ARE YOU GREATFUL FOR ALL OF YOUR CHALLENGES - A MountainWings Moment - By : Ted Janusz

Are You Grateful for All of Your Challenges?
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Author and professional speaker Zig Ziglar has said that he has been grateful for all of his challenges, because without them,he would not be the person who he is today. ( I SAY THE SAME THING!)

When I read that, I thought to myself rather cynically, "That's fine, Mr. Ziglar. But what about the rest of us who struggle and struggle, with no end in sight? Sure, I would be happy to put up with these challenges if I knew they would have a fairy-tale ending like yours did!"

Please let me tell you my story . . .

MISTAKE #1

I had been working for a company that had experienced a number of reorganizations and managerial changes. I was so frustrated in my position, I thought "Anything has to be better than this!" And I left at the first opportunity.

MISTAKE #2

I was wrong. Like so many "rebound relationships," I found this new job was even worse than the first! I begged for an opportunity to come back to my former company. They agreed to give me an interview. At the same time, I had wanted to attend a conference and I knew that this second company would not give me
the time off. Since I knew that I would likely be returning to my company in just a matter of days, I quit.

The problem became, after I came back and interviewed, I didn't get my old job back.

Now things were really challenging. No job. A daughter attending a private university and a wife with a life-threatening disease. Since I quit, I couldn't even apply for unemployment compensation. I had no money, just a lot of sleepless nights.

THE TURNING POINT

I had a lunch with a someone I once worked with, told him my predicament and casually mentioned that I was thinking of starting my own business. He listened and asked, "How much money do you need to get started?" I hadn't been asking for any money.

Not only did he save me from foreclosure, we have developed a fabulous friendship that would not have occurred otherwise. After all, not everything can be measured in dollars and cents.

Fast forward several years . . .

My friend is now working for a large multinational corporation in town. I would like to work there also, but I figured in this economy, they must get 1,000 applications for each new position. Where would I even start to apply?

"It's very simple," my friend told me. "Here's all you need to do . . ."

I then found out that my former boss from the first company I mentioned above also works there. He put in a good word for me with the hiring manager with whom I met with yesterday afternoon. This could be for my "dream job."

Morals of my story:

Your prayers may not be answered today, this week, this month or even this year.

They may be answered in ways you don't even expect.

Even if you were the one who made mistakes, God will put people into your life to help you.

Keep moving forward.

~A MountainWings Original by Ted Janusz, Hilliard, Ohio~

LETTERS FROM GOD - Unknown

Letter From God to Women
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When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke them into being.

When I created man, I formed him and breathed life into his nostrils.

But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed the breath of life into man because your nostrils are too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you.

Man was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with the creativity.

From one bone, I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man's life.

I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone, I shaped you. I modeled you, created you perfectly and beautifully.

Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile.

You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken before it will allow damage to the heart.

Support man as the rib cage supports the body.

You were not taken from his feet, to be under him; nor were you taken from his head, to be above him.

You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.

You are my perfect angel. You are my beautiful little girl.
You have grown to be a splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I see the virtues in your heart.

Your eyes... don't change them.

Your lips, how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose, so perfect in form.
Your hands, so gentle to touch.
I've caressed your face in your deepest sleep.
I've held your heart close to mine.
Of all that lives and breathes, you are most like me.

Adam walked with me in the cool of the day, yet he was lonely.

He could not see me or touch me. He could only feel me.
So everything I wanted Adam to share and experience with me,
I fashioned in you; my holiness, my strength, my purity,
my love, my protection and support.

You are special because you are an extension of me.
Man represents my image, woman my emotions.

Together, you represent the totality of God.

So men......treat women well.
Love her, respect her, for she is fragile.

Author Unknown

ONE WISH - A MountainWIngs Moment - By James Bonner

One Wish . . .
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Recently I was talking to my brother about the one wish God granted King Solomon in the Bible.

God told Solomon that he could have anything he wanted just by asking, but he had only ONE wish.

My brother and I discussed with each other what that one wish would be if we were allowed one.

Everything we came up with had some problem.

We knew that money and power were not the thing to ask for because the rich fill the office of psychiatrists and many take pills every day for depression.  Money just wasn't the answer.

We knew that revenge upon someone for something they did was not a good choice because what goes around comes around.

So we started thinking about higher things like knowledge and wisdom.

We thought about it.

We had studied religion, science, business and health all of our lives and there was a list of things that we knew we should be doing but weren't.  We needed greater discipline more than greater knowledge and wisdom.

I said, "Maybe what we need is the ability to program ourselves like computers to do those things that we know are right."  When we thought about this request it brought to mind a robot, for it does only what it is programmed to do but it has no will to do otherwise and experiences neither pain nor joy.

Then we discussed spiritual gifts.

"What about the gift of prophecy?" I asked.  This would help people know what path to take in life.  Then we thought, if a man could see the future of anyone's life without error, that man would have no privacy.  Everywhere he went people would be trying to find him, even at three in morning his phone would ring with
people asking the question, "Can you see if my child is coming back home tonight?"

Even the ability to raise the dead has problems.  Imagine if any corpse you prayed over would miraculously resuscitate to life. Anytime someone died people would call you or hunt you down for you to come and bring their loved one back to them.

Or what about just the ability to heal the sick without fail? If you had this, your peace would be lost to lines miles long from one hospital to the next waiting on a touch from you.

The answer to one simple wish contains a lot of information about the asker.  It tells a lot about where you are and where you are going.  After we discussed it long enough, we realized we had already been blessed with everything we needed.  That which we didn't have, we had the ability to get.

The revelation that came to us was that what people really want the most is that which they spend most of their time trying to get.

If you only had one wish, what would you ask for?

What do you spend most of your time trying to get now?


~A MountainWings Original by James Bronner~

THE BIG LOTTERY WINNER- A MountainWings Moment

The Big Lottery Winner
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How would you feel if you won the lottery?

I mean a really big one, like 100 million or so?

Pretty good huh?

That's what I thought.

If you won 100 million that would undoubtedly make your day.
It won't make your life; but I will admit, it will do a pretty good job of making your day.

It would be hard to convince anyone that you weren't very fortunate if you won a big lottery.

Which prize is greater: money or life?

Do you know how many sperm are released from the average male during the act of procreation?

Approximately 300 million sperm are released. Only one fertilizes the egg. Each sperm will produce a different person with different characteristics.

300 million sperm compete in a race to fertilize the egg.

The one that wins makes the baby.

You won.

Out of 300 million, you won.

You got life.

The lottery has odds of around fifty something million to one. You won a race with odds of 300 million to one.

You won a greater prize than money in a race with greater odds than the lottery.

You won life.

Studies have shown that most big lottery winners aren't as happy five years later. I have a friend who knew two people who won over 50 million dollar lotteries. I asked my friend, were your friends happier before they won or now?

My friend paused in deep thought as they compared in their minds their friends before and after their big win.

"They were happier before they won," my friend replied.

I know countless who have won the prize of life.

Unfortunately, they, like the big lottery winners, often end up sad.

The thing about life. . .Not only did you win the initial race, each morning that you wake up you've won again.

Don't be like the typical big lottery winner.

Celebrate the win.

Celebrate the day.

Recognize the prize.

Each day.


~A MountainWings Original~