LESSONS ON LIFE

[Guest guest]

Lessons on Life

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that

are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing

white fluff, you can wish on.

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When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see smelly,

dirty person who probably wants money and I look away. My kids see someone

smiling at them and they smile back.

>> > >

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't

have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen. My kids feel the

beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them,

they make up their own.

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When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it

messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. My kids close their

eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground

laughing.

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When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.

My kids say, " Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the

bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would

miss my Mommy and Daddy. "

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When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and

clothes and dirty carpets. My kids sit in it. They see dams to build,

rivers to cross and worms to play with.

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I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to be taught? No wonder

God loves the little children!

[Guest guest]

LESSONS ON LIFEThere was a man who had four sons.

He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly.

So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.Moral: Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.

Don't judge life by one difficult season.

Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.