Net Miles Of Smiles

 

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God’s Rosebud
==============
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A new minister
was walking with an older,
more seasoned minister
in the garden one day.

.. 
Feeling a bit insecure
about what God
had for him to do,
he was asking the older preacher
for some advice.

.. 
The older preacher
walked up to a rosebush
and handed the young preacher
a rosebud and told him
to open it
without tearing off any petals.

.. 
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 ministry.

.. 
But because of his great respect
for the older preacher,
he proceeded to try to unfold the rose,
while keeping every petal intact.

.. 
It wasn’t long
before he realized
how impossible
this was to do.

.. 
Noticing the younger preacher’s
inability to unfold the rosebud
without tearing it,
the older preacher began
to recite the following poem…

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Comments (2) May 21 2010

 

 

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The Blessing Of Thorns
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Sandra felt as low as the heels of her shoes as she pushed
against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life had
been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of
her second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole her
ease.

..
 
During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son.
She grieved over her loss. As if that weren’t enough, her
husband’s company threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose
annual holiday visit she coveted, called saying she could not
come.

..
 
What’s worse, Sandra’s friend infuriated her by suggesting her
grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to
empathize with others who suffer. “She has no idea what I’m
feeling,” thought Sandra with a shudder.
..

“Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?” she wondered aloud. For a
careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-
ended her? For an airbag that saved her life but took that of
her child?

..
 
“Good afternoon, can I help you?”

..
 
The shop clerk’s approach startled her.

..
 
“I….I need an arrangement, “stammered Sandra. “For
Thanksgiving?

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Do you want beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to
challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the
Thanksgiving Special?” asked the shop clerk.

..
 
“I’m convinced that flowers tell stories,” she continued.

.. 
“Are you looking for something that conveys ‘gratitude’ this
Thanksgiving?

..
 
“Not exactly!” Sandra blurted out. “In the last five months,
everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. ” Sandra
regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the shop clerk
said, “I have the perfect arrangement for you.”

..
 
Then the door’s small bell rang, and the shop clerk said, “Hi
Barbara…let me get your order.” She politely excused herself
and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared,
 

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Comments (0) Apr 06 2010