Storytelling can be a powerful tool, a word can be worth a thousand pictures.

Storytelling can be a powerful tool, a word can be worth a thousand pictures.

The Story of "The Mule"

authory unknown

Once there was a farmer who owned an old mule. The unfortunate mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule brayng - or whatever mules do when they fall into wells.

After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...it suddenly downed onthe mulethat every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP!

This he did, blow after blow, "Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed, the old mule fought panic and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

Of course, it wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

Scripture on Courage:

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isaish 40:29)

"Be stong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)

"Have I not commanded you? Be stong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not de discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

Quote:

Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. C. S. Lewis

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PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END AS YOU MAY WANT TO COPY AND KEEP IN A CONVENIENT PLACE FOR REFERENCE!

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Clorox vs. peroxide

Clorox vs. Peroxide VERY interesting and inexpensive. This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana (a doctor's Wife), and I want to share it with you. She was over recently for coffee and smelled the bleach I was using to clean my toilet and counter tops. This is what she told me. 'I would like to tell you of the benefits of that Plain little ole bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. What does bleach cost?

Most doctors don't tell you about peroxide. Have you Ever smelled bleach in a doctor's office? NO!!!

Why? because it smells, and it is not healthy! Ask the nurses who work in the doctor's offices, and ask them if they use bleach at home. They are wiser and know better!

Did you also know bleach was invented in the late 40's? It's chlorine, folks! And it was used to kill our Troops. Peroxide was invented during WWI in the 20's. It was used to save and help cleanse the needs of our troops and hospitals.

Please think about this:

1. Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe.) No more canker sores, and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead of mouthwash.

2. Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of peroxide to keep them free of germs.

3. Clean your counters and table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put a little on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4. After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and other bacteria.

5. I had fungus on my feet for years until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them (especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6. Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. My husband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine but was healed by soaking in peroxide.

7. Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and Water and keep it in every bathroom to disinfect without Harming your septic system like bleach or most other Disinfectants will.

8. Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, plugged sinus. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes, and then blow your nose into a tissue.

9. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.

10. And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hair after a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide-burnt blonde hair like the hair dye packages but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, reddish, or dirty blonde. It also lightens gradually, so it's not a drastic change.

11. Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help get rid of boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12. You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whiten them. If there is blood on clothing, pour it directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rub it and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13. I use peroxide to clean my mirrors. There is no smearing, which is why I love it so much for this.

14. Another place it's great is in the bathroom, if someone has been careless & has wet on the floor around the toilet & it's begun to smell of urine. Just put some peroxide in a spray bottle & spray. In the blink of any eye all the smell will be gone & the bacteria eliminated!

I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner! ' This information really woke me up. I hope you gain something from it, too.

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Here is an amazing video for you to look at...ENJOY...

http://www.simpletruths.com/movie_landings/landings.php?banner=lvac&us=1506&ca=272&au=395&intl=316

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God answers Knee-Mail!

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When I found the one I love,
I held him and would not let him go"
(Song of Solomon 3:4).

The Rose

As I thought about my love

My heart began to stir

So I stopped at the corner store

To buy a rose for her.

I stepped into the doorway

And saw but one rose, fair

I smelled it's gentle perfume

That lingered in the air

And as I bent to take it

A child ventured near

He came a little closer

Then whispered in my ear

"Please mister, could you help me?

I need this rose, you see

I know I shouldn't ask you,

And It's very rude of me"

"Could I please buy this rose, sir?

I know there are no more

But I hear mommy cry at night

Since my daddy went to war"

"She says when he was home, sir

He brought one every day

But I hear mommy cry at night

Since Daddy went away"

Tears were flowing heavy now,

Both down his cheeks, and mine

I placed it in his little hands

And how his eyes did shine!

He went to pay the owner

Then skipped out through the door

And called over his shoulder

"She won't be sad no more!"

A smile spread across my face

As a thought occurred to me

And I took out the photo

She'd sent across the sea

Although the snap was yellowed

And I only had but one

There was no mistake about it

That child was my son

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We wish you love in any language.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

from

Patty and Corinne

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Every February we celebrate Valentine's Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love. We do this in honor of Saint Valentine. You may be wondering, "Who is St. Valentine"? Time to brush up on your Valentine's history!
Legend has it that Valentine was a priest who served during third century Rome. There was an Emperor at that time by the name of Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. Supposedly, Valentine, decided this decree just wasn't fair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine's actions he had him put to death.
Another legend has it that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first 'valentine' himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it 'Your Valentine', words still used on cards today.
Perhaps we'll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure...February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time, dating clear back to the Middle Ages. In fact, Valentines ranks second only to Christmas in number of greeting cards sent.

How Do I Love Thee?By Elizabeth Barrett BrowningHow do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace,
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,-I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!-and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

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Who doesn't need wisdom

Here are some wise quotations for you to ponder on

Samuel Taylor Coleridge:Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it since into the mind.
Aristotle:all human beings, by nature, desire to know.
Benjamin Franklin:an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
English proverb:since the house is on fire let's warm ourselves

Here are some precious ones that are anonymous
Showing the region of origin

Common sense is not so common... French

Even the fish wouldn't get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut... Korean

If you're hiding, don't light a fire... Ghanaian

If you can't bite, better not show your teeth... Yiddish

It is a foolish sheep that makes the Wolf his confessor... Italian

It is better to prevent and cure... Peruvian

It takes a heap of links to hit a nail in the dark... American

Just because something is common sense doesn't mean it's common practice... Unknown

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A cute story...

God's Wife

This is an eyewitness account which happened in the city of New York, on a cold day in December sometime ago. A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on Broadway, barefooted, peering through the window and shivering with cold.
A lady approached the boy and said; " My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window? " Nope
"I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boy's reply.
The lady took him by the hand and went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her basin of water and a towel.
By by this time the clerk had returned to the socks. Placing a pair upon the boys feet she purchased him a pair of shoes and tying up the remaining pairs of socks gave them to him.
She patted him on the head and said," My little fellow, do you feel more comfortable now?"
As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up at her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words, "are you God's wife?"

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Household Hints

Awkward Bottles.
A tip for all those girls out there who occasionally lack the oomph to open screw-top water/juice bottles but are too proud to ask nearby guys for help... If you are at home, a rubber glove or bottle gripper will give you the power you need to get into the stickier ones. However, these are usually in short supply at work in the office, so carefully wind a rubber band snugly around the lid and try again... Magic!
Dripping Candle Wax:
The best way to get rid of candle wax stains is not to get them there in the first place, there are a few simple ways to avoid them.
1. Buy better candles, cheap candles have lots of additives in them that cause them to stain worse, try a candle that is nothing but paraffin wax, scent, color, and stearic acid (the acid helps the candle wax burn away so there is little to no dripping.)
2. even dripless candles drip if there is a draft near where they are burning, make sure they are not near any open windows, fans, or heater vents.
3. make sure that the candle holder is big enough to hold any spillovers.
4. never blow out your candles, use a snuffer, if you don't have one a shot glass or juice glass over the wick until the flame is out works great. and
5. if you have just put a candle out don't move it until the wax has solidified again.
Candlewax Removal.
I got candle wax on my windows when my husband blew out the candles at christmas, tried everything until a friend told me to use WD40, it worked like a dream. I am going to use an iron and some newspaper now to get some more out of the carpet!!
Candle Wax Removal -- If there is a puddle of wax to remove, aim a blow dryer set at its highest level to melt the wax, then dab it up with a paper towel as it melts. Stubborn little drops embedded in a carpet can be removed quickly by dabbing them with dry cleaning spirit which has been soaked into a paper towel.

Spring Cleaning Time Is Almost Here

It is the top to bottom cleaning
that is done two to three times a year. Him

A famous poet once wrote,

"O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

And guess what everyone spring will be here before we know it. So this gives you a chance to plan ahead. AARGHHHH Here are some pointers
If cleaning involves moving knick knacks and furniture to clean, from the ceiling to the floor, scrubbing every surface until free of dust and dirt. Ceiling fans, corners of ceilings, tops of doors, windows, window sills, furniture, and baseboards should all be cleaned with furniture polish. And Spring Cleaning is the top to bottom cleaning that is done two to three times a year.
This cleaning involves moving knick knacks and furniture to clean, from the ceiling to the floor, scrubbing every surface until free of dust and dirt. Ceiling fans, corners of ceilings, tops of doors, windows, window sills, furniture, and baseboards should all be cleaned with furniture polish.



The sheets him should be removed from the beds after the cleaning is done. The floors are vacuumed and things are put back. In bathrooms the walls, tubs, toilets, sinks and floors are scrubbed and the floor mats are removed and washed. In the kitchen, the tops of cabinets, cabinet fronts, counters, applainaces, refrigerators and floors are scrubbed and the oven is moved and cleaned behind.
The general weekly cleaning is the upkeep of the spring cleaning. It involves dusting, sweeping, mopping and vacuuming. The bathroom toilets, shower, sinks and floors are cleaned and in the kitchen the counters and floors are cleaned. The weekly cleaning should be done one room at a time, focusing on the cleaning and putting any organizational projects that are encountered along the way on hold until all the cleaning is done. This ensures that you won't get distracted with a new project and not finish cleaning. This is why cleaning seems to take all day, we get distracted with smaller projects within the rooms.
Start at the back and top of the house and work your way down to the front of the house. This will help you focus on your goal of cleaning the entire house. If you start at the front, you may become tired and not reach the back bedrooms or bathroom. Do not do laundry during cleaning. Simply pile the laundry near the laundry room and work on this project later, or the next day!
Cleaning can be accomplished quicker by enlisting the help of your family, even small children can be given a cloth to wipe off a table or the tv, that will hold their interest and the tv will sparkle. Use the right tools, a clean rag or sponge can be used in all rooms. Vacuuming the floors as well as the carpets saves time on sweeping. If you have small children, concentrate on their area, the floors and baseboards and everything in their eyesight, on their level.
After you finish cleaning, put your feet up and enjoy the fruits of your labor. With a little hard work, concentration, organization and "elbow grease" the house can be cleaned quickly and to your satisfaction. Enjoy!
Okay, I didn't write this, I just found it online. It is kind of bizarre. I don't know if I know a single-family that would get behind the spring cleaning effort happily. For those of you who have such a family I am impressed about your family as I type this. I cannot even remember the last time I actually did spring or fall cleaning. My method has been that every once in a while I will pick a room and really clean it. That works for me, but the result is that the house is never ever all clean at the same time.
I once had a framed piece of wisdom on my family room wall that said

"Dull women make impeccable housekeepers!"

This is my credo! I keep it perfectly.
Ha Ha Ha

Shared by Corinne Mustafa

Recipe...CARROT CAKE

 

This is a family cake we have been enjoying for years. The cake is very moist and yummy!   Patty B.

Cake:

2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups wession oil

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 eggs

3 cups shredded carrots

1 cup chopped nuts

2 cups sugar

Cream sugar and oil together, add beaten eggs and mix well. Sift dry ingredience together and add to cake mixture. Add carrots and nuts last.

Bake in greased cake pan at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese

3/4 cube butter
1/2 box powder sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
few drops milk
Mix all above ingredence together.

Frost cake when cool and enjoy!

Patty B