ARE YOU TIRED
OF FEELING BORED?
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A YOUNG BOY complained to his father that most of the church hymns were boring to him--too far behind the times, tiresome tunes and meaningless words. His father put an end to the discussion by saying, "If you think you can write better hymns, then why don't you?"
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The boy went to his room and wrote his first hymn. The year was 1690. The teenager was Isaac Watts.
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"When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "Joy to the World" are among almost 350 hymns written by him. Feeling bored? Let the world remember you over 300 years!--Selected
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IT COSTS NOTHING
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 A SMILE costs nothing but creates much. It enriches those who receive it without impoverishing those who give. It happens in a flash and the memory of it sometimes lasts forever. None are so rich that they can get along without it and none so poor but both are richer for its benefits. It creates happiness in the home, fosters good will in a business and is the counter-sign of friends.
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 It is rest to the weary, daylight to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad and nature's best antidote for trouble. Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen for it is something that is no earthly good to anybody until it is given away. Nobody needs a smile so much as those who have none left to give.—Selected 

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"GOOD NIGHT" AND "GOOD BYE"
A FATHERon his deathbed called his sons. They gathered around him and to one he said, "Good night, son," and to the other he said, "Good bye, son."
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The second boy noticed the difference and asked his father, "Dad, why did you say ‘good night’ to my brother and ‘good bye’ to me?"
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The dear old man who loved both of them said, "Son, your brother is a Christian; I will meet him in the morning of eternity. So it is just ‘good night’ to him. But you, son, are not a Christian. I will never meet you again unless you change. It is good bye, son, throughout all eternity."
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THE CHURCH AND WHAT
IT'S REALLY TRYING TO DO
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THE CHURCH is not made up of people who believe they are better than others, but rather it is made up of those who realize that they should be better than they are and must continually strive to always do better. The church is not made up of people who never make mistakes, but those who often acknowledge their mistakes and then forsake them. Never must we seek to justify them or continually make the same mistakes over and over again. The church is not trying to withdraw from everyone so much as it is trying to draw everyone into its fellowship and love; and to encourage them to walk in the light where God the Father and Christ the Son are found. The church is not trying to set up arbitrary rules to hinder anyone, but rather to show the rule of Christ, which helps everyone. The church is not trying to make you feel ugly, but rather it is trying to instill the beauty of holiness in your life. The church is not trying to separate you from your money, but rather trying to keep your money from separating you from Christ. The church is not trying to become the master of your life, but rather is trying to get you to master yourself as you let the Lord Jesus Christ be the master of your life.—Selected
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THE UNFOLDING OF A ROSE
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 A  YOUNG, inexperienced preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day, and feeling a bit insecure about what God had in store for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher about it. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush, and handing the young preacher a rosebud, told him to open it without tearing off any petals.
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 The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and for his work for the Lord. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact. It wasn’t very long before he realized how impossible it was for him to do this.
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 Noticing the younger preacher’s inability to unfold the rosebud and keep it intact, the older preacher began to recite the following poem.
UNFOLDING THE ROSEBUD
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It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of God’s design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
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The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I;
God opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.
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If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God’s design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
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So, I’ll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day;
I will look to him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
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The pathway that lies before me,
Only my Heavenly Father knows;
I’ll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.
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 —Author Unknown
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A LESSON THEY WOULDN’T FORGET
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 A YOUNG LADY named Sally relates an experience she had in class, involving her teacher, whom we will call Mr. Smith. She says that Mr. Smith was known for his elaborate and innovative object lessons. One particular day Sally walked into class and she knew they were in for another "fun" day. On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table was a stack of darts. Mr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.
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 Sally’s girlfriend on her right, drew a picture of a girl who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend on her left, drew a picture of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of Mr. Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.
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 The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart. Sally looked forward to her turn, but was filled with disappointment when Mr. Smith, because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.
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 As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn’t have a chance to throw any darts at her target, Mr. Smith began removing the target from the wall. Underneath the target was a picture representing Jesus.
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 A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus. Holes and jagged marks covered his face and his eyes were pierced out.
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 Mr. Smith said only these words, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40).
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 No other words were necessary. The tear-filled eyes of each student focused on the picture of Christ. The students remained in their seats after the bell rang, then slowly left the classroom, tears streaming down their faces.
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 May this story serve as a reminder that our attitude toward Jesus Christ is demonstrated by the way that we treat people around us.
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"IS THE JAR FULL YET?"
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 THERE WAS a philosophy professor who stood before his class with some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2 inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full?
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 They agreed that it was.
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 So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
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 They agreed it was. The students laughed.
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 The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life.
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 "The rocks are the important things—your family, your partner, your health, your children—anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.
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 "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff.
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 "If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all of your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
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 "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Do things with your partner.
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 "There will always be time to go to work, to clean the house, to give a dinner party or to fix the disposal.
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 "Take care of the rocks first—the things that really matter. Set your priorities, the rest is just sand."---Selected
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WHAT IS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR?
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 A SICK MAN turned to the doctor as he was leaving the room after paying a visit and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
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 Very quietly the doctor said, "I don’t know."
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 "You don’t know? You, a Christian man, don’t know what is on the other side?"
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 The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining. As he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
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 Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing. I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass with no fear, but gladness."—Selected 
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WHAT DOES "ST" MEAN?
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TWO BROTHERS were convicted of stealing sheep in the old days in England. In accordance with the brutal punishment of those days, they were branded in the forehead with the letters "ST"—Sheep Thief. One brother, unable to bear the stigma, fled to a foreign country where he tried to hide himself. He wandered from place to place, and at last died full of bitterness, and was buried in a forgotten grave. The other brother chose not to run away from home. He said, "I can’t get away from the fact that I once stole sheep, but I will remain here and make the best of it. I’ll change my way of living, do what’s right and try to get back the respect of my neighbors, as well as my own self-respect."
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The years passed, and he gradually established a reputation for his integrity and respectability, his honesty and worth. Then one day a stranger was in town and he happened to notice this old man hobbling along with the letters "ST" branded on his forehead. He asked one of the local people what that meant. After pondering for a while, the villager replied, "It all happened so long ago that I can’t remember the particulars. But I really think the letters are an abbreviation for the word SAINT."—Selected
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