DIFFERENT APPROACH TO FASTING

Fasts have a tendency to be oriented toward things like giving up food or television. But there are many other creative ways we can welcome Jesus' healing touch. Here are suggestions you may want to consider.

1. Fast from anger and hatred.

Give your family an extra dose of loveeach day.

2. Fast from judging others.

Before making any judgments, recall how Jesus overlooks our faults.

3. Fast from discouragement.

Hold on to Jesus' promise that He has a perfect plan for your life.

4. Fast from complaining.

When you find yourself about to complain, close your eyes and recall some of the little moments of joy Jesus has given you.

5. Fast from resentment or bitterness!.

Work on forgiving those who may have hurt you.

6. Fast from spending too much money.

Try to reduce your spending by ten percent and give those savings to the poor

‘ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU LOVE YOUR ENEMY IS THIS:

"When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy,

that is the time which you must not do it.

There will come a time,

in many instances,

when the person who hates you most,

the person who has misused you most,

the person who has gossiped about you most,

the person who has spread false rumors about you most,

there will come a time whenyou will have an opportunity to defeat that person.

It might be in terms of a recommendation for a job;

it might be in terms of helping that person to make some move in life.

That's the time you must do it.

That is the meaning of love.

In the final analysis,

love is not this sentimental something that we talk about.

It's not merely an emotional something.

Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all men.

It is the refusal to defeat any individual.

When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power,you seek only to defeat evil systems.

Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system,

you love,but you seek to defeat the system.”

-- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

THE FERN AND THE BAMBOO

One day I decided to quit.... I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. .... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me...
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo".
He said. "In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit.
In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit."
He said. "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant.
B ut just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others."
He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
"Your time will come, "God said to me." You will rise high!"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can." I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you........

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you Happiness.

Bad days give you Experiences.

Both are essential to life.

Keep going...

Happiness keeps you Sweet,

Trials keep you Strong,

Sorrows keep you Human,

Failures keep you Humble,

Success keeps You Glowing,

But Only God keeps You Going

WILL I LOSE YOU?

It was a gloomy Saturday afternoon. A flock of birds were having great time searching for food and playing on the main road. Suddenly, a big truck sped through...a sad thing had happened ...

Birds can feel too. Although this bird had already died, another bird flew over to her immediately, just like a family member, unable to accept the truth.

Not long after that, another car stormed in causing the dead bird's body to whirl with the wind. The spouse noticed the movement. As if she was still alive, he quickly flew beside her again.

He stayed beside her and yelled ... "WHY ARE YOU NOT GETTING UP!?"

Unfortunately, she was no longer able to hear him. In the meantime, he was trying to lift her up.

He, of course, was unable to bear the burden. Another car soon passed by. He quickly flew off. Once the car had gone, he came down again.

Although the other birds told him its useles, he never gave up. He was trying his best to lift her up to see her flying again. Another car passed by, her dead body whirled again as if still alive and trying to fly.

He had used all of his energy, however...A photographer, who was watching all this said, he couldn't shoot any longer.

The photographer was so worried that the living bird was going to get hurt by passing cars. So he picked up the dead bird and left it at the roadside. The live one still lingered at a nearby tree as if crying with his singing and refused to leave.


Do humans have the same feelings nowadays? I wonder.Really wonder...

LIFE IS A BAG OF BROKEN PEAS

When life gets you down; when everything you know comes apart; when you think you can never get through the tough times, remember, it is just a bag of scattered, frozen peas. The peas can be collected and life will move on. You will find all the peas. First the easy peas come together in a pile. You pick them up and start to move on. Later you will find the bigger and harder to find peas. When you pull all the peas together, life will be whole again.

BY MTS