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Imagine an artist painting a winter scene. She depicts a
white, frozen ground and evergreens
draped in snow. Her hand brings
the day to a close as she paints
night falling on the canvass. In the
deep shadows of dusk, she has painted
a grim, log cabin, barely
visible to the casual observer.
Then she dips her brush in yellow paint and, with a few quick
strokes, places a brightly burning
lamp in one of the cabin's windows.
Warm rays dance on white snow, now
made brighter by the light. The
lonely lamp completely changes the
tone of the picture, replacing
feelings of dark and gloom with warmth
and security.
Edith Wharton has said that there are two ways of spreading
the light: to be the candle or the
mirror that reflects it. Sometimes
we are candles. We shed light of
love and hope. We shine encouragement
into dark souls. Or we illuminate
with insight.
But sometimes we reflect the light. We are mirrors to enable
others to see the light of their
own goodness and beauty. And when we
have no other light of our own, we
are mirrors which reflect a greater
Light.
For some, the world can be bleak and cold. They feel
frightened,
lonely and even hopeless.
But it's true that no amount of darkness can extinguish the
light of one, small candle.
You?
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Listen Louder
A man realized he needed to purchase a hearing aid, but he
felt unwilling to spend much money.
"How much do they run?" he asked
the clerk.
"That depends," said the salesman. "They run from $2.00 to
$2,000."
"Let's see the $2.00 model," he said.
The clerk put the device around the man's neck. "You just
stick this button in your ear and
run this little string down to your
pocket," he instructed.
"How does it work?" the customer asked.
"For $2.00 -- it doesn't work," the salesman replied. "But
when people see it on you, they'll
talk louder!"
As you know, our communication problems are not due
to people talking too softly. Unfortunately,
we are not always good
listeners.
Do you know that people will pay hundreds of dollars an hour
for no other reason than to have
someone listen to them? Psychologist
Carl Rogers said, "A person's real
need, a most terrible need, is for
someone to listen. . . not
as a 'patient' but as a human soul."
To listen well is to respond to a great human yearning. One
small child put it like this: "I'll
try to listen louder."
What could happen if you "listened louder" today?
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One Minute Changed A Life
He almost killed somebody, but one minute changed his life.
The beautiful story comes from Sherman Rogers' old book,
"Foremen: Leaders or Drivers?" Though
we know more today about
effective management and supervision,
Rogers makes an excellent point
about relationships.
During his college years, Rogers spent a summer in an Idaho
logging camp. At one point, the superintendent
had to leave for a few
days and put Rogers in charge.
"What if the men refuse to follow my orders?" Rogers asked. He
thought of Tony, an immigrant worker
who grumbled and growled all day,
giving the other men a hard time.
"Fire them," the superintendent said. Then, as if reading
Rogers' mind, he added, "I suppose
you think you are going to fire
Tony if you get the chance. I'd feel
badly about that. I have been
logging for 40 years. Tony is the
most reliable worker I've ever had.
I know he is a grouch and that he
hates everybody and everything. But
he comes in first and leaves last.
There has not been an accident for
eight years on the hill where he
works."
Rogers took over the next day. He went to Tony and spoke to
him. "Tony, do you know I'm in charge
here today?"
Tony grunted.
"I was going to fire you the first time we tangled, but I want
you to know I'm not," he told Tony,
adding what the superintendent had
said. When he finished, Tony dropped
the shovelful of sand he had held
and tears streamed down his face.
"Why he no tell me dat eight years ago?"
That day Tony worked harder than ever before -- and he smiled!
He later said to Rogers, "I told
Maria you first foreman in deese
country who ever say, 'Good work,
Tony,' and it make Maria feel like
Christmas."
Rogers went back to school after that summer. Twelve years
later he met Tony again. Tony was
superintendent for railroad
construction for one of the largest
logging companies in the West.
Rogers asked him how he came to California
and happened to have such
success. Tony replied, "If it not
be for the one minute you talk to me
back in Idaho, I keel somebody someday.
One minute, she change my
whole life."
Effective managers know the importance of taking a moment to
point out what a worker is doing
well. But what a difference a minute
of affirmation can make in ANY relationship!
One minute. Have you got one minute to thank someone? One
minute to tell someone what you sincerely
LIKE about her or what you
appreciate about him? One minute
to point out something that was done
well and elaborate on it?
One minute. It can make a difference for a lifetime.
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Love Letter To A Cat
A love letter to a cat?
Why not? At least Andrew thought it might work.
This is an actual love letter written by a boy to his cat. But
before you read the letter, you must
understand this about the cat.
She is about as affectionate as a
cactus. And besides, she goes to
great length to avoid Andrew. She
would rather sleep the day away in
one of her many hiding places scattered
throughout the boy's house
than be near him. And on one of those
rare occasions when she makes an
appearance, he can forget about touching
her. If he never has anything
to do with her, that is all right
by the cat.
The boy tries his best to be nice. He looks for her, searching
the house for an occupied hiding
place, and feels abundantly grateful
if he should stumble upon his treasure.
He is occasionally allowed to
stroke her once or twice before she
flits off. He even feeds her,
hoping to eventually win her confidence
and perhaps even a bit of
affection. But he is seldom rewarded
with anything like attention.
Now that you know something about the cat, whose name is
Mehitabel, by the way, what about
the love letter? It was found next
to the cat's food dish. This is what
it said: "To cat (he couldn't
spell Mehitabel!): I love you. Before
you love me I will love you
more. Love, Andrew. Meow!"
What a selfless love! "I love you. Before you love me I will
love you more." That is a parent's
love for a child. And God's love
for humanity.
There is something excessive about a love which says, "Before
you love me I will love you more."
What a wondrous world this would be
if it were filled with excessive
lovers!
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Ten OTHER Commandments
Life Supporter Vickie Baker sent in ten life-affirming
pearls to live by. You may find them
"suitable for framing," or at
least suitable for passing along.
Most importantly, I hope you find
them suitable for following! Enjoy.
Ten OTHER Commandments to Live By
1. You shall not worry, for worry
is the most unproductive of all
human activities.
2. You shall not be fearful, for most
of the things we fear never
come to pass.
3. You shall not carry grudges, for
they are the heaviest of all
life's burdens.
4. You shall face each problem as
it comes. You can only handle
one at a time anyway.
5. You shall not take problems to
bed with you, for they make very
poor bedfellows.
6. You shall not borrow other people's
problems. They can better
care for them than you.
7. You shall not try to relive yesterday
for good or ill, it is
forever gone. Concentrate on what
is happening in your life and be
happy now!
8. You shall be a good listener, for
only when you listen do you hear
ideas different from your own.
9. You shall not become "bogged down"
by frustration, for 90% of it
is rooted in self-pity and will only
interfere with positive action.
10. You shall count your blessings,
never overlooking the small ones,
for a lot of small blessings add
up to a big one.
Author Unknown
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L-U-C-K
One old rancher was interviewed by a newspaper reporter who
asked him to what he attributed his
success as a rancher. With a
twinkle in his eye the man replied,
"It's been about 50% weather, 50%
good luck and the rest is brains."
That which we call "luck" plays an unmistakable role in our
lives! But no matter how good the
weather or the livestock, only a
well-prepared cattleman could take
advantage of what opportunities
might come his way.
Like the fictitious story of an unfortunate cattle rustler who
found himself surrounded in a box
canyon by a group of vigilantes.
They intended to hang the thief but
found no suitable trees. So they
took him to a nearby bridge crossing
a swiftly moving river, noosed
him and tossed him over the side.
But the noose was knotted
improperly, came loose and the man
fell into the swirling water. The
vigilantes whipped out their guns
and fired -- and missed 152 shots
before the river swept him out of
range.
"Durndest day ever seen," sighed the rustler on his third and
last trip to the surface. "Rope don't
work, a whole mob can't hit the
side of a barn, and look at me,"
he sputtered. "Cain't swim a lick."
Luck is only useful to the prepared. It's true with marriage
and relationships, it's true in the
office and it's true in our
personal growth. Whatever opportunities
may come our way are only
useful to those who are ready to
seize them.
L-U-C-K -- Laboring Under Correct Knowledge. Will you be ready
for something good to happen?
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