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The Emperor's Seed

1/31/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Once there was an emperor in the Far East who was growing old and ready to choose his successor. He decided to do something different.

He called all the young people in the kingdom together. He said, "It has come time for me to step down and to choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One seed. It is a very special seed. I want you to go home, plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring to me, and the one I choose will be the next emperor of the kingdom!"

One boy, named Ling, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the whole story. She helped him get a pot and some planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he watered it and waited.

After about three weeks, other youths began to talk about the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept going home and checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by. Still nothing. Before long Ling felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling kept silent, however, and just kept waiting for his seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emeror for inspection. Ling felt too embarrassed to take an empty pot, but his mother encouraged him to go, and to take his pot, and to be honest about what happened. Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot..

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"

Suddenly, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

The Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. The emperor looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. But I gave you all boiled seeds which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!" 

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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Reasons Why . . .

1/28/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
People come into your life for a REASON, a SEASON, or a LIFETIME. 

When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for a reason, you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway), and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant. You affect each and every person you encounter on a daily basis either for a moment, a season, or an entire lifetime. Are you making the most of every moment and every encounter? 

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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Free to Soar

1/25/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds darting and dancing in the heady atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.

Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the restraining string and the cumbersome tail kept them in tow, facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, "Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!" They soared beautifully even as they fought the imposed restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. "Free at last" it seemed to say. "Free to fly with the wind."

Yet freedom from restraint simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic breeze. It fluttered ungracefully to the ground and landed in a tangled mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. "Free at last" free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to lodge lifeless against the first obstruction.

How much like kites we sometimes are. Life gives us adversity and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength.

Restraint is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us tug at the rules so hard that we never soar to reach the heights we might have obtained. We keep part of the commandment and (pardon the pun) never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.

Let us each rise to the great heights for which we were designed,  recognizing that some of the restraints that we may chafe under are actually the steadying force that helps us ascend and achieve.

Wayne B. Lynn.    Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).  


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Mistakes

1/23/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
I think that life is full of mistakes. Right? You know, one does not really
want to make those mistakes, but they just happen. When they do happen, it is our reaction to them that is really important. I also know that good does come from some mistakes.

This story was passed on to me. A man shared that he and his wife washed a small bathroom throw rug in the washing machine. They were not careful as to what else was in the machine and when the rug was removed it was full of white lint that had come off of a towel.

He said, "One of us took it out of the back door and shook it really hard – trying to remove the lint. I think, now, it was me, for I recall shaking it over and over to get the rug free of the little pieces of white lint.  The episode was annoying, time consuming and frustrating. But (this is the good part) later when I went out doors to clean up the mess, there was hardly any lint left. What? I looked up and saw a bird carrying some of my “mistake” away. Where? To a nest where a family will be raised.

Don't be discouraged or take it out on yourself when mistakes are made. 
Good can come from them.

© 2004, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).

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Put the Glass Down

1/21/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" 

The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500g. 

"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again." 

The same is true for emotional burdens we carry. We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. 

There are times when I've been glad to get back to work, to let go of the things going on at home. It works both ways. Life is short, enjoy it!!

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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Living Our Values

1/18/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Years ago, a 10-year-old boy approached the counter of a soda shop and climbed on to a stool.

"What does an ice cream sundae cost?" he asked the waitress.

"Fifty cents," she answered.

The youngster reached deep in his pockets and pulled out an assortment of change, counting it carefully as the waitress grew impatient. She had "bigger" customers to wait on.

"Well, how much would just plain ice cream be?" the boy asked.

The waitress responded with noticeable irritation in her voice. "Thirty-five cents."

Again, the boy slowly counted his money. "May I have some plain ice cream in a dish then, please?" He gave the waitress the correct amount, and she brought him the ice cream.

Later, the waitress returned to clear the boy's dish and when she picked it up, she felt a lump in her throat. There on the counter the boy had left two nickels and five pennies. She realized that he had had enough money for the sundae, but sacrificed it so that he could leave her a tip.

Before passing judgment, first treat others with courtesy, dignity and respect.


Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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The Piano

1/16/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took the small 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 rose 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 her son was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and the spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the piano, 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 hand reached around the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transferred 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. With the hand of God, our life's work truly can be beautiful.

So the next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully and you can hear the voice of God whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Feel His loving arms around you. Know that His strong hands are playing the concerto of your life.

Remember, God doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called. Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the reach of God's grace.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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Acres of Diamonds

1/14/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
The following "Acres of Diamonds" lecture was reportedly given 6,000 times by Russell Herman Conwell (1843 – 1925), an American Baptist minister who founded Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 


A young man had studied at Yale to become a mining engineer. Upon graduation, "gold fever" struck him and he set off to California to seek his fortune. 

Yale had offered him a position as an instructor, which he turned down. He persuaded his mother to sell their Massachusetts farm and accompany him. But the trip was futile as he found no gold and eventually accepted a job in Minnesota working for a mining company -- at a lower salary than he would have received at Yale.  

More interesting is that the man who bought the family farm from his widowed mother was harvesting potatoes one day. As he slid a heavy bushel through an opening in the stone wall, he noticed a shiny stone. He had it assayed and learned it was native silver. The farm was sitting on a fortune in silver!

Why had the mining engineer, who had undoubtedly passed by that same rock and others like it hundreds of times, not discovered the ore? Could it be that he never dreamed a treasure could be found so easily? Was it because he believed that one must go elsewhere to fulfill a dream?

The point is, what we are seeking may be found right where we are! There are certainly times to make life changes, but sometimes we must simply change our thinking. What you seek (happiness, security, fulfillment, challenge) may be at your fingertips, though yet unseen.

There may be hidden potential in your present job, your current relationships or the location in which you live. The answers to your dreams may be found at your fingertips if you only believe it is possible. 

Before making that big life change, look carefully around and look within. You may be sitting on acres of diamonds! 

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).
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With a Little Help from My Friends

1/11/2013

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© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Nine miners from Somerset, Pennsylvania were trapped underground for 77 hours. Many factors worked against them. Among them, water was rushing in. They found an air pocket but there was a good chance that the air would be contaminated or toxic. If the air was good there was the likelihood that it would not last. But despite the factors the good news came that all nine were saved. How did these men make it out alive? They did it with a little help from their friends. From Wednesday when the collapse occurred until Sunday morning when the last man was rescued, rescuers worked tirelessly pumping water out and warm fresh air in. Through frustrating procedures and problems that included a broken bit, the rescuers never gave up.

I have heard people, upon being thanked or congratulated, defer the praise because they felt indebted to others for their success. When I hear this I am quick to point out that there are very few people whose success was independent of others. Quite the opposite is true. The problem usually is that we do not stop to acknowledge the debt to our benefactors.

Can you remember a time when you would have never made it through without the help of your friends?

© 2003, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume I (2003).

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Rules of the Road

1/9/2013

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A few years ago, my wife and I attended a church that catered to “senior citizens.” Though somewhat younger, we enjoyed the traditional service and friendly people. One lady in particular was in her eighties and greeted us at the same door every Sunday morning with a smile and kind words. We looked forward to seeing “Betty” and giving her an occasional hug.

On a Sunday when I went to church alone, Betty handed me a small piece of paper and asked me to read it when I had time. On the slip of paper she had written, “Here are some phrases to think about over an egg enjoyed from an egg cup.”

             Stay loose—learn to watch snails. Make little signs that say yes.  
             Make friends with freedom and uncertainty. Cry during movies.  
             Swing as high as you can on a swing by moonlight. Do it for love.  
             Take lots of naps. Give money away. Do it now. The money will follow.
             Believe in magic. Laugh a lot. Celebrate every gorgeous moment.
             Read every day. Giggle with children. Listen to those older than you are.
             Entertain your inner child. Get wet. Hug trees. Write more letters.
             Eat a soft-boiled egg from and egg cup with a candle on the table.
             Glory!

One Sunday we got to church and entered without a greeting. During the service it dawned on me that our friend Betty had not been at her post that morning. After the service, we went to the fellowship hall for coffee, and I asked another lady where Betty was. She told me that she had been hit by a car and had been flown by helicopter to the hospital in the south of the county. She was small and frail, but not a bone had been broken. She said that Betty was mad because she had always wanted to ride in a helicopter and she couldn’t remember a thing.

I discovered that Betty had been moved to a rehabilitation center near my office, so I stopped in to visit for a few minutes. She was in therapy, but I finally found her sitting at a table alone. I walked over to her and saw that she was horribly bruised on the whole left side of her face and body. She smiled when she saw me walking over to her.

            I said, “Betty, do you remember that list you gave me about how to enjoy life?”
            She smiled again and said, “Yes I do.”
            I said, “Well, I have another thing to add to the list.”
            She said, “What is it?”
            I said, “Look both ways.”


She broke out laughing and reached out to give me a hug.

© Published in Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul, by John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  

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    John Fitts is a retired hospital chaplain and a contributor & publisher of Grace Drops. John lives in Palm Harbor, Florida with his artist wife, Patty. 
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