Love Notes

A mother named Antoinette Kuritz shared this idea of hers and we sure can pick this up and apply it to our own kids. Antoinette says:

From the time each of my children started school, I packed their lunches. And in each lunch I packed, I included a note. Often written on a napkin, the note might be a thank you for a special moment, a reminder of something we were happily anticipating, or a bit of encouragement for an upcoming test or sporting event.

In early grade school, they loved their notes. They commented on them after school, and when I went back to teaching, they even put notes in my lunches. But as kids grow older, they become self-conscious, and by the time he reached high school, my older son, Marc, informed me he no longer needed my daily missives. Informing him that they had been written as much for me as for him, and that he no longer needed to read them, but I still needed to write them, I continued the tradition until the day he graduated.

Six years after high school graduation, Marc called and asked if he could move home for a couple of months. He had spent those years well, graduating Phi Beta Kappa magna cum laude from college, completing two congressional internships in Washington, D.C., winning the Jesse Marvin Unruh Fellowship to the California State Legislature, and finally, becoming a legislative assistant in Sacramento. Other than short vacation visits, however, he had lived away from home. With his younger sister leaving for college, I was especially thrilled to have Marc coming home.

A couple of weeks after Marc arrived home to rest, regroup and write for a while, he was back at work. He had been recruited to do campaign work. Since I was still making lunch every day for his younger brother, I packed one for Marc, too. Imagine my surprise when I got a call from my 24-year-old son, complaining about his lunch.

“Did I do something wrong? Aren’t I still your kid? Don’t you love me anymore, Mom?” were just a few of the queries he threw at me as I laughingly asked him what was wrong.

“My note, Mom,” he answered. “Where’s my note?”

This year, my youngest son will be a senior in high school. He, too, has now announced that he is too old for notes. But like his older brother and sister before him, he will receive those notes till the day he graduates, and in whatever lunches I pack for him afterwards.

What a great idea from a great mother who knows how to communicate her love to her children. Wish that all mothers would do the same.

The question I would like to ask you is as a mother, are you positive with your kids?

There is a great need for being creative with the way we treat our kids. And while the whole world wallows in negativity, the best thing we can do for our kids is to offer them an option that the family is a place for peace, joy and security. Your children will grow up with confidence, joy and optimism if you first display that in the way you deal with them.

Love notes? Corny? Some of you are probably thinking but not for kids who are reassured that no matter what happens, their parents will love them unconditionally.

This is why God leaves us with His “Love Notes” through the Holy Scriptures reminding us all the time that even when we have messed up, His love for us will never change.

You might want to pick up on this idea and leave love notes to your kids. But better still, you may want to practice being loving and joyful first. And do you know why? Because the best inheritance you can leave your children is a good example.

By Francis J. Kong

Meditation: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. – 1 John 3:1

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Stop putting off your dreams

 

If you keep putting off your dreams because you are afraid of what people will say and the names they will call you, you will not amount to anything in life. I will rather go ahead and fulfil my dreams, irrespective of what people are saying than do nothing and be spared of their talks.

-Babatunde Oladele

Going to Heaven

 

In one minute, in the privacy of your home, it can be explained how you can know for sure that you will receive the gift of Heaven.

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that ye have eternal life” – 1 John 5:13

All you have to know are four things:

1. God says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23

2. God says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” – Romans 5:12

This is the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The price for sin is death.

3. God says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

God loves you very much. He doesn’t want you to go to Hell. In fact, He loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to this earth. This is why Christmas is celebrated. Jesus actually lifted the sins from you and placed them upon Himself. When Jesus was on the cross His blood cleansed your own. He paid the price for your sin, which is death. They buried Jesus and He arose from the dead. He conquered death and He conquered sin. This is why Easter is celebrated.

He offers you life. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

Eternal life is a present. You can’t get baptized into Heaven; be good to get into Heaven, pay money to get into Heaven; in fact, you can’t do anything to get into Heaven, except to accept God’s gift and trust Jesus as your only way into Heaven.

4. God says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:13

“But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God…” – John 1:12

“… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

Here is how you call upon the Lord:

Dear Jesus,

Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. I trust you today, Jesus, to lead me through my life. I trust you today, Jesus, to take me to Heaven. Thank you for your sacrifice for me. Amen.

Just as you were physically born to your parents, you are spiritually born into the Kingdom of God when you call on Jesus.

— Author Unknown

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Stop putting off your dreams

If you keep putting off your dreams because you are afraid of what people will say and the names they will call you, you will not amount to anything in life. I will rather go ahead and fulfil my dreams, irrespective of what people are saying than do nothing and be spared of their talks.

-Babatunde Oladele

Piano Concert

Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy quietly got up and eventually explored his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.”

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage.

In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

That’s the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But with the hand of the Master, our life’s work truly can be beautiful.

The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.” Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are there helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.

Remember, God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called. And He will always be there to love and guide you on to great things!

— Author Unknown

Meditation: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear… – Psalm 46:1-2

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Which Ratio is Higher?

To be distinguished, your thought-to-pen ratio must be higher and increasingly better than your thought-to-nought count.

– Babatunde Oladele

 

Don't Chase Success

Stop chasing success, you may never catch it. Instead, deploy all the energy, time and attention you are using to pursue success into upping your game and performance, increasing your excellence ratio and living truer to higher ideals. Then watch success jostling to seek your audience.

-Babatunde Oladele

Three Bullets

 

There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner.

As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit. He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away.

Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.

As he went further, he saw a large wild turkey up in a tree, but he had only one bullet remaining. A voice spoke to him and said, “Pray first, aim high and stay focused.”

However, at the same time, he saw a deer which would provide more meat than the turkey. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice again said to him, “Pray first, aim high and stay focused.”

So, the man decided to listen to God’s voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree, and shot the wild turkey. The bullet went into the turkey, deflected off a bone and hit the deer, killing it. When the gun fired, it knocked the man off balance, he stepped on the rattlesnake’s head which killed it and fell backwards into a pond. When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a deer and a turkey with which to feed his family. The snake was dead simply because the man listened to God.

Moral of the story: Keep God first and everything else will follow. Pray first before you do anything. Aim high in your goals, and stay focused on God. Never let people or things discourage you concerning your past. Do not look to man for your blessings, but look only to God.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Checking In

A minister passing through his church
in the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
a man came down the aisle,
The minister frowned as he saw
the man hadn’t shaved in a while.

His shirt was kind a shabby
and his coat was worn and frayed,
the man knelt, he bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,
each noon time came this chap,
each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister’s suspicions grew,
with robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
‘What are you doing here?’

The old man said he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.

‘I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is kind a what I say:

‘I just came again to tell you, lord,
How happy I’ve been, since we found each other’s friendship and you took away my sin.
Don’t know much of how to pray,
but I think about you every day.
So, Jesus, this is Jim checking in today.’

The minister feeling foolish,
told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
To come and pray just anytime

Time to go, Jim smiled, said ‘Thanks.’
He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
He’d never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
he repeated old Jim’s prayer:

‘I just came again to tell you, Lord,
How happy I’ve been since we found each other’s friendship and you took away my sin.
I don’t know much of how to pray,
but I think about you every day.
So, Jesus, this is me checking in today.’

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
that old Jim hadn’t come.
As more days passed without Jim,
he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried,
But he’d given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn’t understand
why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse’s concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke
up and with a winsome smile;
‘the nurse is wrong, she couldn’t know,
that He’s in here all the while

Every day at noon He’s here,
A dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

‘I just came again to tell you, Jim,
How happy I have been, since we found this friendship, and I took away your sin.
Always love to hear you pray,
I think about you each day, and so Jim,
this is Jesus checking in today.’

— Author Unknown

Meditation: But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. – John 4:23

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

What About Class?

Class: you either have it or lack it. You cannot buy it in the market; it doesn’t get drowned by the noises of naysayers, neither is it subject to the vagaries of contrary or popular opinion.

-Babatunde Oladele

Thank You Lord

Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat.

Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear.

And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no bed.

My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mirrors, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory; they are so convenient.

Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; it has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals.

Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today. It has baked so many things over the years.

The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing, the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard.

Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play.

Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says You have richly blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Be Productive

There are things you have to do first so you can perform and be productive. If you put the least important thing first, you won’t get the most important things done.

-Babatunde Oladele

 

The Scarcity of Fulfilment

 

Often times, there is usually a huge gap between what God has really called us to do and what we think we can do or should be doing. Perhaps, that is why fulfilment is such a scarce emotion.

-Babatunde Oladele

How To Reduce Stress

How To Reduce Stress

A wise man says, “Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn’t happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.”

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more… (Although one is often not enough, two may also be too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don’t lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don’t use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You every day.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot… Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don’t wait until it’s time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favourite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good “Thank you Jesus.”

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been grateful for before. God has a way of turning things around for you.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. – Romans 14:19

You will succeed in Jesus Name!