THE CRACKED POT....

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each
hung on each end of a
pole which he carried across his neck. One of
the pots had a crack in
it, and while the other pot was perfect and
always delivered a full portion
of water at the end of the long walk from the
stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the
bearer delivering only
one and a half pots full of water to his master's
house. Of course, the
perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments,
perfect to the end for
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot
was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to
accomplish only half of
what it had been made to do. After two years of
what it perceived to be a
bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one
day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to
apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you
ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to
deliver only half my load because this crack in
my side causes water to leak out all the way
back to your master's house. Because of my
flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you
don't get full value from your efforts," the pot
said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked
pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we
return to the master's house, I want you to
notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked
pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful
wild flowers on the side of the path, and this
cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it
still felt bad because it had leaked out half its
load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for
its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that
there were flowers only on your side of your
path, but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your
flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower
seeds on your side of the path, and every day
while we walk back from the stream, you've
watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these
beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.
Without you being just the way you are, he
would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us have unique flaws. We're all
cracked pots. But if we allow it, the Lord will
use our flaws to grace His table.
In God's great economy, nothing goes waste.
The best we can do is, present ourselves as truthfully as we can and
leave it for Him to present us the way He best knows... Be true to
yourself and be true to others, and life will sure be beautiful...
--
hamza .. :)
--
hamza .. :)

Anything for a friend...

A Friend Is...
Anyone can stand by you when you are right,
But a Friend will stand by you even when you are
wrong.
A simple friend identifies himself when he calls.
A real friend doesn't have to.
A simple friend opens a conversation
With a full news bulletin on his life.
A real friend says, "What's new with you?"
A simple friend thinks the problems you whine
about are recent.
A real friend says,
"You've been whining about the same thing for
14 years.
Get off your duff and do something about it."
A simple friend has never seen you cry.
A real friend has shoulders soggy from your tears.
A simple friend doesn't know your parents' first
names.
A real friend has their phone numbers in his
address book.
A simple friend brings a bottle of wine to your
party.
A real friend comes early to help you cook
And stays late to help you clean.
A simple friend hates it when you call after he has
gone to bed.
A real friend asks you why you took so long to
call.
A simple friend seeks to talk with you about your
problems.
A real friend seeks to help you with your
problems.
A simple friend wonders about your romantic
history.
A real friend could blackmail you with it.
A simple friend, when visiting, acts like a guest.
A real friend opens your refrigerator and helps
himself.
A simple friend thinks the friendship is over
When you have an argument.
A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until
after
You've had a fight.
A simple friend expects you to always be there for
them.
A real friend expects to always be there for you ... !!
--
hamza .. :)
--
hamza .. :)

The Rocks and Sand ...

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in

front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large

empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks

about 2" in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them

into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course,

rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The students laughed. The professor picked up a box of sand and

poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is

your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your

partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important

to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your

house, your car.

The sand is everything else. The small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the

pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend

all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have

room for the things that are important to you."

 "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness."

"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set

your priorities. The rest is just sand."

The 5 Minutes of Patience..

While at the park one day, a woman sat down
next to a man on a bench near a playground.
"That's my son over there," she said, pointing to a
little boy in a red sweater who was gliding down
the slide.
"He's a fine looking boy" the man said. "That's my
daughter on the bike in the white dress."
Then, looking at his watch, he called to his
daughter. "What do you say we go ?"
His daughter pleaded, "Just five more minutes, Dad.
Please? Just five more minutes."
The man nodded and she continued to ride
her bike to her heart's content. Minutes passed
and the father stood and called again to his
daughter. "Time to go now?"
Again she pleaded, "Five more minutes, Dad.
Just five more minutes."
The man smiled and said, "OK."
"My, you certainly are a patient father," the
woman responded.
The man smiled and then said, "Her elder brother  was killed by a
drunk driver last year
while he was riding his bike near here. I never
spent much time with my son and now I'd give anything for just five
more minutes with him. I've vowed not to make
the same mistake with my daughter.
She thinks she has five more minutes to ride her
bike. The truth is, I get Five more minutes to
watch her play."


Life is all about making priorities. Giving a little more time to your
loved ones would only help you see them for a bit longer before the
Divine takes them away.

From the ears ... To the heart..

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled
in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she
gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.
The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was
perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.

When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's
arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of
heartbreaks.

He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy ... called me a freak."

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow
students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a
gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other
young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be
done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be
procured," the doctor decided.

Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for
a young man. Two years went by.

Then, "You are going to the hospital, Son. Mother and I have someone who
will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret," said the father. The
operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents
blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.
Later he married and entered the diplomatic service. "But I must know!" He
urged his father, "Who gave so much for me? I
could never do enough for him." "I do not believe you could," said the
father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know ... not yet."

The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come ... one of the
darkest days that a son must endure. He stood with his father over his
mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and
raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the mother -- had no
outer ears.

"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered
gently, "and nobody ever thought Mother less beautiful, did they?" Real
beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure
lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love
lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

The secret of love if revealed, will never remain sweet forever.