In a mother's womb were twin babies. One with a positive outlook and the second more pessimistic. One day the pessimist asked the other, "Do you believe in life after delivery?"
The positive baby replies, "Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later."
"Nonsense!" says the pessimist baby. "There is no life after delivery! What would that life be?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure there will be more light than in here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths."
The pessimist baby said, "That is absurd! Walking is impossible. And eat with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord is too short."
"I think there is something and maybe it's different than it is here."
"No one has ever come back from there. Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery it is nothing but darkness and anxiety and it takes us nowhere." the pessimist baby said becoming very agitated.
"Well, I don't know but certainly we will see mother and she will take care of us."
"Mother?" screamed the pessimist baby. "You believe in mother? Where is she now?"
"She is all around us. It is in her that we live. Without her there would not be this world."
"I don't see her, so it's logical that she doesn't exist." said the pessimist baby.
"Sometimes, when you're in silence you can hear her. You can perceive her. I believe there is a reality after delivery and we are here to prepare ourselves for that reality." The positive baby concluded.
Can you imagine these thoughts going through an unborn child's mind? Trusting there will be an unknown entity (mother) who will take care of them when they leave the place they are being formed and growing. One places total trust in something it has never seen, yet senses that it IS out there waiting to care for him. While the other --- like unbelievers --- refuses to trust that there IS something more. The pessimist believes their life inside the womb is all there is and with a closed mind, refuses to think of the possibility of a mother caring for them
That is similar to unbelievers... they refuse to open their mind and believe in the possibility of an Almighty God who will care for them after they pass from this earth. They refuse to believe there can be more than this present life in which we live.
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God. He created him; male and female He created them.
--- Genesis 1:27
God said, "If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I Am a Healer?
If you never went through difficulties then how would you know that I Am a Deliverer?
If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer and know I Am your Rock?
If you never felt sadness, then how would you know I Am a Comforter?
If you never made a mistake, then how would you know I Am a Forgiver?
If you knew everything, then how would you know I Am your teacher who gives you Wisdom?
If you were never in trouble, then how would you know I Am your Savior?
If you never were broken, then how would you know I Am a Restorer and can make you whole again?
If you never had a problem, then how would you know that I Am a Redeemer?
If you had everything, then how would you know I Am your Provider?
If you had all power, then how would you know I Am your Strong Tower?
If I never corrected you, then how would you know I love you?
If your life was perfect, then why would you need Me?
If I never convict you, then how would you know right from wrong?
God said, "I Am!"
Jenny was a bright eyed, pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $5.00. She wanted that necklace and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I'll tell you what, I'll buy you the necklace and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for it. And don't forget, for your birthday, Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?"
Jenny agreed and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her. Jenny worked on her chores very hard everyday, and sure enough, her Grandma gave her a brand new dollar bill for her birthday. Soon, Jenny had paid off the pearls.
Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere; to kindergarten, when she went to run errands for her mother, when visiting family and friends and even to bed when she slept at night. The only time she didn't wear them was in the shower because her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy who would read her bedtime stories at night. And on one particular night, when he finished reading her a story he asked her, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, daddy. You know I love you." the little girl replied.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy not my pearls!" Jenny insisted. "But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party set, too. okay?"
"Oh, no, darling that's okay," her daddy brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night little one."
A week later, her daddy once again asked Jenny after reading her bedtime story, "Do you love me?'
"Oh, yes, daddy. You know I love you."
"Well then, give me your pearls."
"Oh, daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She is my favorite. Her hair is so soft and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, daddy." The little girl said.
"No, that okay," her daddy said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."
Again a week later, when Jenny's dad came to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip trembling, she said, "Here daddy," as she held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her dad's hands.
At that moment, with one hand her daddy held the plastic pearl necklace and with the other hand, he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box and handed it to her. "Now that you gave me these pearls, you can have this."
Jenny took the box, "what's inside, daddy?" She asked as she slowly and carefully began to open the box she held in her tiny hands. Inside was a real, genuine, beautiful, shiny pearl necklace.
He had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.
That's how it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that He can give us beautiful treasures. Isn't God good?
Are you holding onto things which God wants you to let go of? Are you holding onto harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities which you have become so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?
Sometimes, it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing... God will NEVER take away something without giving you something better in it's place. We just have to learn to let go.
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually snuck off and ignoring the "NO ADMITTANCE" sign which hung above a door, the boy walked through anyway.
When the lights to the concert ballroom dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Assuming he went to the bathroom, she settled into her seat and just as the curtains parted, the spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway piano on stage.
In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano and whispered in the boys ear, "Don't quit. keep playing."
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon, his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligate. Together, the old master and the young novice, transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience.
The audience was moved and very satisfied with the unexpected performance.
That's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best but the results are not exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Almighty whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true happiness.
Remember, God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies those called. And He will always be there to love and guide you onto great and amazing things.
Bless and be blessed!
~One Love~
