Not Enough

Pleasure, material, possessions and even great knowledge do not bring lasting satisfaction. What we need is more than fun, finances and fame to be fulfilled. But have you think about those persons who committed suicide? These were people who had failed to find the meaning of their existence.

Our lives indeed, do have meaning for both time and eternity. Why? because we were created in God's own image. We have an eternal purpose and the hope of heaven. This is enough to bring deep peace and joy to our lives.

just wanna share this verse to you...

"What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world,
and is himself destroyed or lost?"
Luke 9:25

A Prayer of LIFE!

As I was blog hopping, I was able to stumble at my friend's site~ Elaine of Laine's Abode. I thought of sharing also this prayer to you...so here it is!

Teach me Lord to be sweet and gentle
In all the events in life
In disappointments
In the thoughtlessness of others
In the insincerity of those
on whom I Relied.

Let me put myself Aside
To think of the Happiness of others
To hide my little pains and heataches
To suffer from them.

TEACH ME TO PROFIT by the suffering
That comes across my path let me use it
That it may MELLOW me not harden
Nor embitter me
That it may make me PATIENT
Not irritable
That it may make BROAD in my FORGIVENESS
Not narrow, haughty and overbearing.

May NO ONE be less good for having come
With in my influence no one less PURE less TIME.
Less KIND, less NOBLE for having been
A fellow traveler in our journey
Towards Eternal Life. AMEN.

(More thins are wrought by prayer than this dream of.)

-from Rev. Fr. Brower-

Am I a Fireman Yet?

I just want to share this story which is so uplifting and can make you cry and question yourself each day to live life to the fullest, help others, and stop whining about high gas prices. :) Just a warning to all: don't read if you wish to remain the same person you are today.

Please scroll down the story below:

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up & fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible the leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, 'Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?' Mommy, 'I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up.' Mom smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can make your wish come true.' Later that day she went to her local fire Department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.

Fireman Bob said, ‘Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary Fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!

And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy -- one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.'

'They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast.'

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck.

Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls.

He rode in the different fire engines, the Paramedic's' van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, he was so deeply touched. He lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept - that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.

Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a Fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, 'We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire?'

'It's the department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?'

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window--------16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room

With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they LOVED him.

With his dying breath,

Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,

'Chief, am I really a fireman now?'

'Billy, you are, and
The Head Chief,
Jesus, is holding your hand,' the chief said

With those words, Billy smiled and said,

'I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and
The angels have been singing..'

He closed his eyes one last time.

The Blessing Tree!

I just want to share to you about the story of a young couple whose business had failed, and they had little money to spend at Christmas. They were going to move out of their house after the New Year. But they didn’t want their holiday season to be spoiled because of it. So they decided to throw a party. When the guests arrived, they saw a cedar tree decorated with one string of lights and small rolled-up pieces of paper tied to the limbs with ribbon.

“Welcome to our blessing tree!” they said, beaming. “In spite of hard times, God has blessed us in so many ways that we decided to dedicate our tree to Him. Each piece of paper describes a blessing He has given us this year.”

Isn’t it nice? I have learned that whatever your difficulties, they need not spoil Christmas, for nothing can spoil Christ! We have to stay focused on Jesus and seek ways to share His blessings with others-perhaps through your own “blessing tree.”

Living LIFE to the Max!

Would you believe that Jesus did not call us to live our Christian life just to escape hell? It’s not to be a life of minimum joy and fulfillment, but a life that is full and overflowing. If our primary motivation would just be merely avoiding eternal punishment then we are missing the wonders and joys and victories of climbing higher and higher with Jesus.

He promised us LIFE more abundantly. We cannot experience a full and abundant life if we are living in fear. We should not live minimally. We have to live life to the maximum!