Grace Drops
  • Home
  • About
  • Bereavement & Pastoral Care
    • Setting Goals to Get Through Grieving
    • Sunday Scaries: 10 Ideas
    • Grace Drops Blog
  • Grace Drops Blog
  • Store
  • Resources
  • Contact Us
  • Grace Drops Blog

Weakness or Strength

5/23/2014

Comments

 
Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.

The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"

"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.

"No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

"Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"

"You won for two reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."

The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

 

Author Unknown, Bits & Pieces, August 15, 1996, Economic Press Inc.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 6 (2008).


Comments

Grace Drops in Action

4/11/2014

Comments

 
Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
Motivated by a speaker at a grocery store chain on customer loyalty, a 19 year old bagger with Down’s Syndrome took the message to heart. He was told, “Every one of you can make a difference and create memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back. Put your signature on your job.” And so he did.

Johnny, the bagger, went home every night after work and found a “Thought for the Day.” If he couldn’t find a saying he liked, he would just make one up. When Johnny found a good Thought for the Day, his Dad helped him set it up on the computer and print multiple copies. Johnny would cut out each quote and sign the back and then take them to work the next day.

“When I finish bagging someone’s groceries, I put my Thought for the Day in their bag and say, ‘Thanks for shopping with us.’”

Here was a young man who, though with a job that most people would say is not important, had made it important by creating precious memories for all his customers. In just over a month the store manager reported incredible changes.

“When I was making my rounds today, I found Johnny’s checkout line was three times longer than anyone else’s! It went all the way down the frozen food aisle. So I quickly announced, ‘We need more cashiers; get more lanes open!’ as I tried to get people to change lanes. But no one wanted to move. They said ‘No, it’s okay—we want to be in Johnny’s lane—we want his Thought for the Day.’”

The store manager continued, “It was a joy to watch Johnny delight his customers.”

One woman said, “I used to shop at your store once a week, but now I come in every time I go by, because I want to get Johnny’s Thought for the Day.”

A few months later the store manager reported that the whole store had been transformed. Now when the floral department has a broken flower or an unused corsage, they find an elderly woman or a little girl and pin it on them. Everyone’s having a lot of fun creating memories—our customers are talking about us—they’re coming back and bringing their friends.

A wonderful spirit of service spread throughout the store . . . and all because Johnny chose to make a difference.

Told by Barbara Glanz.  Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 5 (2007).


Comments

The Carpenter

7/17/2013

Comments

 
Picture© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes,  but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house.

He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

The carpenter was shocked!  What a shame!  If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But we cannot go back. You are the carpenter.

Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. "Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said. Your attitudes and the choices you make today, build the "house" you live in tomorrow. Build wisely!

Remember...............

Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody is watching.


Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume 3 (2005).


Comments

Hard to Stop

3/4/2013

Comments

 
Picture
© Patty Fitts. All Rights Reserved.
George Cafego was a splendid halfback during the early days of professional football. He played for the old Brooklyn Dodgers football team.

One day in a game against the New York Giants, Cafego brought the ball upfield  practically by himself. Just before the half ended, he broke away over left tackle. First one man hit him, then another, but Cafego kept going. Another man hit him and twisted him around, but Cafego kept going.

Finally, about five Giants ganged up on him. Still he plowed goalward. At last he started down, just as the timer's gun exploded.

"My soul!" shouted a spectator. "They had to shoot him to stop him!"

As George Cafego could not be stopped, so nothing should hinder us from accomplishing the things that mean so much to us. Whether it is being a friend in trying times, or striving to excellence in our work, or aiming for quality in our own character, nothing should get in our way.


Reprinted from Grace Drops, Volume II (2004).

Comments

Don't Forget the Corners

11/16/2012

Comments

 
Picture
One day while walking down the hall of an office building I saw a smartly dressed gentleman looking at the floor rather intently as he strolled the corridor. Upon reaching the end of the hall, he put the toe of his shoe into the corner and made a mashing motion. Turning back toward the elevator, he realized that I had been observing his little ritual. He volunteered the following explanation.

He said, "I have become compulsive about clean elevators and floors. You can tell when a floor is really clean. If you put the toe of your shoe into the corner and twist it, and it doesn't make a scraping sound, then it's clean. That floor was clean. I want my facility to be really clean."

I thought about what he said. In our lives we should strive for excellence. Whether it is our marriages, our jobs, or in our personal character, we should not settle for anything less. It is easy to focus on the big things and be satisfied. But we shouldn't forget the corners of our lives.

Refusing to engage in negativity, criticism, and gossip is cleaning the floor. Replacing those traits with praise and encouragement is cleaning the corners. Striving for excellence means cleaning the corners.

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


Comments

    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. 
    You can receieve Grace Drops in your email each week by signing up here.
    ​

    Sign up for Grace Drops

    Archives

    April 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    February 2019
    September 2018
    May 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    March 2016
    October 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All
    Adversity
    Anger
    Christmas
    Compassion
    Cooperation
    Death & Dying
    Devotional
    Empathy
    Empowerment
    Encouragement
    Endurance
    Enemies
    Ethics
    Excellence
    Expectations
    Faith
    Family
    Fear
    Forgiveness
    Freedom Vs. Restraint
    Friendship
    Generosity
    Goals
    Grace Drops
    Grace Drops
    Gratitude
    Higher Power
    Higher Power
    Honesty
    Hope
    Humility
    Judgment
    Laughter
    Leadership
    Life Lessons
    Listening
    Live In The Moment
    Love
    Loyalty
    Motivation
    Peace
    Positive Outlook
    Praise
    Prayer
    Responsibility
    Smile
    Struggle
    Success
    Tranquility
    Trust

    RSS Feed

    © This website, the images on the website, and all material found within this site are copyrighted.
    Any copying or reproducing in part or whole, without consent, is strictly prohibited.
     

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.