Re: Thank God for Thorns

[Guest guest]

Ph,

I am so glad you shared that story it made me cry ......That is so true today for all of us. I need to start thanking GOD for the thorns.

In a message dated 2/3/2008 10:30:40 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, cannst42@... writes:

Wow Ph, that's a great story! Thanks so much for sharing that!Hugs,Cherie>> > This story helps me when I feel mad that I am sick from implants. > [hearthrob] PH> THE BLESSING OF THORNS felt as low as the heels of her shoes as> she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her life> had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her> second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole that from her. > During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She> grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's company> threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she coveted,> called saying she could not come for the holiday. Then 's friend> infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to maturity> that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. She has no> idea what I'm feeling, thought with a shudder. Thanksgiving?> Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose truck was> hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her> life but took that of her child? "Good afternoon, can I help you?" The> shop clerk's approach startled her. "I....I need an arrangement,"> stammered . "For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but> ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer> favorite I call the Thanksgiving "Special?" asked the shop clerk. "I'm> convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking> for something that conveys 'gratitude' this thanksgiving?" "Not> exactly!" blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that> could go wrong has gone wrong." regretted her outburst, and was> surprised when the shop clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for> you." Just then the shop door's small bell rang, and the shop clerk> said, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She politely excused> herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared,> carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny> roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were> no flowers. "Want this in a box?" asked the clerk. watched> for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems> with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. > "Yes, please," Barbara, replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think> after three years of getting the 'special', I wouldn't be so moved by> its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again," she> said as she gently tapped her chest. And she left with her order. > "Uh," stammered , "that lady just left with, uh....she just left> with no flowers!" "Right, said the clerk, "I cut off the flowers. That's> the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet." "Oh, come> on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed> . "Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much like> you feel today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little> to be thankful for. She had lost her father to illness, the family> business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing major> surgery." "That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk,> "and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays alone. I> had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt to> allow any travel." "So what did you do?" asked . "I learned to> be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always> thanked God for the good things in my life and never questioned the good> things that happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask> questions! It took time for me to learn that dark times are important. I> have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to show me> the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God comforts> us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort> others." sucked in her breath as she thought about the very> thing her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is I don't> want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." Just then> someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" shouted the clerk to the> balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving> Special....12 thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk> handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. "Those> are for your wife?" asked incredulously. "Do you mind me asking> why she wants something that looks like that?" "No...I'm glad you> asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced.> After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and> guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our> marriage. here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems> to remind her of what she learned from "thorny" times, and that was good> enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to> label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that> problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to , "I> highly recommend the Special!" "I don't know if I can be thankful for> the thorns in my life." said. "It's all too...fresh." "Well,"> the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that thorns> make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more> during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of> thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the> thorns." Tears rolled down 's cheeks. For the first time since> the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. "I'll take those> twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out. "I hoped> you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."> "Thank you. What do I owe you?" "Nothing. Nothing but a promise to> allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on> me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to . "I'll attach this> card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first." > It read: "My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked> You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach> me the glory of the difficulties I bear; teach me the value of my> thorns. Show me that I have drawn closer to You along the path of pain.> Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much> more brilliant." Praise Him for your roses; thank him for your thorns!> -- Author Unknown> Who's never won? Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.

[Guest guest]

Wow Ph, that's a great story! Thanks so much for sharing that!

Hugs,

Cherie

>

>

> This story helps me when I feel mad that I am sick from

implants.

> [hearthrob] PH

> THE BLESSING OF THORNS felt as low as the heels of her shoes

as

> she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door. Her

life

> had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of her

> second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole that from her.

> During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She

> grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's

company

> threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she

coveted,

> called saying she could not come for the holiday. Then 's

friend

> infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to

maturity

> that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. She has no

> idea what I'm feeling, thought with a shudder.

Thanksgiving?

> Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose truck

was

> hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved

her

> life but took that of her child? " Good afternoon, can I help

you? " The

> shop clerk's approach startled her. " I....I need an arrangement, "

> stammered . " For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but

> ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer

> favorite I call the Thanksgiving " Special? " asked the shop

clerk. " I'm

> convinced that flowers tell stories, " she continued. " Are you

looking

> for something that conveys 'gratitude' this thanksgiving? " " Not

> exactly! " blurted out. " In the last five months, everything

that

> could go wrong has gone wrong. " regretted her outburst,

and was

> surprised when the shop clerk said, " I have the perfect arrangement

for

> you. " Just then the shop door's small bell rang, and the shop

clerk

> said, " Hi, Barbara...let me get your order. " She politely excused

> herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly reappeared,

> carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed thorny

> roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there

were

> no flowers. " Want this in a box? " asked the clerk.

watched

> for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose

stems

> with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman

laughed.

> " Yes, please, " Barbara, replied with an appreciative smile. " You'd

think

> after three years of getting the 'special', I wouldn't be so moved

by

> its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again, " she

> said as she gently tapped her chest. And she left with her order.

> " Uh, " stammered , " that lady just left with, uh....she just

left

> with no flowers! " " Right, said the clerk, " I cut off the flowers.

That's

> the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. " " Oh,

come

> on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that! " exclaimed

> . " Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much

like

> you feel today, " explained the clerk. " She thought she had very

little

> to be thankful for. She had lost her father to illness, the family

> business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing

major

> surgery. " " That same year I had lost my husband, " continued the

clerk,

> " and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays

alone. I

> had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a debt

to

> allow any travel. " " So what did you do? " asked . " I learned

to

> be thankful for thorns, " answered the clerk quietly. " I've always

> thanked God for the good things in my life and never questioned the

good

> things that happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever ask

> questions! It took time for me to learn that dark times are

important. I

> have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to

show me

> the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God

comforts

> us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to

comfort

> others. " sucked in her breath as she thought about the very

> thing her friend had tried to tell her. " I guess the truth is I

don't

> want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God. " Just then

> someone else walked in the shop. " Hey, Phil! " shouted the clerk to

the

> balding, rotund man. " My wife sent me in to get our usual

Thanksgiving

> Special....12 thorny, long-stemmed stems! " laughed Phil as the clerk

> handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the

refrigerator. " Those

> are for your wife? " asked incredulously. " Do you mind me

asking

> why she wants something that looks like that? " " No...I'm glad you

> asked, " Phil replied. " Four years ago my wife and I nearly divorced.

> After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's

grace and

> guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued our

> marriage. here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose

stems

> to remind her of what she learned from " thorny " times, and that was

good

> enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I

decided to

> label each one for a specific " problem " and give thanks for what

that

> problem taught us. " As Phil paid the clerk, he said to , " I

> highly recommend the Special! " " I don't know if I can be thankful

for

> the thorns in my life. " said. " It's all

too...fresh. " " Well, "

> the clerk replied carefully, " my experience has shown me that thorns

> make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more

> during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of

> thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the

> thorns. " Tears rolled down 's cheeks. For the first time

since

> the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. " I'll take those

> twelve long-stemmed thorns, please, " she managed to choke out. " I

hoped

> you would, " said the clerk gently. " I'll have them ready in a

minute. "

> " Thank you. What do I owe you? " " Nothing. Nothing but a promise to

> allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is

always on

> me. " The clerk smiled and handed a card to . " I'll attach this

> card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it

first. "

> It read: " My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have

thanked

> You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns.

Teach

> me the glory of the difficulties I bear; teach me the value of my

> thorns. Show me that I have drawn closer to You along the path of

pain.

> Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much

> more brilliant. " Praise Him for your roses; thank him for your

thorns!

> -- Author Unknown

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It makes me sob too every time I read it. It's so true though...I

spend half my time mad at the things I can no longer do or take

pleasure in and tend to think of all the negative. In reality, this

whole thing could be saving me or my family members from something

worse. Alzheimer's runs in my family and my aunt, uncle, and grandma

had it. I know now that detox can prevent or even reverse it so

maybe I'm saving myself that way or saving someone else in my

family. Who knows...only God does and I truly believe we will

understand the silver linings to all this someday. Hang in there,

. Love, PH

> >

> >

> > This story helps me when I feel mad that I am sick from

> implants.

> > [hearthrob] PH

> > THE BLESSING OF THORNS felt as low as the heels of her

shoes

> as

> > she pushed against a November gust and the florist shop door.

Her

> life

> > had been easy, like a spring breeze. Then in the fourth month of

her

> > second pregnancy, a minor automobile accident stole that from

her.

> > During this Thanksgiving week she would have delivered a son. She

> > grieved over her loss. As if that weren't enough, her husband's

> company

> > threatened a transfer. Then her sister, whose holiday visit she

> coveted,

> > called saying she could not come for the holiday. Then 's

> friend

> > infuriated her by suggesting her grief was a God-given path to

> maturity

> > that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. She

has no

> > idea what I'm feeling, thought with a shudder.

> Thanksgiving?

> > Thankful for what? She wondered. For a careless driver whose

truck

> was

> > hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that

saved

> her

> > life but took that of her child? " Good afternoon, can I help

> you? " The

> > shop clerk's approach startled her. " I....I need an arrangement,

> > stammered . " For Thanksgiving? Do you want beautiful but

> > ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer

> > favorite I call the Thanksgiving " Special? " asked the shop

> clerk. " I'm

> > convinced that flowers tell stories, " she continued. " Are you

> looking

> > for something that conveys 'gratitude' this thanksgiving? for

> > exactly! " blurted out. " In the last five months,

everything

> that

> > could go wrong has gone wrong. " regretted her outburst,

> and was

> > surprised when the shop clerk said, " I have the perfect

arrangement

> for

> > you. " Just then the shop door's small bell rang, and the shop

> clerk

> > said, " Hi, Barbara...let me get your order. " She politely excused

> > herself and walked toward a small workroom, then quickly

reappeared,

> > carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and long-stemmed

thorny

> > roses. Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped:

there

> were

> > no flowers. " Want this in a box? " asked the clerk.

> watched

> > for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want

rose

> stems

> > with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman

> laughed.

> > " Yes, please, " Barbara, replied with an appreciative

smile. " You'd

> think

> > after three years of getting the 'special', I wouldn't be so

moved

> by

> > its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again, "

she

> > said as she gently tapped her chest. And she left with her

order.

> > " Uh, " stammered , " that lady just left with, uh....she

just

> left

> > with no flowers! " " Right, said the clerk, " I cut off the

flowers.

> That's

> > the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet. " " Oh,

> come

> > on, you can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that! "

exclaimed

> > . " Barbara came into the shop three years ago feeling much

> like

> > you feel today, " explained the clerk. " She thought she had very

> little

> > to be thankful for. She had lost her father to illness, the

family

> > business was failing, her son was into drugs, and she was facing

> major

> > surgery. " " That same year I had lost my husband, " continued the

> clerk,

> > " and for the first time in my life, had just spent the holidays

> alone. I

> > had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too great a

debt

> to

> > allow any travel. " " So what did you do? " asked . " I

learned

> to

> > be thankful for thorns, " answered the clerk quietly. " I've always

> > thanked God for the good things in my life and never questioned

the

> good

> > things that happened to me, but when bad stuff hit, did I ever

ask

> > questions! It took time for me to learn that dark times are

> important. I

> > have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of life, but it took thorns to

> show me

> > the beauty of God's comfort. You know, the Bible says that God

> comforts

> > us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to

> comfort

> > others. " sucked in her breath as she thought about the

very

> > thing her friend had tried to tell her. " I guess the truth is I

> don't

> > want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God. " Just then

> > someone else walked in the shop. " Hey, Phil! " shouted the clerk

to

> the

> > balding, rotund man. " My wife sent me in to get our usual

> Thanksgiving

> > Special....12 thorny, long-stemmed stems! " laughed Phil as the

clerk

> > handed him a tissue-wrapped arrangement from the

> refrigerator. " Those

> > are for your wife? " asked incredulously. " Do you mind me

> asking

> > why she wants something that looks like that? " " No...I'm glad you

> > asked, " Phil replied. " Four years ago my wife and I nearly

divorced.

> > After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's

> grace and

> > guidance, we slogged through problem after problem. He rescued

our

> > marriage. here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of

rose

> stems

> > to remind her of what she learned from " thorny " times, and that

was

> good

> > enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I

> decided to

> > label each one for a specific " problem " and give thanks for what

> that

> > problem taught us. " As Phil paid the clerk, he said to , " I

> > highly recommend the Special! " " I don't know if I can be

thankful

> for

> > the thorns in my life. " said. " It's all

> too...fresh.too...fre

> > the clerk replied carefully, " my experience has shown me that

thorns

> > make roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care

more

> > during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown

of

> > thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent

the

> > thorns. " Tears rolled down 's cheeks. For the first time

> since

> > the accident, she loosened her grip on resentment. " I'll take

those

> > twelve long-stemmed thorns, please, " she managed to choke

out. " I

> hoped

> > you would, " said the clerk gently. " I'll have them ready in a

> minute. "

> > " Thank you. What do I owe you? " " Nothing. Nothing but a promise

to

> > allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is

> always on

> > me. " The clerk smiled and handed a card to . " I'll attach

this

> > card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it

> first. "

> > It read: " My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I

have

> thanked

> > You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns.

> Teach

> > me the glory of the difficulties I bear; teach me the value of my

> > thorns. Show me that I have drawn closer to You along the path

of

> pain.

> > Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look

much

> > more brilliant. " Praise Him for your roses; thank him for your

> thorns!

> > -- Author Unknown

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL

Music.

> (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?

NCID=aolcmp003000000025

> 48)

>