Just Shine- Anonymous

A samurai who was known for his nobility and honesty, went to visit a Zen monk to ask him for his advise.

When the monk finished his prayers the samurai asked, “Why do I feel inferior? I have faced death so many times, have defended those who are weak. Never the less, upon seeing you meditating, I felt that my life had absolutely no importance what so ever.”

“Wait. Once I have attended to all those who have come to see me today, I shall answer you.” – replied the monk.

The samurai spent the whole day sitting in the temple gardens, watching the people go in and out in search of advice. He saw how the monk received them all with the same patience and illuminating smile on his face.

At nightfall, when everyone had gone, he demanded: “Now can you teach me?”

The master invited him in and lead him to his room. The full moon shone in the sky, and the atmosphere was one of profound tranquility.

“Do you see the moon, how beautiful it is? It will cross the entire firmament, and tomorrow the sun will shine once again. The sunlight is much brighter, and can show the details of landscape around us: trees, mountains, clouds. I have contemplated for two years and I have never heard the moon say: why do I not shine like the sun? Is it because I am inferior?”

“Of course not.”- answered the samurai. “The moon and the sun are different things, each has its own beauty. You cannot compare the two.”

The Bible & The Diamond Ring...What A Beautiful Story

A married lady was expecting a birthday gift from her husband.

For many months she had admired a beautiful diamond ring in a showroom,
and knowing her husband could afford it, she told him that was all she wanted.
As her birthday approached, this lady awaited signs that her husband
had purchased the diamond ring.

Finally, on the morning of her birthday, her husband called her into his study.
Her husband told her how proud he was to have such a good wife, and told her how much he loved her.

He handed her a beautiful wrapped gift box.

Curious, the wife opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the wife's name embossed in gold.
Angrily, she raised her voice to her husband and said, 'With all your
money you give me a Bible?' And stormed out of the house, leaving her husband.

Many years passed and the lady was very successful in business. She managed to settle for a more beautiful house and a wonderful family, but realized her ex-husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to visit him. She had not seen him for many years.

But before she could make arrangements, she received a telegram telling her that her ex-husband had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to her. She needed to come back immediately and take care of things.

When she arrived at her ex-husband's house, sudden sadness and regret filled her heart. She began to search through her ex-husband's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as she had left it years before.

With tears, she opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Her
ex-husband had carefully underlined a verse,

Matt 7:11,
'And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven,
give what is good to those who ask Him?'

As she read those words, a tiny package dropped from the back of
the Bible. It had a diamond ring, with her name engraved on it --
the same diamond ring which she saw at the showroom.
On the tag was the date of her birth, and the words. 'LUV U ALWAYS'.

How many times do we miss God's blessings, because they are not
packaged as we expected? I trust you enjoyed this.

Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.


IF YOUR GIFT IS NOT PACKAGED THE WAY YOU WANT IT,
IT'S BECAUSE IT IS BETTER PACKAGED THE WAY IT IS.
ALWAYS APPRECIATE LITTLE THINGS, THEY USUALLY LEAD YOU TO BIGGER & BETTER THINGS.