Blue Roses

This is a story my uncle sent me, I don't know if it true or not.

If it's not, you should make it become true.

 

Having four visiting family members, the wife was very busy, so I

offered to go to the store for her to get some needed items, which

included light bulbs, paper towels, trash bags, detergent, and Clorox.

So off I went.

 

I scurried around the store, gathered up my goodies, and headed for

the checkout counter, only to be blocked in the narrow aisle by a

young man who appeared to be about sixteen-years-old. I wasn't in a

hurry, so I patiently waited for the boy to realize that I was there.

This was when he waved his hands excitedly in the air and declared in

a loud voice, "Mommy, I'm over here."

 

It was obvious now, he was mentally challenged, and also startled as

he turned and saw me standing so close to him, waiting to squeeze by.

His eyes widened and surprise exploded on his face as I said, "Hey

Buddy, what's your name?"

 

"My name is Denny and I'm shopping with my mother," he responded

proudly. "Wow," I said, "that's a cool name; I wish my name was Denny,

but my name is Steve."

 

"Steve, like Stevarino?" he asked.

 

"Yes," I answered. "How old are you Denny?"

 

"How old am I now, Mommy?" he asked his mother as she slowly came over

from the next aisle.. "You're fifteen-years-old Denny; now be a good

boy and let the man pass by."

 

I acknowledged her and continued to talk to Denny for several more

minutes about summer, bicycles, and school. I watched his brown eyes

dance with excitement because he was the center of someone's

attention. He then abruptly turned and headed toward the toy section.

 

Denny's mom had a puzzled look on her face and thanked me for taking

the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't

even look at him, much less talk to him. I told her that it was my

pleasure and then I said something I have no idea where it came from,

other than by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

 

I told her that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in

God's Garden; however, "Blue Roses" are very rare and should be

appreciated for their beauty and distinctiveness. You see, Denny is a

Blue Rose and if someone doesn't stop and smell that rose with their

heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've missed a

blessing from God.

 

She was silent for a second, then with a tear in her eye she asked,

"Who are you?"

 

Without thinking I said, "Oh, I'm probably just a dandelion but I sure

love living in God's garden."

 

She reached out, squeezed my hand, and said, "God bless you!" and then

I had tears in my eyes.

 

May I suggest that the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your

head and walk off. Take the time to smile and say Hello. Why?

Because, by the grace of GOD, this mother or father could be you.

This could be your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew. What a

difference a moment can mean to that person or their family.

 

From an old dandelion!

 

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the

rest to God.

 

"People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Breakfast at McDonalds

This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!): 


I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. 

The last class I had to take was Sociology. 

The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. 

Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.' 

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. 

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, 
literally. 

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. 
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. 

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then 
even my husband did... 

I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. 

As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. 

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling' 

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. 

He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. 

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. 

I held my tears as I stood there with them. 

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. 


He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). 

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. 

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging  my every action. 

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. 

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. 

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.' 

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you.. God is here working through me to give you hope.' 

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope. 

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. 

We are not church goers, but we are believers. 

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. 

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. 

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it. 

Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?' 

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. 

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. 

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. 

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: 

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. 

'Excuse me, Are you Jesus?'

This is really powerful and makes one think!!!!  

    A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.  ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.  
    He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.  
    He was glad he did.  

    The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.  

    The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.  
    When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'  

    As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, 'Mister.......' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, 'Are you Jesus?' 
    He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: 'Are you Jesus?'

 

 

Do people mistake you for Jesus?
That's our Destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.  
    If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would.
Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.  
    You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.  
   

 Please share this.... Sometimes we just take things for granted, when we really need to be sharing what we know...Thanks  

GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.  
TOO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE NO LONGER FISHERS OF MEN BUT KEEPERS OF THE AQUARIUM.