HONESTY

A friend sent me this story in an email. It is too good not to share!


A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.

Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still
nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Think about this for a minute....
If I happened to show up on your door step crying, would you care?

If I called you and asked you to pick me up because something happened, would you come?

If I had one day left to live my life, would you be part of that last day?

If I needed a shoulder to cry on, would you give me yours?

JUST A LITTLE STORY

I grew up for as long as I can remember knowing my Grandaddy was not a Christian when he married my Granny. My Granny was as good as they come. She was the best Christian I knew. She went to heaven so long ago I don't remember how long ago but I remember she always put others first, gave her last dime to practically anyone who asked, and was the most honest person. I loved her dearly and still miss her. But the reason for my story is I just always assumed my Granny was the one that brought him to Jesus. I was eating lunch with my aunt the other day when she starting telling me how he was saved. She wasn't sure about some of the details so I asked my Dad. I could not believe such an exciting story and all these years I have not known. It starts with my Dad being a shepherd in a play at church and my grandfather carved him a shepherd's hook to carry. Then the church (Northside Baptist Church in Anniston) needed a baptism pool (not sure if that's what you should call it). My grandaddy helped design and build it. He always had a little shop out in the backyard and was good at building things and working with his hands. Their was a revival at church and dad was about 13 (he thinks) and at the end I guess their was an alter call and he went down. The next week his pastor (Ray Till) talked to him about his decision and told him after church to come down and bring his daddy. At the end of the service he looked up at his daddy and said he wanted to go down and will you go with me? He said yes and down they went. Now, i just get chills seeing my daddy's little face looking up. My dad's 70 so i can just imagine he probably had slicked down hair, starched shirt and spit shiny shoes! Both of them were baptised in the newly built baptismal pool. It has never crossed my mind to ask how my Dad got saved I have just always known he was a Christian. I'm so glad I know the story!

JUST THINKING

Colossians 3:12-17 (New International Version, ©2011)

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

My take:
Paul is telling us in order for us to live for God each day we must be Christ-like, let love guide us, keep peace in your heart, always be thankful and keep God's word. I pray i can have enough peace in my heart to love enough.

The Blue Hutch: Giveaway

As you guys know I'm a blog addict. This is one i follow. It's one of the cutsey ones. So check it out.



The Blue Hutch: Giveaway: "I am not usually up quite this early. I am flying out to Atlanta for a conference this weekend.  Should be fun if I am ever fully cons..."

Jeremy Camp "Not Ashamed"

I know it has been some time since i last blogged. Iam a blog addict, i love to read other people's blogs. Some i have never even met. Some inspire, give you an idea or just make you smile by simply sharing their thoughts. These blogs are written well, their cute and some are even professional looking. I have been intimidated in sharing my thoughts with you. I do not write well or have the know to make it cutsey. So, you will just have to get past any cutsey or grammer errors if you want to read my blog. I really want to blog. If just one person somewhere out there reads what i write and gets anything, just a tidbit of inspriation then it is all worth while. You just never know what someone else is going thru or what you can say to make someone have a better day. So, here goes....
Our Ladies Bible Study has been in Genesis these last few weeks. I have to admit when we first discussed going thru Genesis verse by verse i just kinda thought O.K. we can just breeze thru. But i was so wrong, i have read these verses countless times and did not get, really get the meaning of just a verse. What rich history we are privy to with this information. It has been exciting to learn from others. You may think you don't have teaching abilities but as I said before you never know. You might just make a comment or give your opinion and it be just what someone else needs to hear to get it! As a women of faith it is past time to step up and out of my faith. God has called us to influence others to grow in his kingdom. If we don't get excited about our faith and our walk with our Lord, then how can we get others excited? Iam constantly stepping back and trying my best in all areas of my life to let my light shine so others will want what I have. As a wife, sister, friend and woman God has given us the responsibility to influence others. Thru joyous, happy, godlike actions i can win people to God! That is a big responsibility! One I have to work hard to withhold. In reading my mission magazine this subject came up regarding husbands and how you can be a positive influence.
The scipture is 1 Peter 3:1-6.

1 Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, 6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Some time ago, a friend sent me this same verse as i was struggling with my own desires or being a better wife. I knew this verse before I read it. I have never liked this verse. I was under the impression that by submitting meant giving in, giving up. But you know what, I submitted with a certain situation and God took care of things. He even took care of things in my favor. So now when I read submit i just think of it as being a partner, coming to compromises in some situations and God will work it all out. So, in a nutshell i just pray that my actions and my love to be genuine and obvious that i can draw people to God. I pray he will show me who He wants me to influence and guide me in doing so.

In studying Genesis, meaning refering to the reference scriptures and really taking time to dive in i came upon a verse in Hebrews. When reading my principles to better understand the verse this is what my Bible said and I will leave you with this and hope it gives you some hope!

God will make sure that life provides the opportunity for us to "put to the test" the truths revealed in His word. "Count it all joy!" Consider it a great compliment when God tests you. He cares enough about you to make sure that you "get it". His purpose in testing us is never that we fail, but that we pass with flying colors.

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!

TAKE THIS JOB AND LOVE IT!

My heart took delight in all my work. Ecclesiastes 2:10

I could not believe it when i came across this verse. I have never read this verse before that i can remember. Iam sure we all have experienced burn-out and worn-out at work. Recently i was reminded how God gave me the job I have and recently i remembered how i have not used my job as he would want me to. As a friend's children once said "I'm working for Jesus". That's what I should be doing. Working for Jesus! Taking him to work with me. Sure i pray at work but once i really thought about it, it is self-centered praying. Things like God, get me through the day or God, help me this and help me that. I have always said you never know what tomorrow will bring, live with no regrets, tell people you love them and all that stuff. Once i started acting like that at work my attitude changed, you never know if you will ever see that patient again or if it will be the last smile that person will see or how much someone else might need a smile instead of focusing on myself.

Let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! Psalm 90:17

I do things outside of work to be affirmed why not while Iam at work. I love to work to honor his name because most of the time that doesn't seem like work. But if you know me, you know Iam hardheaded and sometimes I just have to be hit with a ton of bricks to see I can honor his name AT work. Wouldn't that make work a better place? Use every opportunity God sends me so my work will be affirmed!