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Dog's Life!

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This is not an Inspirational Story, But however it ll bring out a smile.
A butcher watching over his shop was really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He kicks it away. But later, the dog is back again. So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth.
He takes the note and it reads, “Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. I have money in my mouth, as well”.
The butcher looks inside and, behold, a ten dollar note. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog’s mouth.
The butcher is so impressed, and since it’s about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog. So off he goes.
The dog walked down the street when he came to a level crossing. The dog put down the bag, jumped up and pressed the button.
Then he waited patiently, tbag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walked  across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.
The dog then came  to a bus stop, and started looking at the timetable. The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checked out the times, and then sat on one of the seats provided.
Along came a bus. The dog walked around to the front, looked at the number, and went back to his seat. Another bus came. Again the dog went and looked  at the number, noticed it’s the right bus, and climbs on.
The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, followed him onto the bus. The bus traveled through the town and out into the suburbs. The dog was looking at the scenery.
Eventually he got up, and moved to the front of the bus. He stood on 2 back paws and pushed the button to stop the bus. Then he got off, his groceries still in his mouth.
Well, dog and butcher were walking along the road, and then the dog turned into a house.
He walked up the path, and dropped the groceries on the step. Then he walked back down the path, took a big run, and threw himself against the door.
He went back down the path, ran up to the door and again, it threw himself against it.
There was no answer at the house. So the dog went back down the path, jumped up on a narrow wall, and walked along the perimeter of the garden. He got to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walked back, jumped off, and waited at the door.
The butcher watched as a big guy opened the door, and started abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.
The butcher ran up, and stopped the guy. “What in heaven’s name are you doing? The dog is a genius! He could be on TV, for the life of me!!”
To which the guy responds:
“You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog’s forgotten his key.”
—-Moral of the story—-
You may continue to exceed onlookers’ expectations, but shall always fall short of the boss’s expectations!!

Fresh

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The Japanese have always loved fresh fish

But the water close to Japan has not held many fish for decades.

So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever.

The further the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring the fish

If the return trip took more time, the fish were not fresh.

To solve this problem, fish companies installed freezers on their boats.

They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea.

Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer.

However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen fish and they did not like the taste of frozen fish

The frozen fish brought a lower price.

So, fishing companies installed fish tanks.

They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin.

After a little thrashing around, they were tired, dull, and lost their fresh-fish taste.

The fishing industry faced an impending crisis!

But today, they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan.

How did they manage…?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks but with a small shark

The fish are challenged and hence are constantly on the move.

The challenge they face keeps them alive and fresh!

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired and dull….?

Basically in our lives, sharks are new challenges to keep us active.

If you are steadily conquering
challenges, you are happy.

Your challenges keep you energized.

Don’t create Success and revel in it in a state of inertia.

You have the resources, skills and abilities to make a difference.

Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go….

The cockroach theory for self development.

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At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and  sat on a lady.
She started screaming out of fear.
With a panic stricken face and trembling voice,she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.
Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.
The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but …it landed on another lady in the group.
Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.
The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.
In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.
The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.
Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach
responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.
It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.
I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it’s my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.
It’s not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.
More than the problem, it’s my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.
Lessons learnt from the story:
I understood, I should not react in life.
I should always respond.
The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.
Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of.

You are My Sunshine, My only Sunshine

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Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.

They found out that the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in mommy’s tummy.

He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.
The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen.

In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor.

Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle, Michael’s little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.

Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral. 

Michael however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying.

Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over..

Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not.

If he didn’t see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket.

The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, ‘Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed!’

The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse’s face, her lips a firm line..

‘He is not leaving until he sings to his sister’ she stated.

Then Karen towed Michael to his sister’s bedside.

He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.

After a moment, he began to sing.
In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:
‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, 
You make me happy when skies are gray.’ 
Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond.  The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady.

‘Keep on singing, Michael,’ encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.

‘You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.’ 
As Michael sang to his sister, the baby’s ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten’s purr

‘Keep on singing, sweetheart.’
‘The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, 
I dreamed I held you in my arms’ 
Michael’s little sister began to relax as rest,

Healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.
‘Keep on singing, Michael.’

Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse.

Karen glowed.

‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. 
Please don’t take my sunshine away.’

The next day…the very next day.. 
The little girl was well enough to get out of ICU…..
She went home two weeks later.
Woman’s Day Magazine called it “The Miracle of a Brother’s Song”.
The medical staff just called it a miracle.
Karen called it a miracle of God’s love.
NEVER GIVE UP ON THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE..

Tale of the Three Trees

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The folktale tells about the aspiration of an olive tree, an oak tree and a pine tree.

The olive tree dreamed to be a finely crafted treasure chest. “I want to hold precious gold and stones,” claimed the olive tree.  Then one day, a woodsman chose the olive tree and cut it down. The olive tree was so happy but then he realized he was being made into a manger to hold animal food in a smelly stable. He felt worthless and discouraged.

Now, the Oak tree dreamed of becoming a mighty ship, carrying powerful kings. When the woodsman cut down the oak tree and worked on him, he realized that the woodsman weren’t making him into a mighty ship, they made him into a tiny fishing boat. The oak tree felt demeaned.

The pine tree on the other hand dreamed to always stand tall and remind people of God’s great love but in a split second, a bolt of lighting sent it to the ground and his remains was carried to the scrap woodpile ; destroying the pine tree’s dream. The three trees felt that their dreams were shattered and that they have lost their worth but God has other plans for them.

On one starry night, a young woman and her husband found a stable and she placed her newborn baby in the manger. In that instant, the olive tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world – baby Jesus, The Son of God. Years later, Jesus needed a boat to cross to the other side of the lake. Of all the boats, He chose a small fishing boat. Yes, it was the oak tree. The oak tree wanted to carry important kings but God had better plans, the oak tree now carried the King of kings.

Not forgetting the pine tree; on one Friday morning he was picked up from the forgotten woodpile. He thought the Roman soldiers were coming to cut him up for woodfire but they cut it to half and formed it into a cross. And it was on this pine tree that Jesus was crucified. To this day, the cross is still pointing people to God’s love.

Initially, the three trees felt that they had lost their value and worth but God made them took part in the greatest story ever told. So the next time you feel discouraged and hopeless, let’s be reminded that God hears your prayers, sees your situations and knows your aspirations. Hold your head up high and know that God is in control and He has a better plan for you.

Isaiah 55:9
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Asking without ceasing

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Father, all praises to you.
Today am going to write about how to ask our wishes without ceasing. One of my friend was down and I suggested her to ask God her needs. She came and complained nothing worked. I tried to explain her this. When we carry on a life full of mistakes, sins and stupidity. And we expect everything to change over night. Yes, God is God of miracles. He will perform wonders to those who believe. God is God of impossible.
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
So it’s perfectly fine to expect wonders. I suggested her to be patient. If she keeps on asking without ceasing. Am sure God will grant her wishes. It’s never wrong to ask your needs to God.
I will share two parables Jesus Christ told his disciples.
1 – Parable of the persistent widow
Luke 18:1-8 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
2 – Teaching about Prayer
Luke 11:1-13 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.  Give us each day the food we need,  and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Crumpled $100 Bill

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A well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $100 bill. In the room of 200 people, he asked, “Who would like this $100 bill?” Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $100 to one of you but first, let me do this.”

He proceeded to crumple up the $100 dollar bill. He then asked, “Who still wants it…?” Still the hands were up in the air. “Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still the hands went into the air.

“My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $100.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.”

2.5

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Father, help me write this testimony. Bless this to touch a lost sheep of yours. Thank you for this wonderful experience.

Am sharing my testimony that happened today. I am writing this today for a reason. If I give my mind a break it will add up and subtract details. Am blessed with good imagination. So, I like to share my testimony the exact way it happened.

2.5 years ago, I was working in a multinational firm. It was like a first job for me. I loved my job a lot. Had loads of new friends. I loved this new experience. I felt like am settled. I was like on top of the world.i had nothing to worry. Though it was a night shift job, I kinda adapted to it. Unlike my other jobs, I was dedicated to this particular Job. In that firm throughout the year I never bunked a single day. I was so attached to my job. Though I got better offers, I didn’t want to move on. Major reason being my new colleagues whom I don’t want to miss. They were like a family. I loved the way they cared for me. I felt like the youngest sibling of them.

And due to some issues I was terminated from work. It was my favorite job. I was shattered. All I could think of is dark days ahead. All doors were shut. Anything I love, I end up losing it. I felt like a moving curse. It was like a shame. Being terminated is the worst nightmare for me. And I got into few other jobs, few extra courses. I moved on but still with a pain of shame. Whenever I cross that previous workplace. An unknown heaviness gets into me. I remember that fateful day. And all my hard work going waste. I curse myself for being a loser. I went and prayed to God to wipe away my shame. God’s only answer was silence. But, I end up seeing boards with words ‘Trust in Jesus’. I felt like God put this signboard on my path to encourage.

Today. 2.5 years later the same firm called me. Offered me 2.5 times my current pay grade. ( 😀 maybe I should have waited 5 years for 5 times or 10 years for 10… Lol, I shouldn’t be greedy). Its totally God’s miracle. God just didn’t wiped away my shame. He made the same people who once rejected me to do it. It’s true, GOD GIVES BEAUTY FOR ASHES.

Honestly speaking, I would never have come out of that firm if I had chance. It was my comfort zone. God pushed me out of my comfort zone. He made me go through a tough phase. But it was all for my destiny. And there is a saying, Good things comes to people who trust in God. But I didn’t trusted God. All I did was complaining. But still God showered his blessing upon me. If God can shower his blessing on someone like me. How blessed are those who put their trust on him. Trust in Him. The uncomfortable phase you are going through is only for one reason. God has a purpose for it. You have a greater destiny ahead

-Shalom-

How to overcome the urge to lie?

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“Father God, please guide me as I write this article based on Your Word. Help me to write this to glorify You, and let Your words bring clarity to those who seek You. May Your truth help people discern and embrace correct beliefs. I pray and seek everything in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

How to overcome the urge to lie. This is that particular sin that we believers doesn’t care much about.  We consider it as an acceptable sin. We got used to it.

What is a lie?
When we say something that’s not true, that is a lie.
And?
When we hide a truth it is also a lie.
And?
When we alter few details that’s a lie too.
Then?
When we talk something that we don’t have an idea about.
Then?
When we want to be listened, we tend to add and remove few facts. That could be added to lies too.
But, lie is everything that is not true. An average person lies 4 times a day.

What’s our attitude towards lie?
In reality we just don’t see the seriousness of a lie. Its still an acceptable sin in our view. Its a small thing. What possibly a small sin could do. It can’t harm anyone. There is a saying one lie ll make you say 9 more to cover it up. 1 lie = 1+9 lies = 10 lies. Cool. What’s wrong with 10 lies? If it doesn’t hurt anyone? Isn’t it totally fine if its said for something good?

Nope… The major reason for end of marriages is Lies. Not just marriages, relationships and friendships ends up with lies. I try my best not to lie thinking of the embarrassment that it might put me through.

Most of the problems that we are stuck in these days, the root cause will be a lie. Most of the friends I lost, were due to lies. Either I lied to them, they lied to me or I lied to myself. Gossip is another reason to lie. When we gossip we tend to add few facts 😉

How to overcome this urge to lie?
Let’s imagine, we are put in a situation, where the only escape will be a lie…

“I finished the homework but forgot the note in home” My most favorite lie and its the most common one during our school days. I did slipped away from punishment most of the times. When a lie can save my life what could be wrong with it?

Here is a contradiction. I got used to saying this lie and ended up being lazy. And one day my teacher caught me red handed and everyone can guess what would have happened to me next 😀

But, I was a curious teenager and I didn’t learnt my lesson by then. It was in my early twenties where I had to lie, to my Dad. By then I realized lie will lead to bigger trouble. So I prayed to God. Father, I have no other choice but to lie. I don’t want to sin intentionally. I have no way out. If I admit I would be kicked out of home, I didn’t had a solution and all the doors were closed. And I stayed in fear the whole day. But my dad never asked that question. It was like I never had that situation to lie.

I still lie. Am a human too. Most of the time unintentionally. But I guess I reduced. All praises to the Almighty God. Whenever I think I ll have to lie, I go to God ask for his help. I have to be sincere when I ask, my only motive should be I am troubled but I don’t want to fall into this sin. I shouldn’t lie. There were 2 outcomes. Either the situation disappeared or God gave me strength to go through the truth. And trust me, second was awesome I felt God’s presence in everything I did when I was bold enough to admit the truth. It was not bad to avoid the situation . I had a third option few times, to put a lid in my mouth. Being silent. God will tell you to be silent.

How to overcome the urge to lie
Answer: Ask God to guide you. When you put an effort to be right. He ll do everything in your favor to make you right. When we try to change ourselves for good, he will help us in every way to become good

Introduction
The sin of lying often goes unnoticed and unaddressed among Christian believers. Many of us have become desensitized to its prevalence and view it as an acceptable, minor transgression. This article will discuss the nature of lying, its consequences, and how to overcome this destructive habit.
What is a Lie?
A lie occurs when we say something that is not true.
Concealing the truth also constitutes a lie.
Altering details or fabricating information are forms of lying.
Speaking about topics we know nothing about is another type of deception.
Exaggerating or omitting facts to make ourselves more interesting is yet another form of lying.
On average, a person lies four times a day, demonstrating its pervasive nature in our lives.
Our Attitude Towards Lies
Often, we do not perceive lying as a serious issue. We downplay its significance and see it as a harmless, trivial sin. The assumption is that it can’t cause any real harm. However, one lie often leads to nine more to cover it up. Thus, we end up with ten lies instead of one. Many believe that lying is justifiable if nobody gets hurt or if it serves a greater good. However, this line of thinking overlooks the potential harm it can cause.
The Consequences of Lying
Lying is a primary cause of failed marriages, damaged relationships, and broken friendships. Many problems we face today have lying as their root cause. Furthermore, lies have the potential to damage our personal integrity and our relationship with God.
How to Overcome the Urge to Lie
When facing a situation where lying seems like the only solution, consider the following steps:
Ask God for guidance and strength to resist temptation. Pray with sincerity, acknowledging your desire to avoid sinning intentionally.
Trust that God will either remove the temptation or provide the courage to speak the truth.
Practice silence when you are unsure about what to say. Sometimes, God may lead you to be silent to avoid a difficult situation.
When we put forth effort to be truthful, God will work in our favor and support us in becoming better versions of ourselves.
Personal Testimony
I struggled with lying as a teenager and into my early twenties. It was not until I faced a dire situation where lying seemed like the only way out that I turned to God for help. I realized that lying would lead to bigger problems, and I prayed for guidance. Despite fearing the consequences of telling the truth, God intervened, and I did not have to lie.
While I still occasionally struggle with lying, I have made progress in overcoming this habit. Whenever I feel tempted to lie, I ask God for help. My personal experience has shown me that when we are sincere in our desire to change and seek God’s guidance, He will guide us in the right direction.
Conclusion
Overcoming the urge to lie is a continual process. However, when we trust in God and seek His guidance, we can grow in our ability to resist temptation and become more truthful individuals. Remember the words of Ephesians 4:25: “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” By striving for honesty, we can build stronger relationships, maintain our personal integrity, and honor God in all we say and do.

Belief

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A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence.
It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Wal-Mart.We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.
I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, ‘Mom let’s run through the rain,’ She said. ‘What?’ Mom asked.
‘Let’s run through the rain!’ She repeated.
‘No, honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit,’ Mom replied.
This young child waited a minute and repeated: ‘Mom, let’s run through the rain..’
‘We’ll get soaked if we do,’ Mom said.
‘No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,’ the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom’s arm.
‘This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?’
‘Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ‘ If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ‘ ‘
The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
‘Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If GOD let’s us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,’ Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked.
They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories…So, don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day.
I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.