Hickory's Inspirational Archive

8 GIFTS THAT DON'T COST A CENT

THE GIFT OF LISTENING
But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your
response. Just listening.

THE GIFT OF AFFECTION
Be generous with appropriate hugs and pats on the back. Let these small
actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER
Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, "I love
to laugh with you"

THE GIFT OF WRITTEN NOTE
It can be a simple "Thanks for the help" note or a full sonnet. A brief,
handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

THE GIFT OF A COMPLIMENT
A simple and sincere, "You look great in red", or "You did a super job" can
make someone's day.

THE GIFT OF FAVOR
Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

THE GIFT OF SOLITUDE
There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be
sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

THE GIFT OF A CHEERFUL DISPOSITION
The easiest way to feel good is to make others feel good.

Contributed by:
Winnie the Clowns winnie2020@aol.com

THE TEACUP

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful
stores.
They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups.
This was their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup.
They said, "May we see that?
We've never seen one quite so beautiful.

As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.
"You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup.
There was a time when I was red and I was clay.
My master took me and rolled me and patted me
over and over and I yelled out, 'let me alone,
but he only smiled, 'Not yet.

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "
and suddenly I was spun around and around and around.
Stop it! I'm getting dizzy! I screamed.
But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet.

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat.
I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and
I yelled and knocked at the door.
I could see him through the opening and
I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not yet.

Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. '
There, that's better,' I said. And he brushed and painted me all over.
The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag . '
Stop it, stop it!' I cried.
He only nodded, 'Not yet.

Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one.
This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate.
I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried.
All the time I could see him through the opening
nodding his head saying, 'Not yet.

Then I knew there wasn't any hope.
I would never make it. I was ready to give up.
But the door opened and he took me out and
placed me on the shelf.
One hour later he handed me a mirror and said,
Look at yourself, and I did. I said,
That's not me; that couldn't be me.
It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.

'I want you to remember, then,' he said,
I know it hurts to be rolled and patted,
but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up.
I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel,
but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.
I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven,
but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked.
I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and
painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that,
you never would have hardened;
you would not have had any color in your life.
And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven,
you wouldn't survive for very long
because the hardness would not have held.
Now you are a finished product.
You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.

Contributed by:
Yaa Yaa the Clown kechew@aol.com
You may visit Yaa Yaa on the WWW at http://members.aol.com/kechew/

Soldiers in Your Cup

A sweet little boy surprised his grandmother one morning and brought
her a cup of coffee. He made it himself and was so proud.

He anxiously waited to hear the verdict on the quality of the coffee.

The grandmother had never in her life had such a bad cup of coffee,
and as she forced down the last sip she noticed three of those little
green army guys in the bottom of the cup.

She asked, "Honey, why would three little green army guys be in the
bottom of my cup?"

Her grandson replied, "You know granma, it's like on TV,

..."THE BEST PART OF WAKING UP IS SOLDIERS IN YOUR CUP."

Contributed by:
J. T. "Bubba" Sikes jtbubba@aol.com

There was a little boy with a bad temper.
His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper,
to hammer a nail into the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.

Then it gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and his father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail
for each day he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.
He said,"You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence.
The fence will never be the same."

When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.
You can put a knife in a man and draw it out.
It won't matter how many times you say "I'm sorry" the wound it still there.
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

Friends are a very rare jewels, indeed.
They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
They lend an ear, they share a word of praise,
and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Contributed by:
Kenneth P Jones kennj@greenwood.net

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

If someone betrays you once, it's his fault;
if he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.

He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses more;
He who loses faith, loses all.

Beautiful young people are acts of nature,
But beautiful old people are works of art.

Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

The tongue weighs practically nothing,
But so few people can hold it.

Shake It Off and Step Up!

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the
farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule "braying" - or - whatever mules do
when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the
farmer sympathized with the mule but decided that neither the mule or the well
was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together
and told them what had happened ... and enlisted them to help haul dirt to
bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors
continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back ... a thought struck him. It
suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his
back ... he should Shake It Off and Step Up! This he did blow after blow.
"Shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up ... shake it off and
step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows,
or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept
right on Shaking It Off and Stepping Up!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule battered and exhausted,
Stepped Triumphantly Over the Wall of the Well! What seemed like it would
bury him, actually blessed him ... all because of the manner in which he
handled his adversity.

That’s Life! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and
refuse to give in to panic, bitterness or self-pity ... The Adversities That
Come Along to Bury Us Usually Have Within Them the Potential to Benefit and
Bless Us! Remember that Forgiveness-Faith-Prayer-Praise and Hope ... all are
excellent ways to "Shake It Off and Step Up" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

What have I done Today

I shall do so much in the years to come,
But what have I done today?

I shall give out gold in princely sum,
But what did I give today?

I shall lift the heart and dry the tear,
I shall plant a hope in the place of fear,
I shall speak with words of love and cheer,
But what have I done today?

I shall be so kind in the after while,
But what have I been today?

I shall bring to each lonely life a smile,
But what have I brought today?

I shall give to truth a grander birth,
And to steadfast faith a deeper worth,
I shall feed the hungering souls of earth,
But whom have I fed today?

Earth has its treasure of riches untold
And who can measure the wealth the oceans hold?

But whether the treasure is under
the sea or the sky up above

The greatest treasure of all
is the strength of LOVE!

~Author Unknown~

God's Gift

I ASKED GOD TO TAKE AWAY MY PRIDE, And God said "No."
He said it was not for him to take away, but for me to give up.

I asked God to grant me patience. And God said "No."
He said patience is a by-product of tribulations. It isn't granted, it is earned.

I asked God to give me happiness. And God said "No."
He said he gives me blessings, happiness is up to me.

I asked God to spare me pain. And God said "No."
He said suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow. And God said "No."
He said I must grow on my own. But he would prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. And God said "No."
He said I will give you life, that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me.
And God said, Ah, finally you have the idea.

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