The Final Analysis

Mother Teresa

We were at a graduation on Saturday. The speaker shared this message. It's worth remembering.

The Final Analysis

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is all between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

 ~ quoted by Mother Teresa

~ written by Kent M. Keith

For the Love of a Child

Thomas loved to go fishing with his father. They had such great fun together. When he was six, his parents were killed in an auto accident, and he came to live with his widowed grandmother.

Before his parents died, Thomas was a happy go-lucky little kid. But now he tried to do everything he could for his grandmother. If she wanted a soda, he hurried to get it for her. He ran to get the newspaper as soon as it was delivered. He watched her constantly—careful to meet her needs, not thinking about his own.

His grandmother brought him in for counseling because she was worried about him. This young boy worked out his feelings of sadness and grief over his parent’s death; and as his therapy progressed, he told me he was afraid his grandmother would die also, and he would have no one to take care of him.

The next session the three of us talked about all the people in his family that loved him—aunts, uncles, and cousins. His grandmother told him she was the lucky, special one who got to take raise him, but others in the family would love to care for him also.

I suggested that Thomas and his grandmother plan a special trip—something that Thomas would enjoy. He thought about it and decided he would like to go fishing just like he and his father used to.

Grandmother, Thomas, and his Uncle Jack spent the weekend at Uncle Jack’s favorite fishing hole. Thomas had a great weekend. He brought back this picture to show me.

“See the fish in the jewels? I was hiding inside before I came to see you, just like the fish in this picture. But now I don’t have to hide anymore.”

I love the insight of this small boy. When I think of this incident, I wonder if there are other children hiding themselves in order to meet the needs of an adult. Look around you. Be an advocate for a child. Help him become the best he can be by developing a strong sense of self. Include service in his young life, but not at the expense of losing his childhood.

Help him be true to himself.

Positive Thinking Chases Away Worry

Sometimes I sit alone, worrying about my life. Maybe I’m not the best I can be. Am I reaching my potential? 

 I push the thoughts away and go on with my busy schedule. I arrange a bouquet of flowers from the garden for a sick friend, make a potato casserole for a funeral, volunteer at the school, or weed the garden. But all the time I’m thinking that I can’t succeed and I’m not making a difference anywhere.

During these times, I ask God for help. I sit in the sunny garden and reflect on carefree days—like exploring the sea shore with my mother.

Marinated French Toast

Our daughter made this for Easter Brunch. Everyone loved it, and it was gone in a flash!

MARINATED FRENCH TOAST

Teaching Modesty

A twelve-year-old girl, Kate, came in for therapy. She wore a mini skirt and a tight-fitting top with only one shoulder strap. Following extrication from the home of an abusive step-father a year earlier, she worked through many issues in an abuse survivors program organized by the state. She and her mother were building a new life together.

Gratitude

Gratitude is a twofold love -- love coming to visit us, and love running out to greet a welcome guest. Henry van Dyke

Our son and his family were visiting for the weekend. They have a cute little Yorky named Barkley. We took him with us to the hills for a sledding outing. He would enjoy the day with the rest of us. Barkley’s a runner, though, so we had him on a leash.

The kids enjoyed the last remnant of the winter snow. The day was picture perfect—warm with sun gleaming off the snow. I inhaled a breath of gratitude for our beautiful surroundings. Everyone was having a great time when all of a sudden Barkley bolted into the scrub oak. We lunged for his leash, but he was gone.

We all felt sick inside. Gratitude changed to fear. Barkley is little. A wolf or coyote could almost swallow him whole. Our son and daughter-in-law patiently combed through the brush, hoping he would get his leash tangled in the brush.

We all prayed silently that we could find him. After about ten minutes a far-away bark came from the trees on the next hill. Our oldest granddaughter heard him first, running immediately in the direction of the sound. Her parents followed. Soon—covered with burrs—the hunters appeared with dog in arms.

Relief—we  hugged and kissed him. The children took turns giving their prayers of gratitude for finding Barkley. Great lessons come from moments of terror like this.

We went sledding the next day. Barkley remained at home nestled in his quilt. He was not invited!

Gratitude was indeed as Henry van Dyke has said—love coming to visit us, and love running out to greet this little welcome rascal in our lives.

You Already Have a Good Kid

I sat watching the falling snow from my window yesterday and reflected on the funny things some of the children in our family have done. Do you have family stories that have been told for years? Here are a few of ours.