Interesting Conversation 2 - God and his Child

A Love Story

Author: Unknown

One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me.


He asked me, "Do you love me?"

I answered, "Of course, God! You are my Lord and Savior!"

Then He asked, if you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"

I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do, the things that I took for granted.

And I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You".

Then the Lord said, "if you were blind, would you still love my creation?"

How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation. So I answered, "Its hard to think of it, but I would still love You".

The Lord then asked me, if you were deaf would you still listen to my word?"

How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word".

The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"

How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks. So, I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name".

And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?"

With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Lord! I love You because You are the One and True God!"

I thought I had answered well, but God asked,

"THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"

I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect".

"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY THE EARNEST?"

No answers. Only tears.

The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"

The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.

"Why are you ashamed of me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer my shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in my name?"

I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.

"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed my word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown my blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all".

"DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?"

I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, 'Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child.'

The Lord answered, " That is my grace, my child".

I asked, " Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"

The Lord answered: 'Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever'.

Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?

I asked God, 'How much do You love me?'

The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. I bowed down at the feet of Christ, my Savior. And for the first time, I truly prayed.

Interesting Conversation - A Student and Professor

INTERESTING CONVERSATION

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, the ALMIGHTY.

He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.

Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.

But GOD didn't.

How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

( Student is silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ?

Let's start again, Young Fella.

Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD .. . .
Professor : That's right.

Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ?

And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student does not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?

All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

( Student has no answer )

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.

Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD?

Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?

Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist.

What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes, Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.

( The Lecture Theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat,

White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat...

But we don't have anything called Cold.

We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat,

but we can't go any further after that.

There is no such thing as Cold.

Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.

We cannot Measure Cold.

Heat is Energy.

Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

( There is Pin - Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir.

Darkness is the Absence of Something¡K

You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .

But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called

Darkness, isn't it? In reality, Darkness isn't.

If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.

You argue there is Life and then there is Death,

a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.

You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite,

something we can measure.

Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.

It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen,

much less fully understood either one.

To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that

Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.

Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it.

Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved

from a Monkey?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process,

yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

( The Professor shakes his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument is going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and

Cannot even prove that this Process is an On - Going Endeavor,

Are you not teaching your Opinion, sir?

Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

( The Class is in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

( The Class breaks out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . .

No one appears to have done so.

So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable,

Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have No Brain, sir.

With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room is Silent. The Professor stares at the Student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . .

The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.

That is all that Keeps Things Moving & Alive.

Freedom of Simplicity

by Bo Sanchez

Happiness is not found outside of you. It doesn't come from cars,

Clothes,cash, or Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found within.

But how can you find it if you don't have the simplicity of time

And space to discover the most important things in your life?

How can you search the depths of your soul if you are too busy

Impressing others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and

Paying your debts?

Simplicity is not about the external either: living in a doghouse,

Eating in Hepatitis joints, wearing rags.

Let me define what it is: Simplicity is living from the core of your being.

A TREASURE MAP OF HAPPINESS

Simplicity will point to you where and what and who the gold is in your life.

Let me share with you the seven powerful lessons I've learned on simple living:

1. LIVE ON LESS, AND DELIGHT IN THEM MORE

Some take their pleasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Europe,

And owning the latest home theatre-equipment. I've chosen the simple path:

If I can simply be with my wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of stars,

Or play with a child, or read a good book in my home, or laugh with friends

Over a pizza, I consider myself richly blessed.

Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have.

2. STOP RUNNING AND WALK INSTEAD

Here's the truth: The person who has covered the greatest distance does

NOT win, but the one who has most enjoyed the journey does. Stop

Running around chasing your own tail!

Get off your hurried pace and learn to breathe. Replace doing with

Being. Learn to say no to invitations, appointments, and commitments,

Activities and events that will rob you of your focus. Learn to say

"yes" to rest, to tranquility, to quietness.

3. YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR WEALTH

I own very few things today. Because I am more than the brand of my

Watch,the logo of my shoes, the name of my car. I believe that if in my soul

I deeply respect and value myself, people around me will sense that, and they too,

Will value and respect me-whether I'm wearing Armani or not.

You are more than your wealth.

4. AVOID BUYING ON CREDIT

I don't believe in borrowing from credit cards. (For convenience, I use one card

But I pay the whole amount at the end of each month.) If I need something really bad,

I save up for it. Sometimes, at midpoint, I realize I don't really need the darn thing

And give up the whole idea. The only exception I feel we should enter into a

Credit is when buying a non-depreciating item, such as housing or land.

I believe we should always live within our earning capacity.

Proverbs 22:7 says, "Those who borrow are slaves of moneylenders."

5. GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

If I content myself with SAR25 shirt instead of SAR400 Lacoste, I can help others more.

Trust me, there is immense pleasure! You will find that the empty thrill of owning a

Diamond ring on your finger pales in comparison to the joy of handling a

Piece of bread to an orphan child.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,

Having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8)

The Old Testament of tithing, or giving 10% of your income is a good guideline to follow.

The New Testament challenges us to give with a cheerful heart. (When you're cheerful,

You may give more than 10%!) Make it a habit.

6. SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

Saving is essential to being good stewards of the money that God "lends" to us.

Saving is an important way of providing for our future-both for our needs and

To be generous to others. I recommend that you save at least 10% of your income.

I can almost hear you now: "Bo, that's impossible!" Oh yeah? Well, how did you

Live three years back when your salary was one-half its present amount?"

Sacrifice. Many of our needs are actually wants. Is cable TV a need? Will you

Suddenly die if you can't watch CNN or HBO? Are those new golf clubs essential

To your existence? Invest in time deposits, long-term stocks and housing.

7. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET

Make a list of all your monthly expenses, according to categories. Make also a list

Of irregular expenses-those that don't come monthly. Set up another savings account

For these expenses and put in a little money each month. To differentiate this from

the savings account, we call ours "freedom account" because it frees us from worrying

about them when they suddenly attack. And stick to your budget!

ONE LAST WORD BEFORE WE CLOSE

Balance.

Don't take living simply to the extremes! Living simply doesn't mean living in deprivation.

There are special days when my wife and I eat in a fancy restaurant. Or, when we splurge into a

vacation. Very rare, yes, but my point is that you take living simply NOT as a rigid goal-

but as a happy process towards the goals of generosity, inner peace and holiness.

Have a nice day! God Bless.

14 Ways to Convert Your Sedentary lifestyle

by Dumb Little Man

Sedentary Lifestyle

• It is characterized by sitting or remaining inactive for most of the day (for example, in an office), with little or no exercise.
• It is believed to be a factor in obesity, and, as such, may contribute to other diseases, such as type II diabetes, heart disease, depression and even hemorrhoids.
• Lack of exercise causes muscle atrophy, i.e. shrinking and weakening of the muscles, which in turn increases susceptibility to physical injury.
• Additionally, Physical fitness is correlated with immune system function; a reduction in physical fitness is generally accompanied by a weakening of the immune system.

Here are how to:

1. Park far away: Instinctively, almost all of us look for a spot as close to our destination as possible. Instead get into the habit of parking a block away, or parking at the farthest parking spot. If you are grocery shopping, park in the store's lot but choose the back row. Clearly you wouldn't want to be caught pushing a shopping cart down the street trying to get to your car.
2. Take the stairs instead of elevators: If it is one or two floors, always take the stairs. If you need to go up/down several floors then take the stairs to two floors above/below and then take the elevator. As you get used to it, increase the number of floors you use the stairs for. If you park in a level parking lot, always park in one of the higher levels and walk down.
3. If possible, walk or bike to work: This is not possible for everyone, but if you live in a place where the pollution is less and your workplace is relatively close by, then choose to walk or bike instead of driving.
4. Skip the stop: If your city has a subway or bus system, skip your stop and get off at the one after (or before) and then walk from there. You'll get to enjoy the air and neighborhood a little while increasing your heart rate.
5. Maximize the benefits from your grocery trip: When you go to the grocery store, make it a habit to walk the entire store. Go through every aisle and every nook and corner. Avoid the aisles that could tempt you to pick up junk food though, since that can completely obliterate any benefits of walking a few extra steps! NOTE: if you have a spending problem don't do this.
6. Take a short walk-break at work: Again this one depends on your work location, but ours is located outside the city and is on large private grounds. Every afternoon a couple of us go for a short walk (~1 mile round trip) which takes roughly 15-20 minutes. It is very invigorating and a nice break from the afternoon routine.
7. Do your own yard work: This is a good one for summer time when the lawn starts to grow and you need to keep it trimmed. Instead of hiring someone to do it for you, do it yourself. You will not only get some exercise, but save some money too!
8. Play with your kids: Kids these days seem to play more video games than outdoor games like we did when we were younger. So take your kids out to the park and throw the ball around, play tag, etc.
9. Put on your favorite music and dance: This is not only exercise, but also a great way to unwind at the end of a busy day. And a good trip down the memory lane for those of us who have not done it in a long time! While watching TV, pace or stretch: Instead of switching channels during the ad break get up and walk about the house.
10. Do some lunges or some simple stretching exercises: If you have stairs in your house, walk up and down the stairs a few times, during each ad break for at least one show every day.
11. Choose to walk down instead of call or email: When you have a question for a colleague, instead of picking up the phone or shooting an email, walk over to their cube. This will not only provide some exercise but a short break for a quick recharge.
12. Walk while you talk on the phone: If your job involves talking on the phone a lot, then instead of doing this sitting at your desk, get into the habit of pacing while you talk. Motion creates emotion so you may even become a better speaker by doing this.
13. Choose active entertainment over passive entertainment: Instead of going for a movie, choose to go play tennis with some friends (or at least bowling). Instead of playing regular video games, play with a Wii. Instead of meeting friends for a cup of coffee, catch up over a sunset walk.
14. Choose active vacations: While planning vacations, pick something that involves some walking and hiking. While taking in a new city, do it by walk, instead of driving around. If golfing, skip the cart. If staying at a resort, make use of their pool and the exercise facility. Try skiing and white water rafting.

14 Simple Ways to Convert Your Sedentary Lifestyle

from dumblittleman.com

Sedentary lifestyle is a medical neologism used to denote a type of lifestyle most commonly found in modern (particularly Western) cultures. It is characterized by sitting or remaining inactive for most of the day (for example, in an office), with little or no exercise. It is believed to be a factor in obesity, and, as such, may contribute to other diseases, such as type II diabetes, heart disease, depression and even hemorrhoids. Lack of exercise causes muscle atrophy, i.e. shrinking and weakening of the muscles, which in turn increases susceptibility to physical injury. Additionally, Physical fitness is correlated with immune system function; a reduction in physical fitness is generally accompanied by a weakening of the immune system.

1. Park far away: Instinctively, almost all of us look for a spot as close to our destination as possible. Instead get into the habit of parking a block away, or parking at the farthest parking spot. If you are grocery shopping, park in the store's lot but choose the back row. Clearly you wouldn't want to be caught pushing a shopping cart down the street trying to get to your car.

2. Take the stairs instead of elevators: If it is one or two floors, always take the stairs. If you need to go up/down several floors then take the stairs to two floors above/below and then take the elevator. As you get used to it, increase the number of floors you use the stairs for. If you park in a level parking lot, always park in one of the higher levels and walk down.

3. If possible, walk or bike to work: This is not possible for everyone, but if you live in a place where the pollution is less and your workplace is relatively close by, then choose to walk or bike instead of driving.

4. Skip the stop: If your city has a subway or bus system, skip your stop and get off at the one after (or before) and then walk from there. You'll get to enjoy the air and neighborhood a little while increasing your heart rate.

5. Maximize the benefits from your grocery trip: When you go to the grocery store, make it a habit to walk the entire store. Go through every aisle and every nook and corner. Avoid the aisles that could tempt you to pick up junk food though, since that can completely obliterate any benefits of walking a few extra steps! NOTE: if you have a spending problem don't do this.

6. Take a short walk-break at work: Again this one depends on your work location, but ours is located outside the city and is on large private grounds. Every afternoon a couple of us go for a short walk (~1 mile round trip) which takes roughly 15-20 minutes. It is very invigorating and a nice break from the afternoon routine.

7. Do your own yard work: This is a good one for summer time when the lawn starts to grow and you need to keep it trimmed. Instead of hiring someone to do it for you, do it yourself. You will not only get some exercise, but save some money too!

8. Play with your kids: Kids these days seem to play more video games than outdoor games like we did when we were younger. So take your kids out to the park and throw the ball around, play tag, etc.

9. Put on your favorite music and dance: This is not only exercise, but also a great way to unwind at the end of a busy day. And a good trip down the memory lane for those of us who have not done it in a long time!

10. While watching TV, pace or stretch: Instead of switching channels during the ad break get up and walk about the house. Do some lunges or some simple stretching exercises. If you have stairs in your house, walk up and down the stairs a few times, during each ad break for at least one show every day.

11. Choose to walk down instead of call or email: When you have a question for a colleague, instead of picking up the phone or shooting an email, walk over to their cube. This will not only provide some exercise but a short break for a quick recharge.

12. Walk while you talk on the phone: If your job involves talking on the phone a lot, then instead of doing this sitting at your desk, get into the habit of pacing while you talk. Motion creates emotion so you may even become a better speaker by doing this.

13. Choose active entertainment over passive entertainment: Instead of going for a movie, choose to go play tennis with some friends (or at least bowling). Instead of playing regular video games, play with a Wii. Instead of meeting friends for a cup of coffee, catch up over a sunset walk.

14. Choose active vacations: While planning vacations, pick something that involves some walking and hiking. While taking in a new city, do it by walk, instead of driving around. If golfing, skip the cart. If staying at a resort, make use of their pool and the exercise facility. Try skiing and white water rafting.

The Powerful Gift

from tasgreetings.com

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found the seat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, anger, frustration and self pity. And all she had to cling to was her husband, Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.

At first, this comforted Susan, and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task. Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement wasn't working. Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But she was still so fragile, so angry - how would she react?

Just as he predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. "I'm blind!", she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I am going? I feel like you're abandoning me."

Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He
promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it.

And that is exactly what happened. For two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt her new environment. He helped her befriend the bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, and his love. She said good-bye, and for the first time, they went their separate ways.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday... Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself.

On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure do envy you."

Susan wasn't sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious, she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel good to be taken care of and protected like you are."

Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and again asked, "What do you mean?"

The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine looking gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you as you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one lucky lady."

Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.

Stress Reduction Techniques

from tasgreetings.com

That we live in an extremely stressful environment is abundantly evident. However, stress is nothing new - it's been around since the beginning. Robert Louis Stevenson made these suggestions over 100 years ago:

1. Make up your mind to be happy - learn to find pleasure in simple things.

2. Make the best of circumstances. No one has everything and everyone has something of sorrow.

3. Don't take yourself too seriously.

4. Don't let criticism worry you - you can't please everybody.

5. Don't let your neighbors set your standards - be yourself.

6. Do things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.

7. Don't borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than actual ones.

8. Since hate poisons the soul, don't cherish enmities and grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy.

9. Have many interests. If you can't travel, read about places.

10. Don't hold post-mortems or spend time brooding over sorrows and mistakes.

11. Don't be the one who never gets over things.

12. Keep busy at something. A very busy person never has time to be unhappy.

Times haven't changed - relax:-))