Thank you for visiting my SCOUTOPAEDIA (c). Here you will find some ideas for the "Scouter's Five" - I would like to point out that despite the name the stories here are suitable for all ages. Visit the other sections Thoughts, Quotes, Prayers, Campfire Openings and Closings, Crafts, Stories, etc. Please browse through and enjoy your visit. If you have any comments and suggestions, please e-mail me. Come visit again often, d'ya hear. Thank you

A Boy

  • After a male has grown out of long dresses, and triangles, and has acquired pants, freckles, and so much dirt, that relatives don't care to kiss it between meals, it becomes a boy.
  • A boy is nature's answer to the belief that there is something as perpetual motion. A boy can run like a deer, swim like a fish, climb like a squirrel, balk like a mule, bellow like a bull, eat like a pig, or act like a jackass, according to climatic conditions.
  • The world is so full of boys that it is impossible to touch off a firecracker, stribe up a band, or pitch a ball, without collecting thousands of them.
  • Boys are not ornamental - they are useful. If it were not for boys, the newspaper would go undeliverd and unread and a hundred thousand picture shows would go bankrupt.
  • A boy is a natural spectator. He watches parades, fires, fights, fast ball games, automobiles, and planes with equal fervour. However, he will not watch a clock except at school.
  • A boy is a piece of skin stretched over an appetite. However, he eats only when he is awake. Boys imitate their dads in spite of all efforts to teach them good manners.
  • You can absolutely rely on a boy, if you know what to expect.
  • Boys are very durable. A boy, if not washed too often, and if kept in a cool, quiet place after each accident, will survive broken bones, hornet nests, swimming holes, and five helpings of pie and ice-cream.
  • Boys like to trade things. They'll trade fish hooks, marbles, broken knives, and snakes, for anything that is priceless or worthless.
  • When he grows up he'll trade puppy love, energy, warts, bashfulness, and a cast iron stomach for a bay window, pride, ambition, pretence, adn a bald head, and will immediately begin to say that "boys aren't what they used to be in the good old days."

    What is a Boy?

  • Between the innocence of baby hood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature called a Boy.
  • Boys come in assorted sizes, weights, and colours, but all boys have the same creed:
        To enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to protest with noise - their only weapon - when their last minute is finished and the adult males pack them off to bed at night.
  • Boys are found everywhere - on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them.
  • A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum on its hair, and Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.
  • When you are busy, a boy is an inconsiderate, bothersome, intruding jangle of noise.
  • When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly, or else he becomes a savage, sadistic jungle creature bent on destroying the world and himself with it.
  • A boy is a composite - he has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword swallower, the energy of a pocket sized atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a fire cracker, and when he makes something he has five thumbs to each hand.
  • He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, the boy across the street, woods, water [in its natural habitat], large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines.
  • He is not much for Sunday school, company, school, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, girls, barbers, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.
  • Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can cram into one pocket one rusty knife, a half eaten apple, three feet of string, an empty McDonald's sack, two gum drops, six cents, a sling shot, a chunk of unknown substance, and a genuine supersonic code ring with a secret compartment.
  • A boy is a magical creature - you can lock him out of your workshop but you can't lock him out of your heart. You can lock him out of your study but you can't get him out of your mind. Might as well give up - he is your captor, your jailer, your boss, and your master - a freckle faced, pint sized, cat chasing bundle of noise. But when you come home at night with only athe shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with the two magical words, "hi, Dad!"

    Isn't It Strange ....?

    Isn't it strange that princes and kings
    And clowns that caper in sawdust rings
    And common people, like you and me
    Are builders for eternity?
      Each is given a bag of tools
      A shapeless mass, a book of rules
      And each must make ere life has flown
      A stumbling block .... or a stepping stone

    There is no Unbelief

    Whoever plants a seed beneath the sod
    And waits to see it push away the clod
    He trusts in God.

    Whoever says, when clouds are in the sky
    "Be patient, heart, light breaketh by and by"
    Trusts the Most High.

    Whoever sees, 'neath winter's fields of snow
    The silent harvest of the future grow
    God's power must know.

    If a single dive into the sea does not bring to you the pearl, do not conclude that the sea is without pearls. Countless are the pearls hidden in the sea.

    [Sri Ramakrishna]

    One of Mother Teresa's favourite poems

    People are unreasonable, illogical, self-centred
    Love them anyway.
    If you da good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives
    Do good anyway.
    If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies
    Be successful anyway.
    The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow
    Do good anyway.
    Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable
    Be honest and frank anyway.
    People love underdogs but follow only top dogs
    Follow some underdog anyway.
    What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight
    Build anyway.
    People really need help but may attack you if you try to help
    Help anyway.
    If you give the world the best you have, you may get kicked in the teeth
    But give the world the best you have anyway.

    Success

    To laugh often and much
    To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children
    To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends
    To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others
    To leave the world a little better - whether by a healthy child, a garden path, or a redeemed social condition
    To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived
    This is to have succeeded.
        Ralph Waldo Emerson

    A Big Person

    I wish I were:
    BIG ENOUGH to honestly admit all my shortcomings;
    BROAD ENOUGH to accept flattery without becoming vain;
    TALL ENOUGH to tower above deceit;
    STRONG ENOUGH to treasure love;
    BRAVE ENOUGH to welcome criticism;
    COMPASSIONATE ENOUGH to understand human frailties;
    WISE ENOUGH to stand by my friends;
    HUMAN ENOUGH to be thoughtful of my neighbour;
    RIGHTEOUS ENOUGH to be devoted to the laws of God.
    -Author unknown

    Don't Quit


    When things go wrong as they sometime will;
    When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
    And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
    When care is pressing you down a bit-
    Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
    Success is failure turned inside out;
    The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
    And you never can tell how close you are;
    It may be near when it seems afar.
    So, stick to the fight when your hardest hit -
    It's when things go wrong when you mustn't quit.

    Don't Quit when the tide is lowest

    Don't quit when the tide is lowest
    For it's just about to turn.
    Don't quit your doubts and questions,
    For there's something you may learn.

    Don't quit when the night is darkest.
    For it's just a while until dawn.
    Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
    For the race is almost won.

    Don't quit when the hill is steepest.
    For your goal is almost nigh.
    Don't quit, for you're not a failure
    Until you fail to try.

    author unknown

    Dare To Dare

    Dare to be honest
    good and sincere;

    Dare to be upright,
    and you never need fear.

    Dare to be brave,
    in the cause of the right.

    Dare with the enemy
    even to fight.

    Dare to be loving
    and patient each day;

    Dare to speak the truth
    whatever you say.

    Dare to be gentle and...
    orderly too;

    Dare to shun evil
    whatever you do.

    Dare to speak kindly
    and even be true;

    Dare to do right
    You'll find your way through.

    THE THREE TREES

    Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see my beauty."

    Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."

    Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."

    After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter," and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

    At the second tree the woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

    When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down.

    When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.

    The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark.

    The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

    Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

    Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

    The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

    THE THREE TREES

    Another Version

    Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

    The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"

    The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world!"

    The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world."

    Years passed. The rain came, the sun shone, and the little trees grew tall. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.

    The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell. "Now I shall hold a wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.

    The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

    The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell.

    The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed-box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, with treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

    The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river; instead she was taken to a little lake.

    The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. "All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."

    Many many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams.


    • But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed-box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful." she said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.


    One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain. The tired man awakened. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

    One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.

    The Three Trees
    A graphic presentation by Nubi@








    I Asked God For ....

    I asked God for water,
    He gave me an ocean.
    I asked God for a flower,
    He gave me a garden
    I asked God for a tree,
    He gave me a forest.
    I asked God for a friend,
    He gave me YOU!

    God Said No

    I asked God to take away my habit. - God said, No.
    It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up.

    I asked God to make my handicapped child whole. - God said, No.
    His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

    I asked God to grant me patience. - God said, No.
    Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned.

    I asked God to give me happiness. - God said, No.
    I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

    I asked God to spare me pain. - God said, No.
    Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to Me.

    I asked God to make my spirit grow. - God said, No.
    You must grow on your own!, but I will prune you to make you fruitful.

    I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. - God said, No.
    I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things.

    I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
    God said, "Ahhhh, finally you have the idea."

    I asked for Strength

    I asked for Strength......... And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

    I asked for Wisdom......... And God gave me Problems to solve.

    I asked for Prosperity......... And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

    I asked for Courage......... And God gave me Danger to overcome.

    I asked for Love......... And God gave me Troubled people to help.

    I asked for Favors......... And God gave me Opportunities.

    I received nothing I wanted ........ I received everything I needed!

    The Blessing of Unanswered Prayers


    I asked for strength that I might achieve;
    I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
    I asked for health that I might do greater things;
    I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
    I asked for riches that I might be happy;
    I was given poverty that I might be wise.
    I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
    I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
    I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
    I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
    I got nothing that I had asked for,
    but eveything that I had hoped for.
    Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
    I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

    Unknown Confederate soldier

    I Asked

    Always Remember to Forget

    Always remember to forget
    The things that made you sad.
    But never forget to remember
    The things that made you glad.

    Always remember to forget
    The friends that proved untrue.
    But never forget to remember
    Those that have stuck by you.

    Always remember to forget
    The troubles that passed away.
    But never forget to remember
    The blessings that come each day.
    ~ Author Unknown ~

    The Owl


    A wise old owl lived in an oak
    The more he saw the less he spoke
    The less he spoke the more he heard.
    Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?
    ~ Nursery Rhyme ~

    A Butterfly


    A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly.

    He took a pair of scissors and snipped the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and deformed wings. It was never able to fly.

    What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the smallopening of the cocoon are God`s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.

    If God allowed us to go throughall our life without any obstacles, that would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. Not only that, we could never fly.

    I want to Keep the Fork


    There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor a had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favourite Bible.

    Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. "There's one more thing, she said "What's that?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important," the woman excitedly continued... "I want to he buried with a fork in my right hand. " The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say... "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

    The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, "keep your fork." It was my favourite part because I knew that something better was coming ... like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, Ijust want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork".. "The best is yet to come."

    The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

    At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you oh so gently, that the best is yet to come..

    God's Invisible Breath


    The Butterfly Story
    The child whispered, "God, speak to me"
    And a meadowlark sang. The child did not hear.
    So the child yelled, "God, speak to me!"
    And the thunder rolled across the sky
    But the child did not listen.
    The child looked around and said,"God let me see you"
    and a star shone brightly But the child did not notice
    And the child shouted, "God show me a miracle!"
    And a life was born but the child did not know.
    So the child cried out in despair,
    "Touch me God, and let me know you are here!"
    Whereupon God reached down
    And touched the child.
    But the child brushed the butterfly away
    And walked away unknowingly.

    Author Unknown

    The Three Stringed Violin

    On Nov. 18, 1995, Itzhak Perlman, the violinist, came on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achievement for him. He was stricken with polio as a child, and so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches. To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight. He walks painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair. Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play.

    By now, the audience is used to this ritual. They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair. They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs. They wait until he is ready to play.

    But this time, something went wrong. Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap - it went off like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant. There was no mistaking what he had to do. We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage - to either find another violin or else find another string for this one.  But he didn't. Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again.

    The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off. And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before.

    Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.

    You could see him modulating, changing, re-composing the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before. When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium. We were all on our feet, screaming and cheering, doing everything we could to show how much we appreciated what he had done. 

    He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet us, and then he said - not boastfully, but in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone - "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

    What a powerful line that is. It has stayed in my mind ever since I heard it. And who knows? Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for artists but for all of us. Here is a man who has prepared all his life to make music on a violin of four strings, who, all of a sudden, in the middle of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made before, when he had four strings.

    So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

    See It Through

    When you're up against a trouble,
    Meet it squarely, face to face;
    Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
    Plant your feet and take a brace.

    When it's vain to try to dodge it,
    Do the best that you can do;
    You may fail, but you may conquer,
    See it through!

    Black may be the clouds about you
    And your future may seem grim,
    But don't let your nerve desert you;
    Keep yourself in fighting trim.

    If the worst is bound to happen,
    Spite of all that you can do,
    Running from it will not save you,
    See it through!

    Even hope may seem but futile,
    When with troubles you're beset,
    But remember you are facing
    Just what other men have met.

    You may fail, but fall still fighting;
    Don't give up, whate'er you do;
    Eyes front, head high to the finish.
    See it through!

    Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)

    THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT
    Don't jump to hasty conclusions
    Get All the Facts


    A picture of 6 blind men feeling an elephant for the first time and what they are imagining in their minds.

    This is probably the oldest version of the famous Indian legend

    It was six men of Indostan,
    To learning much inclined,
    Who went to see the Elephant
    (Though all of them were blind),
    That each by observation
    Might satisfy his mind.

    The First approach'd the Elephant,
    And happening to fall
    Against his broad and sturdy side,
    At once began to bawl:
    "God bless me! but the Elephant
    Is very like a wall!"

    The Second, feeling of the tusk,
    Cried, "Ho! what have we here
    So very round and smooth and sharp?
    To me 'tis mighty clear,
    This wonder of an Elephant
    Is very like a spear!"

    The Third approach'd the animal,
    And happening to take
    The squirming trunk within his hands,
    Thus boldly up and spake:
    "I see," quoth he, "the Elephant
    Is very like a snake!"

    The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
    And felt about the knee:
    "What most this wondrous beast is like
    Is mighty plain," quoth he,
    "'Tis clear enough the Elephant
    Is very like a tree!"

    The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
    Said- "E'en the blindest man
    Can tell what this resembles most;
    Deny the fact who can,
    This marvel of an Elephant
    Is very like a fan!"

    The Sixth no sooner had begun
    About the beast to grope,
    Then, seizing on the swinging tail
    That fell within his scope,
    "I see," -quoth he,- "the Elephant
    Is very like a rope!"

    And so these men of Indostan
    Disputed loud and long,
    Each in his own opinion
    Exceeding stiff and strong,
    Though each was partly in the right,
    And all were in the wrong!

    MORAL

    So, oft in theologic wars
    The disputants, I ween,
    Rail on in utter ignorance
    Of what each other mean;
    And prate about an Elephant
    Not one of them has seen!

    John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887)

    Lessons on Life - A Man and his Four Sons
    [The Pear Tree]
    [The Four Seasons]


    There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

    The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

    When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

    The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.


    The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.


    The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.


    The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.


    The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

    He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

    If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

    Moral
    Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
    Don't judge life by one difficult season.
    Persevere through the difficult patches
    and better times are sure to come some time or later

    Five Finger Prayer

    1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

    2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

    3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

    4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

    5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.