Quote from Forum Archives on May 21, 2004, 8:16 am

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

This is a holliday weekend in Canada so this will be a special weekend Edition and and we will be back on Tuesday.

Monday is Victoria Day in Canada.

Have a great weekend.

*************************

Be A WINNER  

There is a lot of talk about winners and losers in our society   today. Everyone it seems wants to be a winner. No one wants to be a   loser. Winners are admired, sought after, and respected while losers   are rejected, looked down upon, and laughed at. "If you aren't a   winner then you are nothing," I heard one person say.     This seemed sad to me. It seemed sad because I know that none of us   are looked down upon in God's eyes. Everyone of us is somebody in   God's mind. Each of us is a unique and special Child that God loves   equally and unconditionally. Everyone of us has a place in God's   heart.     If that doesn't make each of us a winner then I don't know what does.    I think then that maybe we should redefine what a true winner is. It   isn't the person with the biggest bank account, fanciest car, and   finest house. A true winner is rather the person with the biggest   heart, most loving life, and most joyous soul. A true winner is one   who helps the most, gives the most, and loves the most. A true   winner is one who is not only joyous and happy in their own life,   but also helps others to be joyous and happy in theirs as well. A   true winner is one who makes this world a better place by sharing   their time, energy, talents, and love with everyone. A true winner   is one who shows the rest of us the way to truly win at life: by   filling   ourselves with love and joy and then giving it freely to the world   around us.    Be a winner then. Know that God loves you and sees you as special   and unique in all the world. Rejoice in all that you have been   given. Find joy in all that you do. Give love freely and   unconditionally. Help everyone you can. Make this world a better   place just by being in it.     Take your place as a loving, joyous winner in this life and in the   next.

Lawns

Imagine the conversation the Creator might have had with St. Francis on the subject of lawns: 

God: "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature, what in the world is going on down there on  

Earth? What happened to all the dandelions, violets, thistles and stuff I started eons ago? I had a 

perfect, no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and 

multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees, and

flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green 
rectangles." 

St. Francis: "It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers weeds and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass." 

God: "Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds, and bees, only grubs and sod worms, it's temperamental with temperatures. Do these suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?" 

St. Francis: "Apparently so Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn. " 

God: "The spring rains and warm weather probably make the grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy." 

St. Francis: "Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little they cut it, sometimes twice a week." 

God: "They cut it? Do they bale it like hay?" 

St. Francis: "Not exactly Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags." 

God: "They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?" 

St. Francis: "No sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away." 

God: "Now let me get this straight. They fertilize the grass so it will grow, and when it does grow, they cut it off and then pay to throw it away?" 

St. Francis: "Yes sir. 

God: "These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work!" 

St. Francis: "You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it." 

God: "What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life." 

St. Francis: "You had better sit down Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away." 

God: "No way! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and to keep the soil moist and loose? 

St. Francis: "After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in the place of leaves." 

God: "And where do they get this mulch?" 

St.: Francis: "They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch." 

God: "Enough. I don't want to think about this anymore.   St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts, what movie have you scheduled for us tonight?" 

St. Catherine: "Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about..." 

God: "Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis." 

Have a Blessed Day

Dave and Barbara

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