Lessons from Noah's Ark

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark.

ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Nothing says "Love" like a child

Touching words from the mouth of babes. A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
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'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4
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'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 7
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'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss' Emily - age 8
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'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate,' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
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'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.' Noelle - age 7
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'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends
even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6
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'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8
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'My mommy loves me more than anybody You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6
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'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine-age 5
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'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7
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'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4
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'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image) Karen - age 7
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'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it,
you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8
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And the final one -- Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

Matthew 18:
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,
3 and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Mark 9:
36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them,
37 "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Ten Commandments - Simplified

Some people have trouble with all those 'shall's' and 'shall not's' in the Ten Commandments. In Southeastern Missouri they translated the 'King James' into 'Butler County' language.

(1) Just one God
(2) Put nothin' before God
(3) Watch yer mouth
(4) Git yourself to Sabbath meetin'
(5) Honor yer Ma & Pa
(6) No killin'
(7) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(8) Don't take what ain't yers
(9) No tellin' tales or gossipin'
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff


That's it, plain an' simple.

Be Thankful

Each day this past year, Jim Fite has posted a "thought for success" to all Judge Fite Company agents and employees. During November, his emails were all about being thankful. I asked that he post them all in one email so I could share them with you. I hope something here "strikes a chord" with you.

I am THANKFUL: "TO EACH OF YOU THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUTURE OF OUR CLIENTS LIVES AND THE SUCCESS OF EACH OTHER." ~ Jim Fite, President, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
I am THANKFUL: FOR A WARM BED AT NIGHT.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY GOD WHO COMFORTS ME AND GIVES ME STRENGTH.
I am THANKFUL: FOR BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT MYSELF.
I am THANKFUL: FOR BEING ABLE TO LIVE LIFE ABUNDANTLY WITH SO LITTLE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR PEOPLE WHO CARE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT, BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO, BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.
I am THANKFUL: FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.
I am THANKFUL: FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.
I am THANKFUL: FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.
I am THANKFUL: FOR MY GOD, COUNTRY, STATE, CITY, COMPANY, NEIGHBORHOOD, FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
I am THANKFUL: FOR THE crazy people I work with BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!
I am THANKFUL: FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Give 'em Hell Harry

Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States. During a speech he was giving in 1948 during his presidential campaign, a supporter yelled out "Give 'em hell, Harry" and that became, not only a common nickname for him, but also the name of a play about part of his politcal life. His reply was, "I'm not giving them hell. I'm just telling the truth and they think it's hell."

Many times, we hear the truth and don't respond appropriately because it is not what we WANT TO HEAR.

The Bible tells us to listen carefully to wise counsel. We must be careful about not only who we listen to, but about who we ignore. After all, Balaam's donkey was wise and he was forced to listent that animal. We don't always know what vehicle God will choose to talk to us!

Numbers 22:
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
22 Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23 Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
24 Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.
25 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck her again.
26 Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27 And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
29 And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!"
30 So the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?" And he said, "No."
31 Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
32 And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.
33 "The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live."
34 And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, "I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back."


Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

Proverbs 9:8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

Proverbs 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.

David's Thanksgiving Message - Psalm 118

Psalm 118:
1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say, "His mercy endures forever."
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, "His mercy endures forever."
4 Let those who fear the LORD now say, "His mercy endures forever."
5 I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
11 They surrounded me, Yes, they surrounded me; But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees; They were quenched like a fire of thorns; For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall, But the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation Is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them, And I will praise the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD, Through which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the LORD'S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you hear all of the complaining about the government. It means we have freedom of speech.

Be thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, window that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing. It means you have a home.