THE SECRET OF LIFE

SOURCE: UNKNOWN

Every day goes by like the last

It seems that time flies too fast

I close my eyes and ask it to stop

I look at the clock and another minute has passed

I think to myself…

What would I do if I weren't consumed?

Consumed by the world and all that it is

The obligations attached to being successful and popular

What would I do?

Embrace those that I love…

Care for those that I don't…

Learn how to love those I hate….

Enjoy every moment I get…

Forget about what means nothing …

Remember all that means everything…

Make a joke when I shouldn't…

Laugh even though its not funny…

Cry when I'm happy…

Never fear, it only wastes time…

Show the devil when he's met his match…

Cast out my demons forever…

Travel the world and see…

Stand on the highest mountain…

Be the heart of a dead country...

Make my own music…

Even though it doesn't rhyme, make my own poem…

Sing my own songs…

Make new friends…

Accept different cultures…

Eat weird food…

Hug, kiss, and never let go…

All the things that I used to think were so important

I now realize mean nothing

All I want to do is help those who can't help themselves

All the money in the world can't buy my happiness

All the joys of doing what I love

All means nothing in the face of God if

All I have is nothing for him

In a matter of 60 seconds

I've figured out the secret of life

But now I'm falling asleep

Will I remember when I wake up?

THE SOURCE OF WISDOM

A simple man met a very wise man.


“Can you tell me the source of your wisdom?” he asked.


“In two words,” the wise man replied, “good choices.”


“And what is the source of the good choices?”


“In one word, experience.”


“And to what do you attribute your experience?”


“In two words,” the wise man said, “bad choices.”

WALK A LITTLE SLOWER, DADDY

"Walk a Little slower, Daddy," said a little child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast, sometimes they're hard to see;

So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up, you're what I want to be.

Then I will have a little child who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right, and know that I was true;

So, walk a little slower, Daddy, for I must follow you!

- Unknown

YOU'VE BEEN EVERYTHING TO ME

You've been everything to me: a father,

Teacher, playmate, model, conscience, friend.

Sometimes I'm not certain why you bother,

If your feelings on my words depend.

I know I haven't been the child I should:

Far from it, and I really can't say why.

I know exactly what I'd label good,

But in the real world something goes awry.

Underneath my actions there is love,

Gratitude, respect, and admiration.

Sometimes I don't know what I'm thinking of,

But I thank God you're in for the duration.

I'm sorry, sorry for the things I do,

But please believe I cherish Mom and you.

- Unknown

DAD

We may not shower him with praise

Nor mention his name in song,

And sometimes it seems that we forget

The joy he spreads as he goes along,

But it doesn’t mean that we don’t know

The wonderful role that he has had.

And away down deep in every heart

There’s a place that is just for Dad.....

 - Unknown

A FATHER'S WISH

I may fail to be as clever as my neighbor down the street,

I may fail to be as wealthy as some other men I meet,

I may never win the glory which a lot of men have had,

But I've got to be successful as a little fellow's dad.

There are certain dreams I cherish which I'd like to see some true,

There are things I would accomplish when my time of life is through,

But the task my heart is on is to guide a little lad

And to make myself successful as that little fellow's dad.

I may never come to glory, I may never gather gold,

Men may list me with the failures when my business life is told,

But if he who follows after shall be manly, I'll be glad,

For I'll know I've been successful as that little fellow's dad.

It's the one job that I dream of, it's the task I think of most,

If I fail that growing youngster, I'd have nothing else to boast;

For though wealth and fame I'd gathered, all my future would be sad...

If I failed to be successful as that little fellow's dad.

- Unknown

25 INSPIRING FATHER'S DAY QUOTES

Once, God gave me the greatest gift ever. I call that gift: Dad || Kurt Avish

A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society || Billy Graham

One night a father overheard his son pray: “Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is!” Later that night, the Father prayed, “Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be” || Unknown

By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong || Charles Wadsworth

              

The father who loves his children will not substitute toys for time, replace commendation

with condemnation but will be their teacher not taskmaster || R. Robert Flatt

An effective father devotes himself to become an instrument and model of human experience to his children...accepts and affirms his children for who they are, appreciates them for what they are accomplishing, and covers them with affection because they are his || Gordon MacDonald

To be in your children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today || Barbara Johnson

 A father is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with the snapshots of his kids || Unknown

When God measures a man, He puts the tape around the heart instead of the head || Unknown

My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: He believed in me || Jim Valvano

The test of man's faith is not in what he believes but what manner of man, what manner of husband and what manner of father he becomes as a result || R. Robert Flatt

                                                                              

It is a wise father that knows his own child || William Shakespeare

The footsteps a child follows are most likely to be the ones his parents thought they had covered up || Unknown

A father is a banker provided by nature || Proverb

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.

Mother would come out and say, 'You’re tearing up the grass.'

'We’re not raising grass,' Dad would reply. 'We’re raising boys.'

|| Harmon Killebrew

A man knows he is growing old because he begins to look like his father || Gabriel Garcia Marquez

              

My father always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding, and the baby at every christening || Alice Roosevelt Longworth

My Dad is a mender of toys, a leader of boys; changer of fuses,

a healer of bruises; a mover of couches, a healer of ouches;

a hanger of screens, a counselor of teens; a pounder of nails,

a teller of tales; a dryer of dishes, a fulfiller of wishes.

|| JoAnn Heid

              

One father is enough to govern one hundred sons, but not a hundred sons one father || George Herbert

              

A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again || Enid Bagnold

It is a wise child that knows his own father || Homer

                                                                               

There is no principle of parental government more important than that a father should command his own temper when he inflicts punishment. He should punish a child not because he is angry, but because it is right; not because it has become a matter of personal contest, but because God requires that he should do it, and the welfare of the child demands it || Albert Barnes

A father's words are like a thermostat that sets the temperature in the house || Paul Lewis

Honour thy father and thy mother' stands written among the three laws of most revered righteousness || Aeschylus

Every mother generally hopes that her daughter will snag a better husband than she managed to do...but she's certain that her boy will never get as great a wife as his father did || Anonymous

FATHER'S DAY: WITH GRATITUDE

There remaineth...a rest to the people of God || Heb 4:9
Sumzadong Vaiphei
1927 - 4 March 2012

A hundred years from now,

The thoughts would still be,

As fresh and truer still,

And I know this would never do,

But at least it is the beginning, dear father!

You may not have been the richest father,

But your love and concern was overflowing with richness!

You may not have been the wisest father,

But your thoughts and guidance were the best for me!

You may not have been the worldly ideal type,

But you were the ideal father for me!

I remember my tender young days,

When you hold me in your strong hands,

And we went to pick my tooth at the hospital,

Though it was painful,

I knew I would be okay because you were there with me.

When the school bells rang for the first time,

You were there with me,

In the hallowed halls of that big structure,

To assure me that it was okay to be awed and amazed!

Oh, dad! How time flies!

When I was ready to start a new life of my own,

You were there standing beside me,

Welcoming your "daughter" into our home,

With arms wide open and blessings on your lips.

When we were ready to welcome my first angel,

You were never far away.

Always a ready hand out-stretched,

More like a friend than a father!

Whenever life's difficulties and obstacles

Rose to unchain the melody of life,

You were always there, saying,

"Son, it is time to move on!"

And when God called you home,

I knew that the road ahead,

Would be much more difficult

Without you - your wisdom and guidance.

But deep inside me,

In the deepest senses of my being,

I know that you'll be with me, always,

Assuring, leading and guiding me!

Though the paths be difficult,

And the climb steep,

You will be egging me on,

As I take small faltering steps.

Dad, as I look back on the life that you lived,

So abundantly and so fully,

I'm so full of gratitude,

For being my father and making me your son!

Thanks, dad!

I'll forever remain grateful,

For making me, me!

And this song is for us both, dad-

There is a paradise of rest

On yonder tranquil shore,

Beyond the shadow and the gloom of night,

Where toil and tears are o’er.

Meet me there, oh, meet me there,

At the dawning of that morning bright and fair;

Meet me there, oh, meet me there,

In the land beyond the river meet me there.

There is a city crowned with light,

Its joy no tongue can tell;

For they who enter shall behold the King,

And in His presence dwell.

There is a crown laid up on high

That Christ the Lord will give

To those who patiently His coming wait,

And for His glory live.

Oh, then be faithful unto death,

Press on the heavenly way,

That we may enter through the gates of life

To realms of endless day.

------------------------------

Composer: Fanny Crosby || Some hymnals show the author as W.R. Lindsay, one of Fanny's pseudonyms

Music: Ira D. Sankey

FATHER'S DAY - A SHORT HISTORY

The men in our lives - they are always there, in the background – with a shoulder to lean on and a steady love that is too often taken for granted. Once each year, on the third Sunday in June, there is a chance to remind fathers, and the men who step in when fathers are not available, that all of their quiet efforts are appreciated.

You may think that Father's Day is a modern invention, but the truth is that a Babylonian youth named Elmesu carved the first known Father's Day card in clay nearly 4,000 years ago. His special message wished his father good health and a long life. Fortunately, modern cards are a bit easier to fit in the mail box!

Mother's Day and William Jackson Smart of Spokane, Washington were the inspiration for an official day to celebrate Father’s Day in the United States.

Mr. Smart was a widower who raised his six children after his wife died giving birth to the youngest. He was a single parent for 21 years. This may not seem amazing in the 21st century, but in the 1800s it was unheard of for a man to raise children alone...and even today being a single parent of six young children is heroic!

Smart’s daughter, Mrs. Sonora Smart-Dodd (Mrs. John Bruce Dodd), got the idea for Father’s Day in 1909 while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at her church. She encouraged local churches to institute a Father's Day observance the following year on a Sunday in June, the month of her father’s birthday. Through her efforts, interest in the celebration of Father’s Day grew and spread to other cities, states and countries. She also encouraged wearing roses on Father's Day in honor of fathers. A red rose was worn for fathers who were still living and a white rose honored fathers who had died.

Many congressional resolutions proclaiming a national Father’s Day in the United States were introduced through the years. President Lyndon B. Johnson recognized the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day with a presidential proclamation in 1966, but the holiday was not really made permanent until 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed a presidential resolution that made the third Sunday in June officially Father’s Day in the United States.

Most people around the world celebrate Father's Day, but the dates to honor dads are not the same everywhere. In many countries the customs and traditions may be very different than the ones you know.

The earliest record of Father's Day was found in the ruins of Babylon. A young boy named Elmesu carved a Father's Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. He wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life.

No one knows what happened to Elmesu or his father, but the tradition of having a special day honoring fathers has continued through the years in countries all around the world.

MOTHER'S LOVE: SELECTED QUOTES

Photo: singlemomfinance.com

A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional, and forever || Unknown

Mother is the bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries || Unknown

For mother's sake the child was dear,

and dearer was the mother for the child.

|| Samuel Taylor Coleridge

My mother's love for me was so great I have worked hard to justify it || Marc Chagall

No influence is so powerful as that of the mother || Sarah Josepha Hale

The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws || Barbara Kingsolver

Mothers are instinctive philosophers || Harriet Beecher Stowe

To a child's ear, "mother" is magic in any language || Arlene Benedict

Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face || George Eliot

Mother is the name of God in the lips and hearts of children || William Makepeace Thackeray

A mother is she who can take the place of all others || Cardinal Mermillod  

She's my teacher, adviser, and greatest inspiration || Whitney Houston

A good mother is worth hundreds of schoolmasters || George Herbert

A mother loves her children even when they least deserve to be loved || Kate Samperi

There is no substitute for mother || Unknown

Mother is the one we count on for the things that matter most of all || Katherine Butler Hathaway

When it comes to love, Mom's the word.

For all the ways you've helped me grow

I want to say I love you so.

|| Renaissance® Greeting Cards

Who ran to help me when I fell,

Or kissed the place to make it well?

....My mother.

|| Ann Taylor

A mother understands what a child does not say || Jewish Proverb

Mother's love is peace.

It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.

|| Erich Fromm

All I am I owe to my mother || George Washington

A man loves his sweetheart the most,

his wife the best,

but his mother the longest.

|| Irish Proverb

Children aren't happy with nothing to ignore,

And that's what parents were created for.

|| Ogden Nash

Mother is the home we come from.

She is nature, soil, ocean.

|| Erich Fromm

A mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary || Dorothy C. Fisher

She brings the sunshine into the house; it is now a pleasure to be there || Cecil Beaton

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible || Unknown

One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don't come home at night || Margaret Mead

The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world || W.R. Wallace

God could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers || Jewish Proverb

Her voice was ever soft,

Gentle and low, an excellent thing in woman.

|| William Shakespeare

The mother's heart is the child's schoolroom || Henry Ward Beecher

HAPPINESS IS THE WAY

It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time with...and remember that time waits for no one.

So, stop waiting....

--until your car or home is paid off

--until you get a new car or home

--until your kids leave the house

--until you go back to school

--until you finish school

--until you lose 10 lb.

--until you gain 10 lb.

--until you get married

--until you get a divorce

--until you have kids

--until you retire

--until summer

--until spring

--until winter

--until fall

--until you die

There is no better time than right now to be happy. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

So,

live like you don't have problems,

love like you've never been hurt,

and dance like no one's watching.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

thetrafficguru.co.za

Can't remember if I told you that:

I have moved out from Beggars Alley, located at 2 Poverty Lane at the corner of Down and Out Circle. As of today, I have a brand new home.

My new address is Living Well on 231 Abundance Terrace, located at the corner of Blessings Drive and Prosperity Peak. It's in the God Can neighborhood. No longer will I allow myself to travel to the other side of town on Begging Peter to Pay Paul Route, located at a dead end intersection called I Don't Have, which connects with Borrowers Junction!

I no longer hang out at Failure's Place, near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Point....I've moved to an upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to succeed.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Life is good because God is good! Care to change your address? There are many vacancies!

EXPLAIN GOD

Source Unknown

"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grown-ups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way He doesn't have to take up His valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

"God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times besides bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because He hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in His ears, unless He has thought of a way to turn it off. "God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting His time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.

"Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.

"Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of Him preaching to them and they crucified Him. But He was good and kind, like His Father and He told His Father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.

"His Dad (God) appreciated everything that He had done and all His hard work on earth so He told Him He didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So He did. And now He helps His Dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones He can take care of Himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.

"You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.

"You should always go to Church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God. Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.

"If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.

"But you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and He can take me back anytime He pleases.

“And that's why I believe in God.”

I don't know how far this is true, but the following piece was purportedly written by an eight-year-old student by the name of Danny Dutton of Chula Vista, California, for his third grade homework assignment.

MY "NEVER AGAIN" LIST

Image: Walter

Never again will I confess "I can't"…

for "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME" || Philippians 4:13

Never again will I confess lack...

for "MY GOD SHALL SUPPLY ALL OF MY NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS" || Philippians 4:19

Never again will I confess fear...

for GOD HATH NOT GIVEN ME THE SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, LOVE AND A SOUND MIND || 2 Timothy 1:7

Never again will I confess doubt and lack of faith...

for "GOD HATH GIVEN TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH" || Romans 12:3

Never again will I confess weakness...

for "THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE" || Psalm 27:1

and "THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THEIR GOD SHALL BE STRONG AND DO EXPLOITS" || Daniel 11:32

Never again will I confess supremacy of Satan over my life...

for "GREATER IS HE THAT IS WITHIN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD" || I John 4:4

Never again will I confess defeat...

for "GOD ALWAYS CAUSETH ME TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST JESUS." 

2 Corinthians 2:14

Never again will I confess lack of wisdom...

for "CHRIST JESUS IS MADE UNTO ME WISDOM FROM GOD" || I Corinthians 1:30

Never again will I confess sickness...

for "WITH HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED" || Isaiah 53:5

and "JESUS HIMSELF TOOK MY INFIRMITIES AND BARE MY SICKNESS" || Matthew 8:17

Never again will I confess worries and frustrations...

for I am "CASTING ALL MY CARES UPON HIM WHO CARETH FOR ME" || I Peter 5:7 

In Christ I am care-free.

Never again will I confess bondage...

for, "WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS LIBERTY" || II Corinthians 3:17. 

My body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Never again will I confess condemnation...

for "THERE IS THEREFORE NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS" || Romans 8:1

WHEN EVERYTHING GOES WRONG

Image: Unknown

I was going through a divorce and had just moved with my daughters into an old, but affordable home. 'Please see us through this,' I prayed daily, wondering how I would manage alone. Then the furnace stopped running just as the temperature plummeted. It was unusually cold for Phoenix and the house was freezing.

I called the utility company and uncovered an unbelievable string of errors. First, I learned my account had never been closed because the gas bill had not been paid. But I had never gotten the statement because it had been sent to the wrong address. Then, when the company tried calling me, my answering machine (which I didn't know was broken) didn't record the message!

There was a strict policy that a canceled account would not be reinstated without first doing a check of the entire heating system. So, after all the upheaval and financial stress we had been through, I had to pack up my kids and go to a hotel for a couple of days until workmen inspected my furnace.

'God, aren't you watching out for us at all?' I fumed - until the day the workers came out to the house.

"Lady," one of the workmen said, after the inspection, "you and your family are lucky to be alive. We discovered a hole in the heat exchanger that would have leaked carbon monoxide directly into your home. Thank God your furnace didn't go on."

When you are tired and discouraged from fruitless effort,

GOD knows how hard you have tried.

When you've cried so long your heart is in anguish,

GOD has counted your tears.

If you feel that your life is on hold and time has passed you by,

GOD is waiting for you.

When nothing makes sense and you are confused or frustrated,

GOD has the answer.

If suddenly your outlook is brighter and you find traces of hope,

GOD has whispered to you.

When things are going well and you have much to be thankful for,

GOD has blessed you.

When something joyful happens and you are filled with awe,

GOD has smiled upon you.

Remember, that whatever you are feeling,

GOD knows!

IS THE CHURCH A ZOO?

Image: sanaazoo.com

Some church members are as stubborn as a mule about doing church work,

but as sly as a fox in their own business deals.

Some are as busy as a bee in spreading the latest gossip,

but as quiet as a mouse to spreading the gospel of Christ.

Many are as blind as a bat to see the needs of others,

but have eyes of a hawk to see the faults of a few.

Some are as eager as a beaver about a barbecue,

but as lazy as a dog about the prayer meetings.

Some will roar like a lion when things do not go just to suit them,

but they are as gentle as a lamb when they need the preacher of the church.

Some are as noisy as a blue jay when calling on the church for advice,

but as timid as a kitten about talking to the lost and as slow as a snail about visiting absentees and shut-ins.

Many are night owls on Saturday nights,

but "bed bugs" Sunday mornings,

and as scarce as hen's teeth on Wednesday nights.

A MOTHER’S BEATITUDE

Source Unknown

Blessed is the mother who understands her child,

for she shall inherit the kingdom of memories.

Blessed is the mother who knows how to comfort,

for she shall possess a child's devotion.

Blessed is the mother who guides by the path of righteousness,

for she shall be proud of her offspring.

Blessed is the mother who is never shocked,

for she shall receive confidences.

Blessed is the mother who teaches respect,

for she shall be respected.

Blessed is the mother who emphasizes the good and mimimizes the bad,

for in like manner the child shall make evaluations.

Blessed is the mother who treats her child as she would be treated,

for her home shall be filled with happiness.

Blessed is the mother who answers simply the startling questions,

for she shall always be trusted.

Blessed is the mother who has character strong enough to withstand the thoughtless remarks and resentments of the growing child,

for again, in due time, she shall be honored.

2012: THE END OF THE WORLD?

Photo: internetlooks.com

Every now and then, the world is agog with news of an impending danger, a world shaking event of catastrophic proportions. One such false alarm which comes to mind immediately was the hype surrounding the imminent collapse of the world-system in the days leading to Y2K. As is clearly evident now, it was a false alarm. The prophets of doom have been proved wrong, not by critics, but by the turn of events!

And now, alarmists and doomsayers have come up with yet another dose of speculative prophecy saying that the end of the world is near. They based their deduction and theory on a primitive and outdated system of calculation. According to them, the Mayan Long Count calendar ends on December 21, 2012, leading them to speculate that on that date the world will end. Sensing the panic in the minds of people the world over, a movie based on the theme of the end of the world was released on Friday, November 13, 2009. I grabbed a copy of the DVD and without doubt was hooked. But I also knew deep down in my heart that the end of the world will not be like what it was in the movie.

Don't be fooled! Jesus Christ said, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Matthew 24:36). Yes, there will be an "end of the world" someday (see Matthew 28:20), but the chances of it falling on Dec. 21, 2012 are most unlikely!

Whenever it comes, let's be ready!

PLEASE LET ME IN

Source: Unknown

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. People were filling the church to its fullest capacity! As they entered, each were given a bulletin filled with the announcements, topic of today’s sermon, what songs they would sing and who to pray for. At the end of the line stood an older man. His clothes were filthy and you could tell that he had not bathed in days. His face was covered in whiskers where he had not shaved for a very long time.

When he reached the usher, he removed his tattered old brown hat in respect. His hair was a long, dirty, tangled mess. He had no shoes on his feet, and wore only soiled, black socks.

The usher put his fingers to his nose and glared at the old man and said, “Ooh, I’m sorry sir, but I’m afraid we can’t let you in. You will distract the congregation and we don’t allow anyone to disrupt our service. I’m afraid you’ll have to leave.”

The old man looked down at himself and with a puzzled look on his face, he placed his old brown hat back upon his head and turned to leave. He was sad as he loved to hear the choir sing praises to the Lord. He loved to watch the little children get up in front of the church to sing their little songs. He carried in his pocket a small worn out Bible and loved to see if the minister preached a passage from the Bible that the old man had underlined. He was respectful enough and didn’t want to cause any commotion, so he hung down his head and walked back down the steps of the big brick church.

He sat down on the brick wall near the edge of the church yard and strained to listen through closed doors and windows to the singing going on in the church. Oh how he wished he could be inside with all the others. A few minutes had passed by when all of a sudden a younger man came up behind him and sat down near him. He asked the old man what he was doing.

He answered, “I was going to go to church today, but they thought I was filthy and my clothes are old and worn, and they were afraid I would disrupt their service. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. My name is George.”

The two gentlemen shook hands and George couldn’t help but notice that this man had long hair like his. He wore a piece of cloth draped over his body tied with a royal purple sash. He had sandals upon his feet, now covered with dust and dirt.

The stranger reached out to touch George’s shoulder and said, “Hello, George, don’t feel bad because they won’t let you in. My name is Jesus, and I’ve been trying to get into this same church for years, and they won’t let me in either.”