Ray’s Daily
December 12, 2018
Love the giver more than the gift.
Brigham Young
As we approach Christmas, I am reminded of a Christmas party I attended years ago. At the party the hostess was presented with a gift that she obviously did not like and she commented that she would never use it. Naturally the giver was disappointed and the rest of us were uncomfortable. I overheard one of her children say that their father would never have acted that way.
If you are like many of us you were given a drawing made by a child years ago, a drawing that you have saved. What made the picture special was not it’s beauty but the love that was put into making it and offering it to you. I think we all need to appreciate and be grateful for the gifts we get everyday whether it is a handshake, a smile or a token of affection for it is the spirit in which the gesture is given that is important.
Gifts From The Heart
Michael Josephson
According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: “Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter.”
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it’s a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
~~~
Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.
Pindar
~~~
An honest seven-year-old admitted calmly to her parents that Billy Brown had kissed her after class.
“How did that happen?” gasped her mother.
“It wasn’t easy,” admitted the young lady, “but 3 girls helped me catch him.”
~~~
When your wife says, “Well, what do you think?” she is not asking for YOUR opinion. She is asking for HER opinion, from your mouth.
~~~
A young lady applied for a job and when she returned home, her mother asked how the interview went. She said, “Pretty good, but if I get the job, I won’t get a vacation unless I’m married.”
Her mother had never heard of such a thing and asked, “Is that what they told you?”
The young lady replied, “No, they didn’t tell me that, but on the application it said that vacation time is not available until after your first anniversary.”
~~~
She asked, if men are so competent, how come you always see signs reading “DANGER – MEN WORKING”?
~~~
“Mr. Goldblatt,” announced little Joey, “there’s something I can’t figure out.”
“What’s that, Joey?” asked Goldblatt.
“Well, according to the Bible, the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?”
“Right.”
“And the Children of Israel beat up the Phillistines, right?”
“Er, right.”
“And the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?”
“Again you’re right.”
“And the Children of Israel fought the Egyptians, and the Children of Israel fought the Romans, and the Children of Israel were always doing something important, right?”
“All that is right, too,” agreed Goldblatt. “So what’s your question?”
“What were all the grown-ups doing?”
~~~
“A mother never realizes that her children are no longer children.”
James Agee
Ours have become our parents. Ray
~~~
Her Bathroom Scale Tips
- Weigh yourself with clothes on, after dinner…as well as in the morning,without clothes, before breakfast, because it’s nice to see how much weight you’ve lost overnight.
- Never weigh yourself with wet hair or beard.
- When weighing, remove everything, including glasses. In this case, blurred vision is an asset. Don’t forget the earrings, these things can weigh at least a pound.
- Use cheap scales only, never the medical kind, because they are always five pounds off…to your advantage, of course.
- Always go to the bathroom first.
- Stand with arms raised, making pressure on the scale lighter. (Waving them is optional but occasionally helps!)
- Don’t eat or drink in the morning until AFTER you’ve weighed in, completely naked, of course.
- Weigh yourself after a haircut; this is good for at least half a pound of hair (hopefully).
- Exhale with all your might BEFORE stepping onto the scale (air has to weigh something, right?)
- Start out with just one foot on the scale, then holding onto the towel rack in front of you, slowly edge your other foot on and slowly let off of the rack. Admittedly, this takes time, but it’s worth it. You will weigh at least two pounds less than if you’d stepped on normally.
I find I get the most accurate weight if I hold on to the towel rack and not let go. Ray
~~~
Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with affection.
Pindar
~~~
Ray Mitchell
Indianapolis, Indiana
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
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