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The Dolphin

9/23/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
This is a story about an 18th-century trading schooner named The Dolphin which sailed the South Pacific more than 200 years ago, and how it perished because it gave up something it depended upon for its existence.

The story begins when The Dolphin dropped anchor in the harbor of a little South Sea island late one summer. It was a beautiful island and the crew fell in love with the place. They fell in love with the native’s way of life . . . with the exotic fruit and flowers

. . . the friendliness of the people, not to mention the beautiful native women. Even the captain seemed to be in no hurry to move on.

After a while, the crew discovered the natives would give anything they had for something the crew thought had little value—iron nails. Though they were almost invisible, it was iron nails that held the wooden ship together. It was nails that kept the decks secure, the hull sturdy, and the keel true.

To the natives, who had to tie things together with crude ropes, iron nails were a form of powerful magic, and no price was too high to acquire them.

One morning the captain of The Dolphin noticed that the decking on the ship was coming up and that the hull was taking on water. He discovered the disintegration was due to nails being missing—so he posted a 24-hour watch against nail thieves.

But it was too late. The ship’s own crew had stripped their vessel of nails to trade with the natives—often for romantic favors from the women on the island.

It was not long before The Dolphin went down, a broken ship, robbed of its integrity and purpose.

One can draw many lessons from such a story. But it is not stretching a point too far to say that what happened to The Dolphin can happen to any organization or person when they let slip away the basic strengths that made them successful in the past, and fail to think of the future.

Source: Kent C. Nelson. 


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The Cracked Pot

9/20/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
 For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house"

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.

Blessings to all my crackpot friends.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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A Mother's Tale

9/18/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Three sons left home, started careers and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts that they were able to give their elderly mother for her eightieth birthday. The first said, “I built a big house for Mom.”

The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.”

The third smiled and said, “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 12 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse and the parrot will recite it.”

Soon thereafter, Mom sent out letters of thanks:

She wrote the first son, “Milton, the house you built is not practical. I live in only one room, but I have to heat, cool, and clean the whole house.”

She wrote the second son, “Marvin, I am too old to travel. I stay at home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes. And the driver is rude!”

She wrote the third son, “Dearest Melvin, you were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken you sent me was delicious.”

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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Team Work

9/17/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Once upon that long time ago, there was a family of dinosaurs and a colony of ants. The dinosaurs ruled the earth. No living thing could match their tons of muscle and gigantic size. One alone could crush a thousand colonies of ants simply by taking a few steps. And the ants were powerless to stop them. But the ants had one thing going for them: Teamwork. Each ant had an important part to play in the structure of its colony. Each furthered the riches of the colony in terms of food and shelter and protection. The dinosaurs, on the other hand, were loners—each beast for itself.

Today, dinosaurs are extinct. But ants are still about, still planning, working, cooperating with one another for the good of the colony.

© 2006, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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Admitting Flaws

9/13/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
In the mid-1980's researchers at Cleveland State University made a startling discovery. They conducted an experiment by creating two fictitious job candidates, David and John. The candidates had identical resumes and letters of reference. The only difference was that John's letter included the sentence "Sometimes, John can be difficult to get along with." They showed the resumes to a number of personnel directors. Which candidate did the personnel directors overwhelmingly prefer? Difficult to get along with, John.

The researchers concluded the criticism of John made praise of John more believable. Admitting John's wart actually helped sell John. Admitting flaws gives you more credibility. A key to selling.

Authenticity can be threatening. We may find it uncomfortable to admit mistakes, flaws in our character. Yet we all have them. When we meet someone who is willing to be honest and real, we tend to be attracted to that person, not repelled. Why then, do we balk at self-disclosure?

Once we come to the place where we acknowledge that we are a work in progress rather than a finished product, we can relax and be confident. As we strip away the layers that protect us, we are able to discover true friendship and relationships.

Try being proactive in this endeavor. Be authentic. Be real. See what happens.

© 2006, John C. Fitts, III.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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Busy

9/11/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so was the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

Very motivated by the boss' words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

To be truly productive we must constantly give attention to self-care and self-improvement.

Author: Stephen Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People


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Begin Again

9/9/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
One of the best things we can do in our lives is this:
Begin again.

Begin to see yourself as you were
when you were the happiest and strongest you've ever been.

Begin to remember what worked for you (and what worked against you),
and try to capture the magic again.

Begin to remember how natural it was when you were a child –
to live a lifetime each day.

Begin to forget the baggage you have carried with you for years:
the problems that don't matter anymore,
the tears that cried themselves away,
and the worries that are going to wash away
on the shore of tomorrow's new beginnings.

Tomorrow tells us it will be here every new day of our lives;
and if we will be wise,
We will turn away from the problems of the past
and give the future – and ourselves – a chance
to become the best of friends.

Sometimes all it takes is a wish in the heart to let yourself ...
Begin again.

Author: Collin McCarty.  


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Shopping for Love

9/5/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
I am flat broke from overspending at Christmas time. But I need to go shopping again soon because I am completely out of self-respect. I've said things I wish I could take back and I am not feeling too good about myself.

I also want to exchange a carton of self righteousness for an equal amount of humility. I hear that it is less expensive and wears well, and while I'm at it I'm going to check on tolerance and see if there is any available in my size.

I must remember to try to match my patience with the little I have left. My neighbor is loaded with it and it looks awfully good on her. I was told the same department has a repair shop for mending integrity. Mine has become frayed around the edges from too much compromising. If I don't get it refurbished soon, there won't be any left.

I almost forgot the most important thing of all -- compassion. If I see some-no matter what the color, size or shape -- I'm going to stock up heavily regardless of the price. I have run out of it so many times and I always feel ashamed when it happens.

I don't know why it has taken me so long to get around to shopping for these items. They don't cost nearly as much as some of the frivolous things I bought at Christmas time. And I'll get a lot more satisfaction from them.

Yes, I'm going shopping today and I can leave my checkbook and credit cards at home! The things I'm looking for have no price-tags.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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Tapestry

9/2/2013

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Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
A missionary was traveling in the Far East when he came across a booth in a market place. It was a tapestry maker’s booth. As he walked by he saw a strange sight. A man was standing in the booth shouting at his loom on the other side of the booth. As he shouted threads appeared in the tapestry almost by magic. The missionary asked his guide for an explanation.

"The man you see," said the guide, "is a master weaver. He is speaking to his apprentice behind the loom telling him what color thread to use and where to put it. Only the weaver knows the entire design, so it is vital that the apprentice do exactly as the master commands."

"Does the apprentice ever make a mistake?" asked the missionary.

"Of course. But the weaver is a very kind man in this case and he will rarely have the boy take out the thread. Instead, being a great artist, he simply works the mistake into the design."

How much that is like God. We cannot see the pattern of the tapestry God is weaving. We are on the other side of the loom looking at knotted threads placed seemingly without purpose. Occasionally we can catch a glimpse of the design, but then as soon as we think we have it pegged the master calls for a thread which changes every thing. So, we have to trust the master weaver that he knows what he is doing.

And like the apprentice, we, too make our mistakes. We put in a red thread instead of a violet one. We knot it in the wrong place or place it crookedly. And God in his mercy doesn’t upbraid us but takes our own mistakes and make them part of the design.

Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 4 (2006).


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    Author

    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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