant and colorful," a traveler observed. "Why is this?"

The guide gave an interesting answer: "The coral around the lagoon side is in still water, with no challenge for its survival. It dies early. The coral on the ocean side is constantly being tested by wind, waves, storms - surges of power. It has to fight for survival every day of its life. As it is challenged and tested it changes and adapts. It grows healthy. It grows strong. And it reproduces." Then he added this telling note: "That's the way it is with every living organism."

That's how it is with people. Challenged and tested, we come alive! Like coral pounded by the sea, we grow. Physical demands can cause us to grow stronger. Mental and emotional stress can produce tough-mindedness and resiliency. Spiritual testing can produce strength of character and faithfulness.

So, you have problems - no problem! Just tell yourself, "There, I grow again!"

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The Empty Box

Author Unknown

Even though it was only September, the air was crisp and children were already whispering about Christmas plans and Santa Claus. It made the already long winter months until Christmas seem even longer. With each passing day the children became more anxious, waiting for the final school bell. Upon its ringing everyone would run for their coats and go home, everyone except David.

David was a small boy with messy brown hair and tattered clothes. I had often wondered what kind of home life David had and often asked myself what kind of mother could send her son to school dressed so inappropriately for the cold winter months, without a coat, boots, or gloves. But something made David special. It wasn't his intelligence or manners, for they were lacking just as his winter clothes were.

But I can never recall looking at David and not seeing a smile. He was always willing to help and not a day passed that David didn't stay after school to straighten chairs and clean erasers. We never talked much, he would just simply smile and ask what else he could do, then thank me for letting him stay and slowly head for home.

Weeks passed and the excitement over the coming Christmas grew into restlessness until the last day of school before the holiday break. I can't recall a more anxious group of children as that final bell rang and they scattered out the door. I smiled in relief as the last of them hurried out the door. Turning around I saw David quietly standing by my desk.

"Aren't you anxious to get home David?" I asked.

"No," he replied quietly.

Ready to go home myself, I said, "Well, I think the chairs and erasers will wait, why don't you hurry home?"

"I have something for you," he said and pulled from behind his back a small box wrapped in old paper and tied with string. Handing it to me, he said anxiously, "Open it." I took the box from him, thanked him and slowly unwrapped it. I lifted the lid and to my surprise saw nothing. I looked at David's smiling face and back into the empty box and said, "The box is nice David, but it's empty."

"Oh no it isn't," said David. "It's full of love. My mum told me before she died that love was something you couldn't see or touch unless you know it's there can you see it?"

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the proud dirty face that I had rarely given attention to. "Yes, David, 'I can see it," I replied. "Thank you." David and I became good friends after that Christmas and I can say that with the passing years, I never again let the uncombed hair bother me, and never forgot the meaning behind the little empty box that set on my desk.

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26 Guards

Author Unknown

A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan. While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting; one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time witnessed to him of the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident.

Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that 26-armed guards surrounded you.

"At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."

At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date, and the man who interrupted told him this story:

"On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong; I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?" The men who had met together that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were--he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.

**This story is an incredible example of how the spirit of the Lord moves in mysterious ways. If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it. Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell**

I encourage you to forward this to as many people as you know. If we all take it to heart, we can turn this world towards Christ once again.

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That's My Favourite Piece

Author Unknown

There was a couple who had celebrated their golden anniversary with a big party. Presents were exchanged, and congratulations were expressed before they got in their car and drove home.

When they got home the woman made her way into the kitchen. As was her custom, she brewed some tea, and took out a loaf of bread. She had baked one daily for years. She cut off the heel, warmed it, and buttered it for her husband before cutting another slice for herself. Then she served him the warm bread.

Now, this guy who had been married for fifty years loved his wife greatly, but the stress of the day had taken its toll. And he blew up.

He said, "Honey I love you. You know that. But quite frankly this is it. For more years than I can even count, you have baked bread for me every day. But you always give me the heel. You always pass off that crusty piece of bread, that heel on me. I have had it! I won't take it anymore!"

And this is true - she looked at him, blinked back the tears and said, "But honey, that's my favorite piece."

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Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur Arrival

By Rough Guy’d

The journey from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur didn’t take too long and I arrived in the big city just after lunch. I quickly met up with my uncle who knew that I was arriving today as he was earlier informed when I was in Singapore. He took me around and showed me some of the sights including the Petronas towers, the twin towers of Malaysia that are connected together by a bridge so that they looked like a giant H.

We walked around a little bit before we headed back to his home to meet up with the rest of his family and my other uncle who came around to see me. After that we went to a hawker market for dinner. This style of market is different from other types of night markets that I had been to so far. The best way to imagine this type of a hawker market is to think of a food court in a shopping mall.

Every stall is selling something different and you walk between them to choose what you would like to eat before taking a seat at a table in the main area. The main difference between this type of food stalls and those found in a shopping mall is that the quality and variety is much better, there are no big massive lines and once cooked, they will deliver the food to the table you are at.

The next day, Sunday 21st of June saw us go to a shopping mall as I joined my uncle and his family on a family outing. While there, I discovered two of my cousins working and realised once again how little I really know about my extended family. On my father’s side of the family there are five brothers and three sisters, almost all with three children.

They are the side of the family that I am most familiar with as half of them live in New Zealand and there was a recent family reunion that saw me meeting up with most of them. On my mum’s side of the family I know much less with approximately eight sisters and two brothers. My youngest cousin is about ten and my oldest cousin has two kids of his own. Because of the vast differences in ages among other things, other than my mum and aunties, I am a lot more distant from this side of the family and I was looking forward to meeting them.

Lunch was at a fancy Japanese restaurant at the mall which for me was a tomato chicken and rice dish served in an omelette with bolognaise sauce. An odd combination but deliciously worth trying if you ever get the chance. Later that evening, I took the chance to meet up with an old friend, the girl that I had met in Bali earlier, and we took the time to catch up and have a good long chat.

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