Sharing

We were talking about teaching and nourishing our spirits on the board today. I had this email come through last week. I'm sharing here because it explains so much so simply.

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A man reached the pearly gates and before he decided to walk through, ask St. Peter to show him heaven and hell, so he could chose. The Saint agreed and led him to a room with two doors.

Behind the first door was a hugh table full of people with a feast spread out in front of them. Each person had long spoons instead of arms. All the people there were starving. They were fighting with each other trying to get to the food, but the spoons were too long to let them get it to their mouths even when they did get a bit..."That's hell", said St. Peter.

Behind the next door was the same scene, a hugh table of food and people all around it. These people also had long spoons instead of arms, but they were well fed, healthy, laughing and chatting...."That's heaven", said St. Peter, as he closed the door.

"What is the difference?", the man asked, "Both places were the same but for the way the people acted...."

Saint Peter answered, "The people in heaven have learned to feed each other."

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It's not just food we need here. We need to feed each other's spirits. That is why I opened a new forum on my website last week. It's a place for comfort and feeding your spirit.

My readers here are welcomed there. The link is on the side bar - Dead is Just a Four Letter Word. When you get there, click on the "Forum" link in the menu. You have to register to post, but you can read all you want.

This is my "coming out". Many have not made the connection between this site and that one. I maintain them both. They are mine. Also on the side bar here is Forward Ho, which is my daily blog. I'm going there now to post the new site.

I hope you will join us.

The perfect gift for everyone

There is only one you.
In all of creation,
from this tiny planet
to the furthest reaches of the universe,
only
one
you.

No other one anywhere
can ever have or be.
Your self.

Sharing your love with another
is the most precious gift
you can give,
for there is no other that can offer it.
They can recieve it only from you.

When someone offers you
their time,
their thoughts,
their trust -
it can not be duplicated
or replaced
by those same things from any other.

Each time
we take someone
into our lives
it creates a joining,
unique,
between us;
our self and that one other soul.
are a pair
that can never be recreated
by any other love
in our lives.

Each of us is unique.
Each friendship is unique.
Each love is unique.
You can share everything you are
with everyone you meet
and it will never be the same
as it was with another one.

It will still be love.
It will still be precious.
It will still bring joy.
But it will never be the same
as any other love
you have in your life.

You can not give the love you have
for one to another.
You can only grow a new
and unique love
with that other.

So in each person
resides the capacity
to love many
like they are the only love
in their life.
Because each one you love
is the only one of them
in creation.

Only you can give this gift,
your love,
to another here.
It can not be taken from you,
forced from you,
stolen from you or
duplicated by another.
Love is always,
and only
a unique gift.

The rarest of treasures,
and most precious of gifts
is when one you love
loves the only one of you.

A giving of your love
creates a great love.
You always have
your unique love
to give to any other
you choose.
(return to top)

My mom made me do it.

Growing up, you do a lot of things you may not understand the importance of because your Mother told you to...not 'asked', TOLD.

Mom's don't always have the luxury of time to explain what's going on and why things need to be done. They just tell you to do them and expect it to get done NOW, not tomorrow, now.

Sometimes this makes the kids just a tad confused. It may not make any sense to them. (it can wait, why do I have to do it, you want WHAT?)

It may mess up their plans for the day. Sometimes it messes up their heads. (You WILL apologize to your brother! ((but he started it!)) NOW.) Kids live through it.

Moms won't change, They are trying to guide their children through life. Guide, cajol, push, drag, or compel, they try to get us taught in a way that will keep us out of jail and out of trouble with others. If, when we are on our own, we know the right thing to do in the correct places, it is partly because Mom (or dad or step mom or grams) told us it had to be that way.

It was no different for Jesus. He KNEW he was the Son of God, he was a Divinely led teacher, he had power to change the weather and bring the dead to life.

He still had a mom.

She raised him the best she knew how. She tried to take care of him. When he wandered off, she went to look for him. When he was grown, he took care of her. They were together at a family wedding one day.....

John 2
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.

She didn't say, would you or could you or will you please. She simply stated the problem. They have no wine.

Not all communication is with words...any kid can tell you that. You know the look she would have given with those words; That "this is a problem you can fix, so fix it" look. All moms seem to have one like that, so they can insist you do something without saying another word.

Jesus was to be a famous, beloved savior to all that lived. There might have been a plan in place that would include a more earth shattering miracle than this one for his first time out.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

This was not the time to do miracles. He said so. He looked back at his mom and said "who are you to tell me what to do? I've been grown and gone for years now. (you're not the boss of me...)

But she is the mom. She would have up'ed her "look" to "THE look" and turned away, knowing he would not let her down.

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.

Then she walked back to the party, knowing the family would have what they needed, because she had taken care of the problem by putting it in the hands of one who could fix it. Her part was done. Her son would handle it.

Because she told him to.

Now here is a good place to put "What would Jesus do?" I'm betting he rolled his eyes (after her back was turned) and let out that heavy sigh that all kids express when mom just dumps it on them and expects them to get it done....

It didn't matter that she was no longer the boss of him or that it wasn't the right time in Jesus' plan - His mom said the time was now and the need was wine.....Not gold, not love, not life, not healing - wine for a wedding party. Right. now.

So - what DID Jesus do?

His first public miracle, that's what. Why? Because God ordained it? (okay, maybe he did). But because his mother asked it of him. (okay, told him to).

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

(A firkin is about ten gallons. That's some big water pots. You are talking at least 60 gallons of wine....)

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.

They put it into pitchers and took it to be approved. That's what the tradition was. The head host or best man had to taste it and say it was okay to serve.

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (he didn't know where it came from or that it was just water about a minute earlier) (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, and saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.

Note that he didn't just make acceptable wine. They would have served the best they had at the beginning of the party. Jesus, who's time was not yet, and who no longer had a boss he called Mom, made an excellent wine....Because his mom would expect no less than his best.

And you know that when she saw the smile on the governer's face she would have looked at Jesus where he stood near the pots of water and just GLOWED a smile at him that said, "Thank you, my son. I knew I could count on you!"

And he would have grimaced and turned back to talking to the relatives he hadn't seen in a while and to the friends he had with him and ignored her the rest of the party. That's how kids are sometimes. We resent the things our parents put to us. We hate having our plans messed up.

But we love them, so we do it.

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

This was seen and testified to by his disciples later. ("I was there when he turned plain water into wine. No, I don't know how he does it. But you should'a been there! What a party!!")

Even after she made him do something he didn't want to, even after she spoiled her son's plans, they traveled together.

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

You can bet they talked this out on the way. She and he would have done the "I knew you could", "Ya, but MOMMMM"...until they got to the part where they forgave each other and exchanged I love you's and hugs. They worked it out.

Mothers are not always easy to have. There are good ones, bad ones, sick ones and sad ones. But if you have a mother today, go spend some time with her.

It's what she would want you to do if you asked her.

And it's what Jesus would do....