One day an expert in time management was speaking

to a group of business students and, to drive home a point,

used an illustration those students will never forget.

As he stood in front of the group of high-powered

overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."

Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth Mason jar

and set it on the table in front of him.

Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks

and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top

and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked,

"Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.

Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces

of gravel to work themselves down into the

space between the big rocks.

then he asked the group once more,

"Is the jar full?" By this time the class was on to him.

"Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.

He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went

into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said,

"Good."

Then he grabbed a pitcher of water

and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked at the class and asked,

"What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said,

"The point is, no matter how full your schedule is,

if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"

"No,"

the speaker replied,

"that's not the point.

The truth this illustration teaches us is:

If you don't put the big rocks in first,

you'll never get them in at all.

" What are the "big rocks" in your life?

Time with your loved ones?

Your faith,

your education,

your dreams?

A worthy cause?

Teaching or mentoring others?

Remember to put these BIG ROCKS

in first or you'll never get them in at all.

- Source Unknown

Did anyone ever tell you, Just how special you are?

The light that you emit might even light a star.

Did anyone ever tell you how important you make others feel?

Somebody out here is smiling,

About love that is so real.

Did anyone ever tell you,

Many times,

when they were sad,

Your E-mail made them smile a bit,

In fact,

it made them glad?

For the time, you spend sending things,

and sharing whatever you find,

There are no words to thank you,

But somebody thinks you are fine!

Did anyone ever tell you,

Just how much he or she loves you?

Well, my dearest " Online " friend,

Today, I am telling you!

I believe that without a friend, you are missing out a lot!

Do not be confused by friends and acquaintances,

there is a difference!

Because I care about you!

It's My National Care Month . . .

and you get to send messages to all of your friends,

telling them that you care about them

and making them feel good about themselves,

and if they write back. . .

(Just once),

then that means that they care about you too.

BUT,

you have to send it right now!

Send it to everyone you! Care about,

and if they send it back. That means they care too.

But don't just send it back, send it on to everyone.

Have a nice day, and I am glad we are friends!

Love like Children...

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair. Suddenly, Erik squealed with gleem and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby hands on the high-chair tray. His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man...His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi, hi." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between the door and me. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik, " I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to side step him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor-gently, so gently, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest-unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking... Are you willing to share your son for a moment?"... When He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must come as little children." If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on.....

Cecil Stahlecker