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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 7:41 am
Sometimes there's something I come across I'd like to share, but it just doesn't seem to fit into any of our classic well-established threads. So, I thought this one might be a nice catch all.....
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 7:42 am
The first think I wanted to share was an article I saved out of Reader’s Digest many years ago. It was in the “Points to Ponder” section, and the quote was attributed to Cynthia Ozick, with a notation that it was from “Moment Magazine.” I looked up all three (Reader’s Digest, Cynthia Ozick, and Moment Magazine), and couldn’t find this particular quote on-line anywhere to link to. The article I have was one I Xeroxed out of RD and hung on my wall at work. So, I hope its okay to post it here, even though I couldn’t find a link to it anywhere… The Extraordinary is easy: “easy” in the sense that we can almost always recognize it. The Extraordinary does not let you shrug your shoulders and walk away. But the Ordinary, simply by being so ordinary, tends to make us ignorant or neglectful. When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. The Ordinary deserves our gratitude. Ordinariness can be defined as a breathing-space between rapture and rapture; or, more usually, the breathing-space between one disaster and the next. Ordinariness is sometimes the status quo, or sometimes the slow, unseen movement of a subtle bur ineluctable cycle, like a ride on the hour hand of the clock. In any case, the Ordinary is above all what is expected. And what is expected is not often thought of as a gift. I always thought that quote hit home for me. I’ve always been fairly good at things (like at work, or in just things in life). But I’ve never been one of those extraordinary star-type people who always get all the attention. I’ve had incidents where I was overpaid, or got someone else’s stock purchase benefit (in my name even, the real recipient had the same last name, and a similar first name), or something of that nature and turned it in to TPTB. After about the fourth incident of that nature with one employer (and them never thanking me for pointing out their error), I remember mentioning that it was a good thing for them I was honest. Their response was a huffy, “well, we would have caught it eventually.” Or how about when you do a good job at work, and everything is running smoothly, and your boss says, “what, you want me to applaud you for doing your job?” Anyway, that’s why I always liked that quote, and saved it. 
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Tuesday, January 03, 2006 - 7:43 am
Another one I liked (and saved) from Reader’s Digest was a pictorial that I’ll just have to describe. Again, I couldn’t find it anywhere on-line to link to. This one has “Advertising Cum Laude” at the top of the pictorial, and a blurb at the bottom of the page that says, “An advertisement from A Company Called TRW. Reprinted by Readers Digest as a Public Service.” Again, I looked up the references that were credited, and just couldn’t find anything on line…. The picture is 9 frames, in 3 rows of three. Each frame has a light bulb in it. The light bulb in the first frame is very very bright. With each progressive frame, the light bulb gets dimmer and dimmer, until the last frame is black and you can no longer see the light bulb. The caption in each frame goes as follows: 1. I have an idea… 2. A word of caution… 3. A little too radical 4. I like it myself but… 5. We tried something just like that once… 6. Let me play devil’s advocate… 7. It’s just not us… 8. I wish it were that easy… 9. Oh, it was just an idea… At the bottom of the 9 frames is a blurb…”An idea is a fragile thing. Turning it off is much easier than keeping it lit.” That was another one I copied out of RD and hung in my cube at work. Can you tell maybe, what kind of places I’ve worked for in the past? 
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Nickovtyme
Member
07-29-2004
| Thursday, January 05, 2006 - 7:36 pm
Friendship Between Women:_* A woman didn't come home one night. The next day she told her husband that she had slept over at a girlfriend's house. The man called his wife's 10 best friends. - None of them knew anything about it. Friendship Between Men:_* A man didn't come home one night. The next day he told his wife that he had slept over at a buddy's house. The woman called her husband's 10 best friends. Eight of them confirmed that he had slept over, and two claimed that he was still there
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Ladytex
Member
09-27-2001
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 12:22 pm
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them -- every day begin the task anew." - Saint Francis de Sales
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Native_texan
Member
08-24-2004
| Monday, March 13, 2006 - 3:27 pm
A prayer that is on my desk where I can see it every day: "Dear Lord, So far today, God, I've done alright. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been testy, greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent. I'm very thankful for that. But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out bed and from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen."
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Oldtex
Member
03-06-2006
| Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 4:55 pm
One of the things I can't tolerate is not being told the truth...here are just of few lies I hear too often: New and Improved Easy open...easy close Value Pack Just like Mom made One size fits all We'll be right back Made in America (South America? Central America? North America?) User friendly Your call is important to us...someone will be right with you I just have to laugh at some marketing ploys! Native, just loved your prayer!
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Cinnamongirl
Member
01-10-2001
| Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 8:53 pm
My very favourite from Readers Digest.. Life Lesson A professor stood before his philosophy class and placed some items on the table in frount of him. When the class began, he picked up a large jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "Yes". The professor then produced two cups of tea and poured the contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained , your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, " there is no room for the pebbles or golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the important things. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical check ups. Take your partner to dinner. Play another 18. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and asked what the tea represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple cups of tea with a friend."
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Thursday, March 16, 2006 - 9:00 pm
Cinamongirl that story is awesome. Thanks for sharing it. 
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Friday, March 17, 2006 - 5:21 am
The Cracked Pot A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfections, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work and you don't get full value for your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. So as we seek ways to minister together and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway. Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes".
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Hussy
Member
08-06-2004
| Friday, March 17, 2006 - 5:41 am
beautiful story. I really enjoyed it since I have always been called a crack pot.....
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