You do things often that you hope will be of value. Then you wonder if it was worth it, because you don’t see change or whatever positive results you hoped for. Today’s Thursday Thought quote is for you.
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” — Warren Buffett
Good old Mark Twain. His humor has the bite of truth to it. This one struck my funny bone, considering all the political mud-slinging:
Humans are such strange beings……
So many of us don’t give a thought to avoiding the use of and/or recycling of paper. Which was once part of a tree. Here’s why I care:
According to the Univ. of Indiana, each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water. This represents a 64% energy savings, a 58% water savings, and 60 pounds less of air pollution!
At age 40, how many of us can say we’re doing this much for the world?
Look at the mess (before and after Christmas)--tossed gift wrap (can’t burn the wrap with wax or metal in it), lots of leftovers (can’t eat it ALL), cards to toss into the garbage (pretty and thoughtful, but…), bubble wrap to get rid of (after the fun of popping all the cells), an empty gas tank (the sales! the sales!), a droopy tree (now a fire-hazard)…. It’s all quite a downer, spoiling the season.
Take heart. There’s help. Read (and follow) the suggestions in the article 10 Ways to Feel Less Guilty About Waste this Christmas.
[Thanks to Lynda DeManti for sending me this.]
Have a merry–and guilt-free–Christmas!
Consider the impact of cigarettes. First, because tobacco leaves are cured using wood, it takes a whole tree to produce 300 cigarettes. Second, all the smoke and gasses coming from them add to global warming. And, third, filters are NOT biodegradable.
[For more easy, money-saving, Earth-friendly tips, download a FREE copy of Green Riches: Help the Earth & Your Budget. Go to www.Smashwords.com/books/view/7000 or your favorite e-book seller and download to your computer or e-book device. Totally free, with no strings attached.]
I’ve been accused of being a tree-hugger–time and time again. Maybe that’s why I’m so exited by today’s addition to our home. I admit, I hug redwoods, my favorite tree, every chance I get. Redwoods are majestic and beautiful, and they feed my love of symbolism. That’s because redwoods have shallow roots. They survive and thrive by growing close together and entwining their roots with each other. That allows them to grow tall and strong. Therein lies the lesson for human beings.
But the spot I have is for a single tree. So I planted a Northern Catalpa. It doesn’t look like much right now:
. .But with TLC and water, it will look like this:
I’ve been feeling tree-deprived for a long time. Several years ago our next-door-neighbor got our beautiful street tree condemned and removed, and about five years ago our gorgeous ash in our back yard became diseased and had to go before its 45′ (or so) beauty crashed onto our house. That left us with no trees. Now that has changed. I’m happy again.
LETTER from Jesus about Christmas
[Thanks to the people who emailed this to me.]
It has come to My attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
Now, having said that, let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees! You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look it up: John 15: 1 – 8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is My wish list. Choose from it:
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them how very much I love them.
5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that some in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families, as I wish.
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.
9. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you. ‘Let not your left hand know what your right is doing…’
10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of My kids.
I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :
I LOVE YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE. NO ONE, no one else can say that to you!