ONE STORMY NIGHT



One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.

“Could you possibly give us a room here?” the husband asked. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town.

“All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”

When the couple declined, the young man pressed on. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll make out just fine,” the clerk told them. So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, “You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.”

The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh.

As they drove away, the elderly couple agreed that the helpful clerk was indeed exceptional, as finding people who are both friendly and helpful isn’t easy.

Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a palace of reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.

“That,” said the older man, “is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.”

“You must be joking,” the young man said.

“I can assure you I am not,” said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth.

The older man’s name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

The young clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw the turn of events that would lead him to become the manager of one of the world’s most glamorous hotels.

The Bible says that we are not to turn our backs on those who are in need, for we might be entertaining angels. Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than the things you acquire…

Catching Fireflies

When you first see a firefly light up the darkness, the moment takes on a magical quality. It makes you catch your breath and stop what you’re doing. Your senses are suddenly heightened as you watch intently for the next flash of light, never quite sure where it will come from. Teaching children to “catch fireflies” can be a magical adventure as well. I’m not talking about the little lightning bugs found in nature, but the kind of “fireflies” that are those sparkling moments in our lives that brighten our day and make us feel better.

They are the small moments of brilliance and joy we discover in the course of a normal day that can bring light into our lives and make us want to share the good feelings. It may be an affirming word, an unexpected surprise, an act of kindness, a touch of beauty found in nature, a smile, a hug, and countless other examples of things that lift our spirits and make the world a better place. “Fireflies” are “God moments”…those times we suddenly become aware that God is in the moment, touching our lives in a special way, and we are encouraged and inspired by that personal touch.

Be Blessed.

Return to the Road to Freedom

When suddenly you seem to lose all you thought you had gained, do not despair. Your healing is not a straight line. You must expect setbacks and regressions. Don't say to yourself, 'All is lost, I have to start all over again.' This is not true. What you have gained, you have gained.

Sometimes little things build up and make you lose ground for a moment.It is important not to dwell on the small moments when you feel pulled away from your progress. Try to return home, to the freedom you always enjoyed.It is easier to return to the road when you are on the shoulder than when you are pulled all the way into a nearby swamp.

In everything you do, keep trusting that God is with you, that God has given you companions on the journey. Keep returning to the road to freedom, if you drift away.

Let go, Let God ( A Poem)

As children bring their broken toys with tears for us to mend,
I bought my broken dreams to God,
because He was my friend.
But then, instead of leaving Him at peace to work alone,
I hung around, and tried to help
with ways that were my own.
At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How can you be so slow?"
"My child, "He said, " what could I do? You never did let go."



After thought: Faith is handing something to God and taking my hands off it.

Need for growth

How often does a man ruin his disciples by remaining with them.When men are trained, it is essential that their leader leave them, for without his absence they cannot develop themselves.
After all, Plants always remain small under a big tree!

Never react too soon

Looking back in our lives we may realise that on various occasions we have judged the other person wrongly and all because we never heard the complete story. Let me share with you a true story of a couple. A woman wanted to reach her husband on his mobile phone,she instructed her son to call his daddy and pass across an urgent message to him, who was on site. After the boy had called, he got back to mummy to inform her that there was a lady that picked up daddy’s phone the three times he tried reaching dad on the mobile. Without further questioning her son,she waited impatiently for her husband to return from work and upon seeing him in the driveway, she rushed out and let him have it.People from the neighborhood rushed around to find out what the cause of the commotion was. The woman then asked the boy to tell everybody what the lady at the other end said to him when he called.The boy honestly replied “The subscriber you have dialed is not available at present. Please Try Again Later” Isn't it true that we tend to be impatient and fail to listen to the complete version of the event of another person? we tend to react hastily. In the process we hurt others and at times a good relationship goes sour.Surely it would help us always to listen to others first and then if need be to give a reply appropriately.

Don't let that be you!

Are you living every day filled with hope and expectancy? Are you living life to the fullest? So many people today have simply lost their enthusiasm for life. At one time, they were excited about their future. They were pursuing their dream, but along the way, they hit some roadblocks. Things didn't work out, and now they're just going through the motions of life. They quit dreaming. They quit pursuing their goals. They lost their purpose. Don't let that be you! Make the choice to stay alive your whole life by keeping your dreams in front of you. Remember, you have a purpose. You have a destiny. You didn't just accidentally show up on planet Earth. God has created you to make a difference—to impact our society—to make this world a better place. On the inside of you right now, there are dreams and desires put there by the Creator of the universe. Don't let the pressures of life push those dreams down. Stir up those dreams. Stir up those gifts. Shake off every disappointment and press forward. This is a new day. Get a new vision. Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, you're going to keep pressing forward. You're going to keep growing. You're going to keep learning. You're going to stay active. If you will stay passionate about life, knowing what your purpose is and being your best every day, God will pour out His blessings and favor on you, and you will live the life of victory He has in store!