A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. At a specific point in the journey, they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without anything to say, he wrote in the sand: “TODAY, MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”

They kept on walking, until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who got slapped and hurt started drowning, and the other friend saved him.

When he recovered from the fright, he wrote on a stone: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who saved and slapped his best friend, asked him, Why, after I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone?”

The other friend, smiling, replied: “When a friend hurts us, we should write it down in the sand, where the winds of forgiveness get in charge of erasing it away, and when something great happens, we should engrave it in the stone of the memory of the heart, where no wind can erase it.”

I thought everyone knows Joyce Meyer, a Bible teacher who speaks to hearts. She deals openly with my messy attitudes and often addresses my motives and my emotions. She tells me that I can live with integrity and she challenges me to enjoy everyday life, not just vacations but each day.

On a trip to one her conferences, I wanted to be alone, to sleep late, to eat whatever I wanted at any time or hour. All was going as planned … until I met the two ladies from El Dorado, Ark.

As the hotel elevator door closed, I found myself alone with them. We smiled and offered the traditional elevator greetings. Their smiles told me they were excited about their outing.

When they discovered that I had traveled alone, that we lived near each other, they did something awful, the two ladies proceeded to become my friend.

How dare they? I’d come all this way, booked my private room and planned my three-day excursion. I simply wanted to be by myself, alone.

On the first night, they invited me to a late night Earl Grey tea party in their room. I kindly declined the offer.

The following day, they slipped a note under my door inviting me to lunch.

Then that night, my phone rang and they wanted to know if I’d ride over to Lakewood Church with them for the second session.

How dare these two women show kindness to me?

I’d turned down the tea the night before and I rejected their offer for a meal, but their relentless efforts to befriend me, wore me down, so I accepted the ride.

I was drawn to their joy and after a few minutes in the car, I wanted to be with them, to laugh, to talk, to engage in conversation. Gosh, being alone is so overrated!

We got lost in the underground garages beneath the church. It was like an entire city existed underground, and we laughed like four-year olds as we circled the same area.

Once we parked, we strolled in like kids on a hunt for the best seat in the house.

We shopped at the resource tables for an hour. We worshiped with the band Hillsong and eventually listened to Joyce Meyer deliver some awesome Bible teaching.

And the best part is, I’d made new friends!

Sure, I longed for some down time, but God knew I needed fun and fellowship more than I need sleep or junk food and he sent me two wonderful gals from Arkansas to bless me!

Their kindness was as natural as sipping tea from a cup! To think, it took two ladies from Arkansas to teach me how to enjoy everyday life!

These days, I keep Earl Grey tea in the cupboard. I never want to forget how precious a cup of friendship is and how it warms the heart!

If you want to hide in a crowd, never wear a red pant-suit to a church service.

See, I’d scouted out this tall lanky blue-eyed worship leader during a revival nearly 30 years ago. Okay, actually I was simply going because a friend had told my mom about this single man whose voice and life measured up to the things on my list, except for the fact that he wore boots.

When I first saw him from the pew, his voice shook the stained glass window of my heart. I sensed a rejoicing, a fresh feeling and my soul whispered a prayer, one I’d rehearsed many times before, “God let this guy be the song of my heart.”

After the service (no, I have no idea what the preacher said, I was lost in a world of anticipation) the man I was scouting, walked up and said, “I just need to find out if this young lady is single.”

On our first real conversation he asked me if Jesus was my Savior! Never in my life, had a man asked me such a question! This guy not only sang about Jesus, but he loved him too!

We’ve been married 27 years this October. I’ll always remember the small church and the day when God cared so much for me, he sent me Ray, my husband, the joy of my life. And yes, I’ve gotten over the fact that he wears boots from time to time.

Have you ever sent your husband to the store with a list?

“Oh, but don’t worry, honey, these cookies have one-third less calories than usual in them,” the husband replied.

The wife looked all over the package but couldn’t find any claim to that fact, so she asked, “What makes you think that?”

“We ate about a third of the box on the way home.”

TOP TEN MOST HATED GIFTS

Just in time for your last minute shopping trip, we’ve got some useful data. A new poll lists the world’s top three most hated Christmas gifts. Are you ready? Number three — socks! Number two — handkerchiefs! And the number one most hated Christmas gift of all time… drum roll please… cheap perfume! Here’s the top 10:

1. Cheap perfume
2. Handkerchiefs
3. Socks
4. Packaged toiletries
5. Christmas sweaters
6. Slippers
7. Chocolates
8. Power tools
9. Executive stress toys
10.Kitchen equipment

And yet, each year we rush to the sales, grab the clearance flyers and we search for that perfect gift.

Most likely we’ve given some of the items listed above.

I love the idea of giving our loved ones a card with a message with words like, “I wanted someone to know your kindness and your love this Christmas. So I gave on your behalf.”

Then tell them what and where their food, clothes, or money went this Christmas season.

It’s never too late to give with a heart of love!

I read about a homeless man who broke into a home in Louisiana and cooked himself a meal. Apprently, the Alexandria police arrested the man who told them he was homeless. They charged him with burglary.

The woman who lived in the house walked into her home and asked the man what he was doing. He said it was his aunt’s house.

The oven and and a heater were on and the man had cooked the homeowner’s food.

How would you have reacted? Would you have called the police? Or made some coffee?

Do you think you can walk on water?

One day a Pastor and his brother took Sam, the visitor fishing on a boat.

Once in the middle of the lake, the Pastor said, “I seem to have forgotten my fishing pole, be right back.”

Now, to the visitor’s amazement the Pastor stepped out of the boat and walked on top of the water towards the shore.

When he had returned, the Brother said, “I need to use the restroom, be right back.”

Again the visitor watched in amazement.

Once the Brother returned, not wanting to be outdone, the visitor said, “I need to use the restroom too.”

As soon as he stepped out of the boat, he sank.

The Pastor nudged his brother and said, “We should have told him where the rocks were.”

My take on this!

Be absolutely sure God is directing your steps.

Stay on solid ground, his foundation is secure.

He is our rock! Without him you will sink!

Do you have trouble with relationships?
Well, I found a few things that will help us get along with people.

The SIX most important words:
“I admit I made a mistake.”

The FIVE most important words:
“You did a good job.”

The FOUR most important words:
“What do you think?”

The THREE most important words:
“After you please.”

The TWO most important words:
“Thank you.”

The ONE most important word:
“We”

The LEAST important word:
“I”