Next time you find yourself wishing you could be different, just reflect upon the amazing gifts you already have!

Once upon a time there was a little dog who wanted to have a big impact in the world. He was a fast dog with quick wits, and he knew what it took to succeed in life. And though though was very proud of his papa for the way he always rounded up the sheep, this little dog had his sights set even higher.

See, every day the little dog looked up into the sky and saw an amazing eagle soaring above. He noticed how the eagle could go anywhere it wanted, it could dive and swoop as fast as a bullet, and was the pure expression of freedom.

Every day the little dog watched and studied the eagle because he wanted to become an eagle. The little dog already knew how to be courageous, fast, and fearless, just like the eagle. But in order to really live like an eagle, the little dog knew he should learn some new lessons and skills.

So each and every day, the little dog tried to teach himself a new lesson. Here are the lessons he knew he should diligently work on so he could become an eagle:

• Lesson 1: “I should grow wings with feathers so that I can fly high in the sky.”
• Lesson 2: “I should sharpen my vision so I can spot my prey from far away.”
• Lesson 3: “I should be perfectly patient until the right prey is vulnerable to attack.”
• Lesson 4: “I should sharpen my nails and teeth so I can hold onto my prey.”
• Lesson 5: “I should live on top of rocks and alone so I can prove my independence.”

After practicing for months and months all alone in the wilderness, the little dog become extremely discouraged. Even though he had become much more patient and independent, he still became depressed and was losing his love for life.

Every time the little dog noticed he had no wings, he got sad. …

When the little dog saw that his vision wasn’t improving, he got sadder…

And when his nails and teeth didn’t get sharper, he became even sadder…

Eventually, the little dog returned home with his tail between his legs. He went to his papa, and the little dog just cried and cried because no matter how hard he tried, he could never become the eagle he felt he should be.

What the little dog didn’t know was that his papa was one of the wisest dogs in the world!

After the little dog had cried all his tears until he had no more, his papa knew it was the right time to share what he knew about the secret to living and loving life:

“Son, I know you had big dreams of being an eagle. Eagles are beautiful, wonderful creatures with amazing qualities we all can admire. You were even able to become more patient and independent like the eagles.

However, what you have come to realize is that no matter how hard you try, you are not an eagle… you are a dog. Telling yourself how you “should” be only results in pain and frustration because you lose sight of your true self… you forget about the amazing, beautiful, admirable qualities you already have!

You have become the best dog you can be, and I am proud of you for going after your dreams with all of your heart. I see how courageous, fast, fearless, patient, and independent you are, and I know many other animals – including dogs and eagles – will look upon you with admiration and a desire to learn how to be more like you.

Remember that you were brought into this world with a special set of unique talents and strengths, and you will find your passion and purpose in this life. Just like a bird can never become a dog, a dog can never become a bird… so next time you find yourself wishing you could be a different kind of animal, just remind yourself to “stop bird-dogging” and then reflect upon the amazing gifts you already have!”

After that, the little dog looked up with new hope in his eyes and slowly trotted out into the field… no longer was he looking at the sky wishing he were an eagle, but rather, he looked directly at the eagle with gratitude for the new qualities he learned that would help him become a more fully-realized and present dog…

He became a dog that truly loves his life.
By Chris Cade

Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. Anais Nin

A fable is told about an eagle who thought he was a chicken. When the eagle was very small, he fell from the safety of his nest. A chicken farmer found the eagle, brought him to the farm, and raised him in a chicken coop among his many chickens. The eagle grew up doing what chickens do, living like a chicken, and believing he was a chicken.

A naturalist came to the chicken farm to see if what he had heard about an eagle acting like a chicken was really true. He knew that an eagle is king of the sky. He was surprised to see the eagle strutting around the chicken coop, pecking at the ground, and acting very much like a chicken. The farmer explained to the naturalist that this bird was no longer an eagle. He was now a chicken because he had been trained to be a chicken and he believed that he was a chicken.

The naturalist knew there was more to this great bird than his actions showed as he “pretended” to be a chicken. He was born an eagle and had the heart of an eagle, and nothing could change that. The man lifted the eagle onto the fence surrounding the chicken coop and said, “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The eagle moved slightly, only to look at the man; then he glanced down at his home among the chickens in the chicken coop where he was comfortable. He jumped off the fence and continued doing what chickens do. The farmer was satisfied. “I told you it was a chicken,” he said.

The naturalist returned the next day and tried again to convince the farmer and the eagle that the eagle was born for something greater. He took the eagle to the top of the farmhouse and spoke to him: “Eagle, thou art an eagle. Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” The large bird looked at the man, then again down into the chicken coop. He jumped from the man’s arm onto the roof of the farmhouse.

Knowing what eagles are really about, the naturalist asked the farmer to let him try one more time. He would return the next day and prove that this bird was an eagle. The farmer, convinced otherwise, said, “It is a chicken.”

The naturalist returned the next morning to the chicken farm and took the eagle and the farmer some distance away to the foot of a high mountain. They could not see the farm nor the chicken coop from this new setting. The man held the eagle on his arm and pointed high into the sky where the bright sun was beckoning above. He spoke: “Eagle, thou art an eagle! Thou dost belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth thy wings and fly.” This time the eagle stared skyward into the bright sun, straightened his large body, and stretched his massive wings. His wings moved, slowly at first, then surely and powerfully. With the mighty screech of an eagle, he flew.
–(In Walk Tall, You’re A Daughter Of God, by Jamie Glenn)

Are there any ways that you see yourself as a barnyard chicken and are not aware of your potential grandeur? You could soar like an eagle. What would that look like for you?

It’s time for you to take that next step and fly!

“You never know when one kind act or word of encouragement can change a life forever.” -Zig Ziglar

We can all use a little encouragement from time to time. Especially when we begin to have feelings of self-doubt and/or frustration. If left unchecked, these feelings can get in the way of us achieving our goals and dreams. That encouragement can be as simple as someone saying, “Keep at it,” “You can do it!” Or it can come in the form of a loved one, teacher, or supervisor who gives us room to grow and fly. There have been times in my life when just a word of encouragement, or someone believing in me, thinking “I could do it” made all the difference in the world.

You become what you believe you are; so if you ever dream to become an eagle, follow your dreams, not the words of a chicken.

A long time ago in a remote valley, there lived a farmer. One day he got tired of the daily routine of running the farm and decided to climb the cliffs that brooded above the valley to see what lay beyond.

He climbed all day until he reached a ledge just below the top of the cliff; there, to his amazement was a nest, full of eggs.

Immediately he knew they were eagle’s eggs and, even though he knew it was profoundly un-ecological and almost certainly illegal, he carefully took one and stowed it in his pack; then seeing the sun was low in the sky, he realized it was too late in the day to make the top and slowly began to make his way down the cliff to his farm.

When he got home he put the egg in with the few chickens he kept in the yard. The mother hen was the proudest chicken you ever saw, sitting atop this magnificent egg; and the cockerel couldn’t have been prouder.

Sure enough, some weeks later, from the egg emerged a fine, healthy egret. And as is in the gentle nature of chickens, they didn’t balk at the stranger in their midst and raised the majestic bird as one of their own.

So it was that the eagle grew up with its brother and sister chicks. It learned to do all the things chickens do: it clucked and cackled, scratching in the dirt for grits and worms, flapping its wings furiously,flying just a few feet in the air before crashing down to earth in a pile of dust and feathers.

It believed resolutely and absolutely it was a chicken.

One day, late in its life, the eagle-who-thought-he-was-a-chicken happened to look up at the sky. High overhead,soaring majestically and effortlessly on the thermals with scarcely a single beat of its powerful golden wings, was an eagle!

“What’s that?!”, cried the old eagle in awe. “It’s magnificent! So much power and grace!It’s beautiful!”

“That’s an eagle”, replied a nearby chicken, “That’s the King of the Birds. It’s a bird of the air… not for the likes of us. We’re only chickens, we’re birds of the earth”.

With that, they all cast their eyes downwards once more and continued digging in the dirt.

And so it was that the eagle lived and died a chicken… because that’s all it believed itself to be.

The  moral  of  the  story: You  become  what  you  believe  you  are; so  if  you  ever  dream  to  become  an  eagle, follow  your  dreams,  not  the  words  of  a  chicken.

Who are you? It’s such a simple question, and yet at the same time so complicated. As PEOPLE we’re influenced by the media, society, mentors, parents, friends and spouses. We conform and adapt to be accepted, promoted, liked, loved, and admired. But peel away the layers of what others want us to be, and who are we then?

“Hope for love, pray for love, wish for love, dream for love…but don’t put your life on hold waiting for love". Mandy Hale

Have you ever noticed that dining room tables seat six, eight, or twelve-not seven, nine, or thirteen? I’ve been single all my life, usually not thinking much of it. But on holidays even the place-settings conspire against me, rendering a silent rebuke against my single status.

You can endure holiday dinners two ways if you’re single: 1) Bring someone you don’t particularly care for; 2) Hear the awful words “pull up an extra seat,” a euphemism for either a collapsible chair or one that is too high or too low for the table. Either strategy leaves you uncomfortable.

At Thanksgiving two years ago, while my calves cramped from straddling the leg of my brother’s dining room table, Aunt Nell took the opportunity to ask for details about my love life, which was seriously lacking at the time. The event was excruciating. Though I enjoy singlehood in the main, there have been times when I’ve worked myself into a mad frenzy looking for someone to fill a void I thought I couldn’t satisfy on my own. Someone, anyone with a pulse would do. Over the years, I dated quite a few guys I liked – I was even engaged once but “till death do we part” seemed a very long time. I always ended up alone again. So holidays, especially with the Aunt Nells of the family, can weaken my confidence, leaving me a little bereft.

One day, noting my frustration surrounding the holidays, a friend of mine suggested we try something different on the next such occasion. “How `bout you and I go down to a homeless shelter and help out? Then maybe we’ll be grateful for what we have,” she proposed. I had a thousand reasons why this wasn’t a good idea, but my friend persisted. The next Christmas I found myself in an old downtown warehouse, doling out food.

Never in my life had I seen so many turkeys and rows of pumpkin pies. Decorations donated by a nearby grocery store created a festive atmosphere that uplifted even my reluctant spirit. When everyone was fed, I took a tray and filled a plate with the bountiful harvest. After a few bites, I knew what everyone was carrying on about; the food was really good.

My dinner companions were easy company. Nobody asked me why I didn’t have a date or when I was going to settle down. People just seemed grateful for a place to sit and enjoy a special dinner. To my surprise, I found I had much in common with my fellow diners. They were people just like me.

My experience that Christmas brought me back to the shelter the following year. I enjoyed helping others so much that I began seeking more opportunities to serve. I started volunteering for the Literacy Foundation once a week. I figured I could sit in front of the TV, or I could use those evening hours to help others learn to read. Caring for others has abundantly filled the void in my life that I had sometimes interpreted as a missing mate.

When I stopped trying to so hard to fit in, I realized I was single for a reason and found my own special purpose. There is room at the table for a party of one. And sometimes “just one” is the perfect fit.

Author Unknown

“Hope for love, pray for love, wish for love, dream for love…but don’t put your life on hold waiting for love”. Mandy Hale

“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is "timing" it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” ― Fulton J. Sheen

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked. “Just a minute” answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said.

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “it’s nothing”, I told her.. ˜I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.”

˜Oh, you’re such a good boy, she said.

When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, ˜Could you drive through downtown?

“It’s not the shortest way, I answered quickly”

˜Oh, I don’t mind”, she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. ˜I don’t have any family left”, she continued in a soft voice.”The doctor says I don’t have very long.”

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. ˜What route would you like me to take?” I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I am tired.Let’s go now”.

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

˜How much do I owe you?” She asked, reaching into her purse. “Nothing”, I said.

˜You have to make a living, she answered.

“˜There are other passengers” I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly. ˜You gave an old woman a little moment of joy”, she said. ˜Thank you.”

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.I t was the sound of the closing of a life.. I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware – beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

(Author Unknown)

The little girl had an umbrella in readiness for the rain

As a drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do. Rain was important to keep their crops healthy and sustain the way of life of the townspeople.

As the problem became more acute, a local pastor called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.

Many people arrived. The pastor greeted most of them as they filed in. As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting he noticed most people were chatting across the aisles and socializing with friends. When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and starting the meeting.

His eyes scanned the crowd as he asked for quiet. He noticed an eleven year-old girl sitting quietly in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella. The little girl’s beauty and innocence made the pastor smile as he realized how much faith she possessed. No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.

All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer…

Reflection Questions

• When have you asked for something but at the time you did not truly believe it was possible for you?
  
• Looking back now, could it have been possible?
  
• When have you asked for something and believed with all of your being it would become true?
  
• Looking back now, did it happen?

“He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

 Each day we haggle over prices. It is an accepted norm in some retail shops and especially with street sellers who sometimes quote different prices for different customers depending on their judgment of their ability to pay. The discussions can lead to both the seller and the buyer feeling valued. But what is the limit of how low you should go?

“Njoroge had invited his friends to supper and was cooking a succulent piece of meat for them. Suddenly, he realized that he had run out of tomatoes for “kachumbari”. So Njoroge called  his son and said, ‘Go to the village and buy some tomatoes, but pay a fair price for it: neither too much nor too little.’

His son was surprised. ‘I can understand why I shouldn’t pay too much for them, Father, but if I can bargain them down, why not save a bit of money?’

‘That may seem a sensible thing to do, but it could destroy a small village like ours.’

When Njoroge’s guests, who had overheard their conversation, wanted to know why they should not buy tomatoes more cheaply if they could, Njoroge replied:

‘The only reason a man would sell tomatoes more cheaply than usual would be because he was desperate for money. And anyone who took advantage of that situation would be showing a lack of respect for the sweat and struggle of the man who laboured to produce them.’

‘But such a small thing couldn’t possibly destroy a village.’

‘In the beginning, there was only a small amount of injustice abroad in the world, but everyone who came afterwards added their portion, always thinking that it was only very small and unimportant, and look where we have ended up today.’
Do you deal justly with others, especially the less fortunate?

“He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

 “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)

 “Success is being able to go to bed each night with your soul at peace”.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize”. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Life is like a great bicycle race, whose aim is to fulfill one’s Personal Legend – that which, according to the ancient alchemists, is our true mission on Earth.

At the start of the race, we’re all together – sharing the camaraderie and enthusiasm.
But as the race progresses, the initial joy gives way to the real challenges: tiredness, monotony, doubts about one’s own ability.

Every thing that a man leans upon but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through. He, who leans only upon Christ, lives the highest, choicest, safest, and sweetest life. Thomas Brooks

We notice that some friends have already given up, deep down in their hearts – they’re still in the race, but only because they can’t stop in the middle of the road.
This group keeps growing in number, all of them pedaling away near the support car – also known as Routine – where they chat among themselves, fulfill their obligations, but forget the beauty and challenges along the road.

We eventually distance ourselves from them; and then we are forced to confront loneliness, the surprises of unknown bends in the road, and problems with the bicycle.
After a time, when we have fallen off several times, without anyone nearby to help us, we end up asking ourselves whether such an effort is worthwhile.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing”. (2 Timothy 4: 7-8)

Yes, of course it is.

There is a precious prize!