MIDDLE OF A SEE-SAW WEEK

HOPE BUTTON ELEMENT

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MATTHEW 5:15

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it on its stand,

and it gives light to everyone in the house.

Yes, I have hope. I have hope that if we all work together we can change this 'ol world! I cannot do it on my own, none of us can. But if you and I work together, and you tell your friends and they tell their friends then we will have the power to make a difference.

Here's one immediate way to make a difference. Share your knowledge. Don't you find when you learn something powerful and new part of you is very excited and wants to share... but then a weensie part of you thinks you shouldn't share it with others because they might take it and get better than you or profit from it? This is so natural. There are forces at work at these times, and its better to nip it in the bud. I ask you at these times to take a deep look within your heart and ask what is your reasoning behind this. You may be surprized to find its purely selfish. Even as adults, we have not really learned to share.

The funny thing is, even if you did share something wonderful you found (eg a good free software program) only one in 10 will ever really do something with it! You don't see our pubic libraries overflowing - and they are free! So you actually CREATE this feeling within yourself. Worse, when you hide it from others you can't actually fully enjoy it, because who do you show?

Think about this - what if we did something novel, like help each other - give each other every single thing and tool to build each other up? What would happen in the business world then? Yes, I know what you are thinking - what if they take your idea and steal it and build on it? Well, you cannot control that, but it happens all the time. Don't let this be your own personal margin or justification for not sharing. Use prudence, and if someone is proven to you in the past to be this way, well then you might have a case.

However, on the other hand, if you help someone, you may even have twinges when you see them doing good with what you introduced them to. This is normal too... there sometimes comes a time when a student surpasses a teacher. I am sure this is both humbling and a huge compliment at the same time. This is the moment when you can conciously make a decision to CELEBRATE your fellow man. Its a learned thing. Remember, talk to God - He knows these things your feeling. Take it to Him and prayerfully ask Him to keep your heart soft and open. Remember, not all friendships are lost when someone rips you off, sometimes its when they actually do better than you. Its uncomfortable. It often causes a rift. Sit down with your friend and explain how you feel. Let them in on it... often you can talk about it and the friend will be touched and work with you on this. I guarantee, if you don't Satan will step in where you don't ask God to be.

MY SWEET NIECES

buttons by Lisa Whitney

BARB'S TIP # 22

Pretty Dish Soap Holder

I saw this tip in an old Martha Stewart magazine and thought it was a terrific idea. Instead of having a regular bottle of dishwashing detergent at the side of your sink, go to the dollar store and buy a beautiful glass bottle - a tall one. Then find a pourer (they use them for liquers) and pop it in the top. Much nicer to look at!