Written In Stone

My mother shared the following story with me this morning through an e-mail that recapped the past year in the life of my father.  Their joys, hurts, and struggles have been great in 2011.  Death has taken loved ones to Heaven.  Their bodies have experienced great pain and aches.  Their ministry has had many mountains and valleys.  Yet through it all they have maintained that joy and the hope of Romans 5 that does not disappoint.  They have never stopped serving and putting others first and those things are written in stone.  I pray the wind does blow away the pains and struggles that are written in their sand if it be His will.  Perhaps His will is that those things in the sand will lead to more things of eternal value that are written in stone and stored as treasures in Heaven.  Lord Thy will be done in my life and in the lives of my family and friends.  Our stones are full for we are blessed.  Continue to give us the grace and courage to let those winds come and wipe clean the sand.  May we be found joyful as we seek and serve You.  Lord increase our joys as our wills align with Thine. 

WRITTEN IN STONE

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE.

HE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND, "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE".

THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH.

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED “WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT.

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND
AND TO CARVE YOUR JOYS IN STONE.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."


To God Be the Glory!