Survivors

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1920's, 30's 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's !

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking!!!

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a Bakkie on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds, KFC, Steers, Nandos.

Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on the weekends, somehow we didn't starve to death!

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Chappies, Wilson 's Toffees, Wicks Bubble Gum and some crackers to blow up frogs with.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and cubby houses and played in river beds with matchbox cars.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on DSTV, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no Lawsuits from these accidents.

Only girls had pierced ears!

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns at Easter time.......no really!

We were given pellet guns and catapults for our 10th birthdays!!

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!

Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet!

RUGBY and CRICKET had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Getting into the team was based on MERIT AND NOT DUE TO BLACKMAIL, THREATS AND GUILT FROM THE PAST..... strange but true!

Our teachers used to belt us with big sticks and leather staps and bully'salways ruled the playground at school.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.

They actually sided with the law!

Our parents didn't invent stupid names for their kids like "Kiora" and "Blade" and "Ridge" and "Vanilla"

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 70 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO

DEAL WITH IT ALL!

And YOU are one of them!

CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.

And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.


PS -The big type is because your eyes are not too good at your age anymore

Survivors

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE

1920's, 30's 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's !

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, raw egg products, loads of bacon and processed meat, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer.

Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking!!!

As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a Bakkie on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds, KFC, Steers, Nandos.

Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on the weekends, somehow we didn't starve to death!

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Chappies, Wilson 's Toffees, Wicks Bubble Gum and some crackers to blow up frogs with.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and cubby houses and played in river beds with matchbox cars.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on DSTV, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no Lawsuits from these accidents.

Only girls had pierced ears!

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross Buns at Easter time.......no really!

We were given pellet guns and catapults for our 10th birthdays!!

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!

Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet!

RUGBY and CRICKET had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Getting into the team was based on MERIT AND NOT DUE TO BLACKMAIL, THREATS AND GUILT FROM THE PAST..... strange but true!

Our teachers used to belt us with big sticks and leather staps and bully'salways ruled the playground at school.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.

They actually sided with the law!

Our parents didn't invent stupid names for their kids like "Kiora" and "Blade" and "Ridge" and "Vanilla"

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 70 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO

DEAL WITH IT ALL!

And YOU are one of them!

CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.

And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were.


PS -The big type is because your eyes are not too good at your age anymore

WORK, WINE & BEER

The Centre for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weary Overload Recreational Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from your boss, any of your colleagues, or anyone else via any means whatsoever - DO NOT TOUCH IT. This virus will wipe out your private life completely.

If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises. Take two good friends to the nearest store and purchase one of the following antidotes - Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system. Work Extractor Eliminating Dosages(WEED) helps too (this is obtainable from selected outlets only)!!

Life Lessons- 7% (Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland,Ohio)

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons lifetaught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the columnonce more:
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree todisagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up thepresent.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no ideawhat their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't bein it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don'tworry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful orjoyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But thesecond one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life,don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancylingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion, Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wearpurple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In fiveyears, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone and everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because ofanything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyoneelse's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

It's estimated that 93% of people who receive this email won'tforward it. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with thetitle '7%'. I'm in the 7%. Remember, friends are the family we choosefor ourselves

Haters (Maya Angelou)

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.
They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters...

That's why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and your dreams, because some folk can't handle seeing you blessed...

It's dangerous to be like somebody else...
If God wanted you to be like somebody else,
He would have given you what He gave them! Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they have...

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don't know my story...

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence,
you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We've all got some haters among us!

Some people envy you because you can:
a) Have a relationship with God
b) Light up a room when you walk in
c) Start your own business
d) Tell a man/woman to hit the curb (if he/she isn't about the right thing)
e) Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can't stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.

Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?
You can handle these haters by:
1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are (VERY IMPORTANT!!)
2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfulfilled. A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.
3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when its your time to leave this earth, you want to be able to say, 'I've lived my life and fulfilled my dreams, Now I'm ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, 'Don't look at me...Look at who is in charge of me...'

If you don't get it back, maybe you called somebody out! Don't worry about it, it's not your problem, it's theirs. Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as yours! Watch out for Haters...BUT most of all don't become a HATER!
Image via Wikipedia

A young soul

A young soul in my ageing body plays, Though time’s sharp blades my weary visage raze.

***

Hard biter in a toothless mouth is she, The will may wane, but she a winner stays.

***

Spare me to win glory’s forbidden prize, Glory in hardship, sloth in comfort lies.

***

Em’nence is not with cheap comfort bought, Hear the honey gath’rers bee-stung cries

***

No indolent dreaming dawdler am I, Nor am content, while riches I descry.

***

Life’s heaving tides of woe shall spare me not, Unless I, its unblocked courses defy

***

Softly do town girls their faces adorn, But Bedu are from garish colours shorn.

***

Town beauty is with pampered softness sought, The Bedu are with unsought beauty born.

***

Grave harm have lovers to themselves done, Loving, ere understanding life begun.

***

They, with with’ered and wasted souls, After vile, though pretty-faced creatures run.

***

Beauti’ful women, as experienced men know, Are but darkness wrapped in dazzling light aglow.

***

A life of friv’lous youth and worried age, Its futile course to futile death will flow

***

When my hands from brimming cups weakly shook, I awoke, ere sense my wined mind forsook.

***

Shunning choice wines, as rich as purest gold, I, of spring showers silv’ry draught partook.

***

Secrets I keep no companion can discern, Nor to it can wine its potent way burn.

***

Soft women I have for an hour, and then, Deserts I roam, never more to return.

***

Courage to reason second place must take, For valour should not balanced judgment shake.

***

But if both in a hard soul united are, Then Glory’s realms their own demesne shall make.

***

Defiantly live, or in honour die, Midst slashing blades and banners flapping high

***

Rage is best dispatched by lances’ points, and Spearing spiteful chests shall their spite deny.

***

Face with cool, carefree calm life’s caretorn climes, As long as your soul with its body chimes.

***

Your joys of yore have passed beyond recall, And sadness can summon not bygone times.

***

A charger’s saddle is an exalted throne, The best companions are books alone.

***

Without hardship everyone would prevail, The generous are poor, and courage kills its own.

***

One’s ill-conduct brooding mistrust will breed, For dark thoughts on darker suspicions feed.

***

Sland’ring friends with what foes have slandered one, Thus in black nights of doubt one’s life will lead.

***

Fie’ry rashness may as valour be seen, And nervous anger may cowardice mean.

***

Arms are carried by people everywhere, But not all claws are lion’s, nor as keen.

***

Cowards see vapid impotence as sense, Such is treacherous villainy’s defense.

***

Each of valour’s divers forms enriches, But valiant wisdom is of worth immense.

***

Our dead we mourn, though we very well know, That but Vanity they leave ere they go.

***

Reflection upon life’s hard course shall teach, ‘Tis one to die as be slain by a foe.

***

Shoreless you would be of you were a sea. If rain, earth unable to contain ye.

***

Country and people of you I could warn, Of that which only Noah could foresee.

***

Misfortune’s arrows do upon me rain, Countless arrowheads does my heart sustain.

***

As more shafts at my studded heart fly, Steel upon Steel shatters the hardy twain.

***

At times in Bedu tents a home I find, Often, home is atop the camel’s hind,

***

My body a target for the brigand’s lance, To scorching heat my aching face unbind.

***

Though a noble lady and highly born, ‘Tis your unfeminine wisdom we mourn.

***

True spirit is from softer self distilled, As potent wine from sweeter grapes is drawn.

***

By AL-MUTANNABI (915 To 965)

Changing the Course for Your Family Line

Image by Felipe Venâncio via Flickr

There is a young lady in our church by the name of Vanessa who is a medical doctor. About fifteen years ago, she began to experience incredible pain in her joints, all through her arms, shoulders, and knees. It got so bad that she finally had to have surgery on her knees. Of course, she was hoping it would get better, but her pain continued to get worse. She was so crippled that she had to walk with a cane. When Vanessa would come to church at our old facility, it would take her 45 minutes to walk from the parking lot to her seat in the auditorium when it should have only taken three or four minutes. During the week, she would wake up at 3:00 a.m. to start loosening up her joints and getting dressed so she could be at work by 8:00 a.m.

Her father had the same disease in his early 20’s, and sadly, he died from complications at just 43 years old. Even her grandmother had this problem; she was a paraplegic. It looked as if this was Vanessa’s destiny. Vanessa could have easily sat back and thought, “Too bad for me. I will never get well.” But that was not Vanessa’s attitude. She had a different spirit. She dug her heels in and had an attitude like David did in the Bible. “This thing is not going to defeat me. I’m going to become everything God has created me to be. I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord.”

It didn’t happen overnight, but little by little she began to get better. Today, Vanessa is perfectly normal. She’s as healthy and whole as she can be. What happened? She rose up in faith and broke that curse off of her family line once and for all. And now her children and her descendants are all going to be better off because she chose to stand and believe God.

What obstacles are you facing today? Is there something in your health, your finances, or your relationships? Is it something that’s been in your family line for a long time? I’m challenging you today; don’t just sit back and accept it just because it’s been in your family line. No, today is the day for you to rise up and change the course for generations to come. Shake off a defeated mindset. Shake off discouraging comments. Shake off negative thoughts. You have the seed of Almighty God on the inside of you. There is victory in your DNA. The favor of God is surrounding you right now like a shield. Right past that obstacle is promotion. On the other side of that difficulty is a new level of God’s victory. Keep standing, keep believing because nothing from your past, nothing from your ancestors can keep you from living the life of victory God has in store for you!

Tequila and Salt

This should probably be taped to your bathroom mirror where one could read it every day. You may not realize it, but it's true.

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

And always remember....

• When life hands you Lemons, ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!
• Good friends are like stars........ You don't always see them, But you know they are always there.
• "Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"
• I would rather have one rose and a kind word from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.
• Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keeps You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only God keeps You Going
• 'Worry looks around, sorry looks back, Faith looks up.'