THE WAY TO BE HAPPY

#1 · March 21, 2003, 12:24 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on March 21, 2003, 12:24 pm
Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

Please take a moment today and remember all of the men and woman that
have gone to war. And for all of those that will be going there soon.
May God watch over them, protect them and keep them safe. May God be
with the families and friends and comfort them. May God bless all of
you and keep you safe and well.

<>< THE WAY TO BE HAPPY ><>

A few years ago, a six-year-old boy from Oregon suffered burns over
85% of his body. His condition was so severe that several doctors
gave up and one hospital would not admit him because they thought he
would die anyway.

His life was saved, however, by eight courageous and committed
people -- his parents, three nurses and three doctors. The nurses
emerged as the true heroines in this real-life drama. After other
nurses had quit, these women took eight-hour shifts with the boy,
seeing him through skin grafts, operations, crucial periods in which
death almost gained victory, and dull, dragging days of
rehabilitation. The boy grew to dislike them, as he innocently
thought they caused his intense pain.

His room was like a dungeon. It measured 12 feet by 12 feet. The door
was tightly shut, shades were drawn, heat blazed from a gooseneck
lamp shining as a substitute for blankets. The humidity was so high
the
walls dripped with moisture, and dank air smelled of burned flesh and
chlorine-soaked dressings.

The nurses stayed with him, dressed in caps, gowns, masks and gloves
as if they were assisting an operation. Within an hour they would be
soaked with perspiration. For 14 desperately long months these
dedicated three gave their all to the ailing boy. Then, one day, he
finally climbed from his bed and walked.

It was a great day! The nurses were rewarded for their tireless
effort. The lives of all three were so deepened and their sense of
satisfaction so great after fighting off the temptation to quit for
14 months, that each said they'd put forth the effort again.

What caused them to feel so satisfied with their work? One might say
it was because they found a way to truly serve someone in need. And
in so doing, they accomplished something significant. Like American
educator Booker T. Washington said, "Those who are happiest are those
who do the most for others."

Someone observed, "It's easy to make a buck...it's a lot tougher to
make a difference." But it's the way to be happy.

<>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <><

<>< Life And The Roller Coaster ><>

I have never figured out why people will pay thirty-six dollars to get into an amusement park so that they can ride rides that scare them silly and raise their stress level to the max. Yet, the amusement parks (I find the name a little strange) would go out of business if it didn't have rides that sent your stress level off the chart. We pay, and pay big, to be beat to death in a little cart dropping off a hill and flipping us upside down two or three times stopping just in time for most people to catch their stomach.

On the other hand, let some outside stress come into life, something we didn't pay for, and suddenly the world is coming to an end. Since everyone says we can't have stress, or at least not the kind we don't pay for, then we must have a fix.

"Doctor just give me a vacation, some place warm please." "Can't do that? Well -- maybe a pill? A drink?"

How come we can be so brave and tough on the roller coaster and be so whimsy and whiny when the boss wants the job done by five? Actually, I've done a little thinking on this matter (Some of you stop laughing right now!). I think I have come up with four simple reasons why "unpaid for" stress get us down so quickly.

First, life's stress events get us down so easily because we are not expecting them. On the roller coaster you knew when you got to the top of the hill that stress was shortly coming. No one can predict exactly when stressful event in life come but we do know they will. A life that is "prayed up" and in touch with God is prepared when those stress related moments come. God's safety straps of love help you hold on and you of his care. The closer you are to Him the easier it is to hold on.

Next, we doubt or forget the security and safety of the Lord. When some youth from my church talks me into riding one of those silly rides, I do so only because I believe that they are somewhat safe. You would never get anyone, with any sense, to ride one of those things if they thought they might really die. When life sends us through the loop, it is assuring to know God is with you all the way. We get stressed out when we forget that we can depend on the security and protection of the Lord.

Another reason the amusement ride is fun and normal everyday stress events drain us is because we lose sight of the end. No matter how high the hill, no matter how fast the ride, no matter how many loops, the roller coaster ride has the glorious end when you can stop and get out. The knowledge that there is an end has helped me through many a tough ride in life. Focus of the simple truth that what every event has an end.

Lastly, but perhaps the single greatest reason we get stressed in everyday life but survive and enjoy the stress of riding "The Wild Thing," is our mindset. We go to an amusement park with the full intention of riding the rides for the thrill of it. We make it fun (Okay some of us do). When we view life with the mindset that this is going to be fun, suddenly stressful events aren't any more that a roller coaster ride.

Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara

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Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

Please take a moment today and remember all of the men and woman that
have gone to war. And for all of those that will be going there soon.
May God watch over them, protect them and keep them safe. May God be
with the families and friends and comfort them. May God bless all of
you and keep you safe and well.

<>< THE WAY TO BE HAPPY ><>

A few years ago, a six-year-old boy from Oregon suffered burns over
85% of his body. His condition was so severe that several doctors
gave up and one hospital would not admit him because they thought he
would die anyway.

His life was saved, however, by eight courageous and committed
people -- his parents, three nurses and three doctors. The nurses
emerged as the true heroines in this real-life drama. After other
nurses had quit, these women took eight-hour shifts with the boy,
seeing him through skin grafts, operations, crucial periods in which
death almost gained victory, and dull, dragging days of
rehabilitation. The boy grew to dislike them, as he innocently
thought they caused his intense pain.

His room was like a dungeon. It measured 12 feet by 12 feet. The door
was tightly shut, shades were drawn, heat blazed from a gooseneck
lamp shining as a substitute for blankets. The humidity was so high
the
walls dripped with moisture, and dank air smelled of burned flesh and
chlorine-soaked dressings.

The nurses stayed with him, dressed in caps, gowns, masks and gloves
as if they were assisting an operation. Within an hour they would be
soaked with perspiration. For 14 desperately long months these
dedicated three gave their all to the ailing boy. Then, one day, he
finally climbed from his bed and walked.

It was a great day! The nurses were rewarded for their tireless
effort. The lives of all three were so deepened and their sense of
satisfaction so great after fighting off the temptation to quit for
14 months, that each said they'd put forth the effort again.

What caused them to feel so satisfied with their work? One might say
it was because they found a way to truly serve someone in need. And
in so doing, they accomplished something significant. Like American
educator Booker T. Washington said, "Those who are happiest are those
who do the most for others."

Someone observed, "It's easy to make a buck...it's a lot tougher to
make a difference." But it's the way to be happy.

<>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <>< + <><

<>< Life And The Roller Coaster ><>

I have never figured out why people will pay thirty-six dollars to get into an amusement park so that they can ride rides that scare them silly and raise their stress level to the max. Yet, the amusement parks (I find the name a little strange) would go out of business if it didn't have rides that sent your stress level off the chart. We pay, and pay big, to be beat to death in a little cart dropping off a hill and flipping us upside down two or three times stopping just in time for most people to catch their stomach.

On the other hand, let some outside stress come into life, something we didn't pay for, and suddenly the world is coming to an end. Since everyone says we can't have stress, or at least not the kind we don't pay for, then we must have a fix.

"Doctor just give me a vacation, some place warm please." "Can't do that? Well -- maybe a pill? A drink?"

How come we can be so brave and tough on the roller coaster and be so whimsy and whiny when the boss wants the job done by five? Actually, I've done a little thinking on this matter (Some of you stop laughing right now!). I think I have come up with four simple reasons why "unpaid for" stress get us down so quickly.

First, life's stress events get us down so easily because we are not expecting them. On the roller coaster you knew when you got to the top of the hill that stress was shortly coming. No one can predict exactly when stressful event in life come but we do know they will. A life that is "prayed up" and in touch with God is prepared when those stress related moments come. God's safety straps of love help you hold on and you of his care. The closer you are to Him the easier it is to hold on.

Next, we doubt or forget the security and safety of the Lord. When some youth from my church talks me into riding one of those silly rides, I do so only because I believe that they are somewhat safe. You would never get anyone, with any sense, to ride one of those things if they thought they might really die. When life sends us through the loop, it is assuring to know God is with you all the way. We get stressed out when we forget that we can depend on the security and protection of the Lord.

Another reason the amusement ride is fun and normal everyday stress events drain us is because we lose sight of the end. No matter how high the hill, no matter how fast the ride, no matter how many loops, the roller coaster ride has the glorious end when you can stop and get out. The knowledge that there is an end has helped me through many a tough ride in life. Focus of the simple truth that what every event has an end.

Lastly, but perhaps the single greatest reason we get stressed in everyday life but survive and enjoy the stress of riding "The Wild Thing," is our mindset. We go to an amusement park with the full intention of riding the rides for the thrill of it. We make it fun (Okay some of us do). When we view life with the mindset that this is going to be fun, suddenly stressful events aren't any more that a roller coaster ride.

Hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

Have a Blessed Day
Dave and Barbara

Necessary Legal Information

I do not mail idea-central unsolicited. If you are receiving this newsletter from me it's because you have subscribed to this mailing list. If you receive this newsletter and are not a subscriber then someone, other than me, has forwarded it to you.

Normal Subscribe: idea-central-subscribe@welovegod.org
Normal Unsubscribe: idea-central-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Web Subscribe: idea-central-allow-subscribe@welovegod.org
Web Unsubscribe: idea-central-allow-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Email Group Owner: idea-central-owner@associate.com