lucky

Lucky

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character.
Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn
their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to
whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something
would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement
and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys.

Lucky always stashed his "finds" in his toy box and he was very
particular that his toys stay in the box.

Mary found out that she had breast cancer. Something told her she was
going to die of this disease... She was just so sure that it was fatal. She
went ahead and scheduled the double mastectomy with fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A
thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old
dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be
abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him.

The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death. The double
mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was
hospitalized for over two weeks.

Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just
drooped, whining and miserable. Finally the day came for Mary to leave the
hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it
up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and
left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It
made Mary very sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke
for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her
head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when
Mary realized the problem. She was covered...literally blanketed... With
every treasure that Lucky owned!

While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the
basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life. He had
covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began
living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.

And Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box
but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Live every day to the fullest.

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most
credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that
care.

.

christian essentials

Well I am about to write a speech that I did for my Toast masters group about a year and half ago or there abouts. the title of this posting ws the title of the speech. mind you it will not be word for word but I am going on memory.

Welcome to christian boot camp. I am about to teach you the essentials you need to survive in battle. they are as follows: faith, fellowship, food and prayer. Faith is simple it is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. you will say to me that I am not like you I am not a christian so I don't have faith. well ladies and gentlemen that is crazy. because when you came in tonight you pulled up a chair and sat down. you didn't check it to make sure it would hold your weight or that it was sturdy. you put your trust or "faith" in the chiar. so you have faith. you drink water without worry because you have "faith" that the filters have cleaned it so you can drink it.
Next you need food to survive. there are 2 types of food. angels food and devils food. angels food is simple. it is the word of God. you say what is devil's food? well anything that contradictions the cook "the Bible" how you will ask does one know the difference. well get you get so familar with the angels food that when you spot devils food you will see it right away. a bank teller doesn't study counterfit money to know what it is they get themselves so familar with real money that when a fake bill comes across they recognize it right away.
fellowship! this is simple. it is gathering with other believers. this for encouragement and to help with the battle plans and build each other up. scripture says we are not to forsake assembling together. so keep on getting together.
Prayer! this is talking with God. you will notice I didn't say talking to God. because talking to someone you expect they will do what you say and you really don't expect or desire a response. Talking with God you tell him what is on your mind and ask for insight and direction and listen to what he has to say. not saying he will answer verbally. he sometimes might but often times he talks to us in response via a friend or his word. now we should listen more then we talk. God gave us 2 ears and one mouth. that should tell us something. we are to listen twice as much as we talk.
so the essentials are: faith, food fellowship and prayer. prayer is very key and not any least important then any of the otehers.

that was my speech. I only had 5-7 minutes to speak so I could give a tun of indepth insight. but there you have it. enjoy.