Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument and one friend slapped the other in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “Today my best friend slapped me in the face.”

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him.

After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: “Today my best friend saved my life.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied, “When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

_

STORIES AND ILLUSTSRATIONS / FRED G. CHILTON

We are never totally free from problems,

   Accidents happen, sickness comes,

Mistakes are made, things break down,

   These are things that we all know well.

But there are times when it seems,

   Almost everything goes wrong,

And nothing seems to be going right,

   We don’t know how to get on top again. 

We become discouraged and depressed,

   God knows why you feel the way you do,

He promises to be there as you turn to Him,

   God will never leave you when you’re down.

FRED G. CHILTON / OCTOBER 2003

The highest courage,

Is to dare to be yourself,

In the face of adversity.

Choosing right over wrong,

Ethics over convenience,

Truth over popularity.

These are the choices,

That measures your life.

Travel the path of integrity,

Without looking back,

There is never a wrong time,

To do the right thing.

…FRED G. CHILTON

If a child lives with criticism, He learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, He learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, He learns to be shy.

If a child lives with shame, He learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with tolerance, He learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement, He learns confidence.

If a child lives with praise, He learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with fairness, He learns justice.

If a child lives with security, He learns to have faith.

If a child lives with approval, He learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, He learns to find love in the world.

…Author Unknown

When Jesus walked upon the earth
He didn’t talk with kings,
He talked with simple people
About just doing friendly things.

He didn’t praise the conquerors
And even of their heroes boast,
He said that the very greatest
Were those whom, He loved the most.

He didn’t speak of mighty deeds
Nor of victories proclaim, He spoke
About the feeding the hungry
And cheering the lonely folk.

I’m glad his words were simple words
Just meant for me and you,
The things he asked were simple things
That even I can do!

FRED G. CHILTON / AUGUST 2003 ©