Brighten the Corner Where You Are

Good Morning Everyone,

How many of you could use encouragement today,
please raise your hands?

Wow ... let's take another poll. How many of you
don't need encouragement today, please raise your hand.
No one? Wow. All of you need encouragement?

What a surprise!

This ol world we live in is
busy
stressed
lonely
less than kind
and often full of hurt and pain.

If we do not find a way to enjoy life,
if we do not find a way to make the best of what we have,
if we cannot find inspiration, soon we find ourselves
drained, and often depressed.

Then we seem incapable of encouraging anyone else.

Could this be a spiritual weapon?

Could it be as long as satan the loser gets us down
we are ineffective to minister?

So what are the chances that all of us are worn down
and almost incapable of ministering or encouraging?

Would that then make it a spiritual battle that we
seem to be losing? Well, who could change that?

You and me! By prayer, by stepping out of our
comfort zone and loving others, by not focusing on
ourselves all the time. By not sweating the small stuff.
By learning to choose our battles wisely.

This is just wisdom!

What do you want your day to be like?
By making someone else's day that way with
a word of encouragement or a act of kindness
you will find it makes your day far better.

Pass it on :)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one
another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. By this all will know that you are MY
disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35

This then is the proof of Christ like, Christ dominated,
focused on Christ, on fire, dedicated walk with God.
You mean business, and it shows. You don't just
say it.. you do it!

To love one another. You cannot love others, without
reaching out. If you cannot reach out.. you are probably
too self focused and it is draining you.

What do you want your life to be like today?
Spread the love and the joy, and see if your day doesn't
improve dramatically!

love
millie

ps.. Build the body of Christ by loving
and by giving, you never know how
it will change someone's life!

*******************************


A LADY NAMED LILL

Lillian was a young French Canadian girl who grew up in the farming
community of River Canard, Ontario. At the age of 16, her father thought
Lill has had enough schooling, and she was forced to drop out of school
to contribute to the family income. In 1922, with English as her second
language and limited education and skills, the future didn't look bright
for Lill.

Her father, Eugene Bezaire, was a stern man who rarely took no for an
answer and never accepted excuses. He demanded that Lill find a job. But
her limitations left her with little confidence and low self-esteem, and
she didn't know what work she could do.

With small hope of gaining employment, she would still ride the bus daily
into the big cities? of Windsor or Detroit. But she couldn't muster the
courage to respond to a Help Wanted ad; she couldn't even bring herself to
knock on a door. Each day she would just ride to the city, walk aimlessly
about and at dusk return home. Her father would ask, Any luck today, Lill?

No...no luck today, Dad,? she would respond meekly.

As the days passed, Lill continued to ride and her father continued to ask
about her job-hunting. The questions became more demanding, and Lill knew she would soon have to knock on a door.

On one of her trips, Lill saw a sign at the Carhartt Overall Company in
downtown Detroit. Help Wanted, the sign said, Secretarial. Apply Within.
She walked up the long flight of stairs to the Carhartt Company offices.
Cautiously, Lill knocked on her very first door. She was met by the office
manager, Margaret Costello. In her broken English, Lill told her she was
interested in the secretarial position, falsely stating that she was 19.
Margaret knew something wasn't right, but decided to give the girl a chance.

She guided Lill through the old business office of the Carhartt Company.
With rows and rows of people seated at rows and rows of typewriters and
adding machines, Lill felt as if a hundred pairs of eyes were staring at
her. With her chin on her chest and her eyes staring down, the reluctant
farm girl followed Margaret to the back of the somber room. Margaret sat
her down at a typewriter and said, ?Lill, let's see how good you really are.?
She directed Lill to type a single letter, and then left. Lill looked at
the clock and saw that it was 11:40 a.m. Everyone would be leaving for
lunch at noon. She figured that she could slip away in the crowd then. But
she knew she should at least attempt the letter.

On her first try, she got through one line. It had five words, and she made
four mistakes. She pulled the paper out and threw it away. The clock now
read 11:45. At noon, she said to herself, I'll move out with the crowd,
and they will never see me again.

On her second attempt, Lill got through a full paragraph, but still made
many mistakes. Again she pulled out the paper, threw it out and started
over. This time she completed the letter, but her work was still strewn
with errors. She looked at the clock: 11:55 - five minutes to freedom.
Just then, the door at one end of the office opened and Margaret walked in.
She came directly over to Lill, putting one hand on the desk and the other
on the girl's shoulder. She read the letter and paused. Then she said,
Lill, you're doing good work!

Lill was stunned. She looked at the letter, then up at Margaret. With
those simple words of encouragement, her desire to escape vanished and her confidence began to grow. She thought, Well, if she thinks it's good, then it must be good. I think I'll stay!

Lill did stay at Carhartt Overall Company...for 51 years, through two world
wars and a Depression, through 11 presidents and six prime ministers - all
because someone had the insight to give a shy and uncertain young girl the
gift of self-esteem when she knocked on the door.


By James M. Kennedy

***********************************
Brighten the Corner Where You Are
copyright Ina Ogdon 1913

Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,
Do not wait to shed your light afar;
To the many duties ever near you now be true,
Brighten the corner where you are.

Refrain:
Brighten the corner where you are!
Brighten the corner where you are!
Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar;
Brighten the corner where you are!

Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear,
Let not narrow self your way debar;
Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer,
Brighten the corner where you are.

Here for all your talent you may surely find a need,
Here reflect the bright and Morning Star;
Even from your humble hand the Bread of Life may feed,
Brighten the corner where you are.