322. BEAUTIFUL SHARING
Hello all, I receive this reading from a friend. It is so beautiful and meaningful that I can’t help but share with you all.
Enjoy!
Who’ll Take the Son?
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.
They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.
They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.
The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock, at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.”
The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
”Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?”
There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”
But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?”
Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!”
But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.”
Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
”We have $10, who will bid $20?”
”Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.”
”$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?”
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting on the second row shouted. “Now let’s get on with the collection!”
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
”What about the paintings?”
”I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!”
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?”
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
Author unknown
GOD’S POSITIVE ANSWERS!
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it...
You say: “It’s impossible”
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18: 27)
You say: “I’m too tired”
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11: 28-30)
You say: “Nobody really loves me”
God says: I love you (John 3: 16 & John 13: 34)
You say: “I can’t go on”
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12: 9 & Psalm 91: 15)
You say: “I can’t figure things out”
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3: 5-6)
You say: “I can’t do it”
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4: 13)
You say: “I’m not able”
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9: 8)
You say: “It’s not worth it”
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8: 28)
You say: “I can’t forgive myself”
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1: 9 & Romans 8:1 )
You say: “I can’t manage”
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4: 19)
You say: “I’m afraid”
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (IITimothy 1: 7)
You say: “I’m always worried and frustrated”
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5: 7)
You say: “I don’t have enough faith”
God says: I’ve given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12: 3)
You say: “I’m not smart enough”
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1: 30)
You say: “I feel all alone”
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13: 5)
Pass this on, you never know whose life maybe in need of this today!
Lắm khi chúng ta bị tràn ngập với e-mail. Nào là quảng cáo, nào là thư của bạn bè, thông tri của hội đòan... và nhiều khi gặp được một vài e-mail mang đầy dấu >>>>>>>>>. Thư này, tin này chắc phải hấp dẫn lắm mới được nhiều người “forward” như thế! Không những “forward” nhiều lần, mà còn vội vã “forward” nữa là khác.
*****
Một hình ảnh rất đặc biệt, độc đáo của Đức Mẹ là Mẹ “đã vội vã” lên đường mang Tin Mừng đến cho người khác. Không phải chỉ lên đường mà còn leo núi nữa kia. Chúng ta vẫn thường hình dung Đức Mẹ dịu dàng, khoan thai, chiêm niệm... Đúng cả Nhưng bên cạnh những hình ảnh đó, còn có một cô gái Ma-ri-a đang tuổi xuân thì, trạc chừng 16 hay 18 tuổi (*), bụng mang thai, vội vã leo núi mang Tin Mừng đến cho người thân.
Người con gái “teen ager” mang tên Ma-ri-a ấy thôi thúc chúng ta. (không phải một lần mà nhiều lần, không phải tà tà mà vội vã “forward”) Tin Mừng.
Và Tin Mừng theo thánh Mác-cô, không phải chỉ là cuốn sách Phúc Âm, hay chuyện về Chúa Giê-su, nhưng là một con người: Chúa Giê-su là Tin Mừng!
”Hồi ấy, cô Ma-ri-a vội vã lên miền núi” (Lu-ca 1: 39).
Thật đẹp thay bước chân của Mẹ, bước chân những sứ giả loan báo tin mừng (I-sa-i-a 53: 1).
Mẹ ơi, con muốn dõi bước theo Mẹ
- Cầu nguyện
- Quyết tâm
- Dấn thân
(*) Người Do Thái, cách đây 2000 năm, lập gia đình rất sớm.
Hello all, I receive this reading from a friend. It is so beautiful and meaningful that I can’t help but share with you all.
Enjoy!
Who’ll Take the Son?
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.
They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.
They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier.
The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock, at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.”
The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
”Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?”
There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”
But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?”
Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!”
But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.”
Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
”We have $10, who will bid $20?”
”Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.”
”$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?”
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting on the second row shouted. “Now let’s get on with the collection!”
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
”What about the paintings?”
”I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!”
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?”
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
Author unknown
GOD’S POSITIVE ANSWERS!
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it...
You say: “It’s impossible”
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18: 27)
You say: “I’m too tired”
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11: 28-30)
You say: “Nobody really loves me”
God says: I love you (John 3: 16 & John 13: 34)
You say: “I can’t go on”
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12: 9 & Psalm 91: 15)
You say: “I can’t figure things out”
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3: 5-6)
You say: “I can’t do it”
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4: 13)
You say: “I’m not able”
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9: 8)
You say: “It’s not worth it”
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8: 28)
You say: “I can’t forgive myself”
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1: 9 & Romans 8:1 )
You say: “I can’t manage”
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4: 19)
You say: “I’m afraid”
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (IITimothy 1: 7)
You say: “I’m always worried and frustrated”
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5: 7)
You say: “I don’t have enough faith”
God says: I’ve given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12: 3)
You say: “I’m not smart enough”
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1: 30)
You say: “I feel all alone”
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13: 5)
Pass this on, you never know whose life maybe in need of this today!
Lắm khi chúng ta bị tràn ngập với e-mail. Nào là quảng cáo, nào là thư của bạn bè, thông tri của hội đòan... và nhiều khi gặp được một vài e-mail mang đầy dấu >>>>>>>>>. Thư này, tin này chắc phải hấp dẫn lắm mới được nhiều người “forward” như thế! Không những “forward” nhiều lần, mà còn vội vã “forward” nữa là khác.
*****
Một hình ảnh rất đặc biệt, độc đáo của Đức Mẹ là Mẹ “đã vội vã” lên đường mang Tin Mừng đến cho người khác. Không phải chỉ lên đường mà còn leo núi nữa kia. Chúng ta vẫn thường hình dung Đức Mẹ dịu dàng, khoan thai, chiêm niệm... Đúng cả Nhưng bên cạnh những hình ảnh đó, còn có một cô gái Ma-ri-a đang tuổi xuân thì, trạc chừng 16 hay 18 tuổi (*), bụng mang thai, vội vã leo núi mang Tin Mừng đến cho người thân.
Người con gái “teen ager” mang tên Ma-ri-a ấy thôi thúc chúng ta. (không phải một lần mà nhiều lần, không phải tà tà mà vội vã “forward”) Tin Mừng.
Và Tin Mừng theo thánh Mác-cô, không phải chỉ là cuốn sách Phúc Âm, hay chuyện về Chúa Giê-su, nhưng là một con người: Chúa Giê-su là Tin Mừng!
”Hồi ấy, cô Ma-ri-a vội vã lên miền núi” (Lu-ca 1: 39).
Thật đẹp thay bước chân của Mẹ, bước chân những sứ giả loan báo tin mừng (I-sa-i-a 53: 1).
Mẹ ơi, con muốn dõi bước theo Mẹ
- Cầu nguyện
- Quyết tâm
- Dấn thân
(*) Người Do Thái, cách đây 2000 năm, lập gia đình rất sớm.