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inspirational
The Best Sermons are Lived, Not Preached
These are real life stories that teach us many things in life. They are based on true incidents both wonderful and inspirational.
1. Today, I interviewed my grandmother for part of a research paper I’m working for my Psychology class. When I asked her to define success in her own words, she said, “Success is when you look back at your life and the memories make you smile.”
2. Today, I asked my mentor – a very successful business man in his 70’s – what his top 3 tips are for success. He smiles and said, “Read something no one else is reading, think something no one else is thinking, and do something no one else is doing.”
3. Today, after a 72 hour shift at the fire station, a woman ran up to me at the grocery store and gave me a hug. When I tensed up, she realized I didn’t recognize her. She let go with tears of joy in her eyes and the most sincere smile and said, “On 9-11-2001, you carried me out of the World Trade Center.”
4. Today, after I watched my dog get run over by a car, I sat on the side of the road holding him and crying. And just before he died, he licked the tears off my face.
5. Today at 7 AM, I woke up feeling ill, but decided I needed the money, so I went into work. At 3 PM I got laid off. On my drive home I got a flat tire. When I went into the trunk for the spare, it was flat, too. A man in a BMW pulled over, gave me a ride, we chatted, and then he offered me a job. I start tomorrow.
6. Today, as my father, three brothers, and two sisters stood around my mother’s hospital bed, my mother uttered her last coherent words before she died. She simply said, “I feel so loved right now. We should have gotten together like this more often.”
7. Today, I kissed my Dad on the forehead as he passed away in a small hospital bed. About 5 seconds after he passed, I realized it was the first time I had given him a kiss since I was a little boy.
8. Today, in the cutest voice, my 8-year-old daughter asked me to start recycling. I chuckled and asked, “Why?” She replied, “So you can help me save the planet.” I chuckled again and asked, “And why do you want to save the planet?” “Because that’s where I keep all my stuff,” she said.
9. Today, when I witnessed a 27 year old breast cancer patient laughing at her 2 year old daughter’s antics, I suddenly realized that I need to stop complaining about my life and start celebrating it again.
10. Today, a boy in a wheelchair saw me desperately struggling on crutches with my broken leg and offered to carry my backpack and books for me. He helped me all the way across campus to my class and as he was leaving he said, “I hope you feel better soon.”
11. Today, I was feeling down because the results of a biopsy came back malignant. When I got home, I opened and e-mail that said, “Thinking of you today. If you need me, I’m a phone call away.” It was from a high school friend I hadn’t seen in 10 years.
12. Today, I was traveling in Kenya and I met a refugee from Zimbabwe. He said he hadn’t eaten anything in over 3 days and looked extremely skinny and unhealthy. Then my friend offered him the rest of the sandwich he was eating. The first thing the man said was, “We can share it.”
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
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Blessings to you.
Don’t kid yourself – God cares!
One of my favorite activities is playing in the dirt. Working in my yard planting flowers and making gardens brings me such joy. Last Fall I started a “little” project that I thought would enhance my front yard tremendously. I’ll just build a retaining wall and fill the area with dirt and plant some beautiful flowers, add a Rose of Sharon, and leave the rose bush and Crepe Myrtle where they are. That will make for a nice garden, I thought while gazing at the sloping ground.
You may recognize my partially built wall from my post, “Building Walls”
Now I’m no spring chicken and what muscles my five foot four body had are pretty well shot but I do the best I can. I dug the trench and aligned the blocks, I carried one heavy cement block at a time and positioned each so they were solidly set, one on top of the other. (I have over 800 to do.)
But then a problem arose.
Do you notice the square cement block sitting in the center? That used to be a cement step outside the basement door. It took a big machine to lift it and place it there. It was the foundation for my Christian birdbath to sit on. 
(It’s a non-denominational birdbath so all are welcome) Now I need to move it! No machine, no big men with muscles rippling under shirt sleeves. Just little old me.
For weeks I’ve cried out to the Lord, “Lord help me. I need that moved and I can’t budge it! Do you have some really strong angels who can help me? Please send them.”
With spring in my step and energy level high I am back working on my garden. But another problem arose.
When I had a truck load of dirt delivered I was told my wall would come tumbling down with that amount of dirt to fill the area. I need to make it a 2 tier garden or have to rebuild my wall with rebar, etc. Back to digging, carrying one heavy block at a time, and finally having the first row done I gaze at the not-so-level cement square sitting in the middle of my garden project.
“Lord? Please, please, please. I’ll leave it right where it is but it needs to be level. The front needs to come up and I can’t budge it. Oh God You have to send me a big strong angel!”
I awoke this morning to the sound of crashing, grinding, and the roar of some big truck outside my front door. Peeking out the window to see what is disturbing the peace and quiet, my eyes can’t believe what they’re looking at!
Four big angels, muscles rippling, shovels in hand. Okay so they are road workers doing work along the road in the subdivision. They look like angels to me! I scream thank you Lord, make a mad dash to the bedroom and throw on some clothes. Throwing open the front door my short, fat little legs make a bee line for the biggest angel, with the biggest muscles. I smile brightly looking up at him. Batting my seventy year old eyelashes sweetly, I ask if I can barrow his muscles because I don’t have any.
God cares for even those things that we feel are not important enough to go to Him about. He says to pray about EVERYTHING. I needed muscles! Muscles that could lift the edge of that cement square so I could level it.
GOD ANSWERS EVEN OUR SMALLEST PRAYERS!
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“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Luke 11:9
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Blessings to you.
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