It was the end of a long day, and I was just putting my little son to bed.
"O.K., Mikey time to say your prayers!" I gently reminded him.
Well, Mikey got down on his little knees, and put his hands together and looked very serious, as he quite often did when he said his prayers. Then off he started on his usual long and rambling list of very important childish things that he wanted to say to God.
I tip-toed out of the room to get something, and when I came back a minute or two later, little Mikey was just finishing up, saying:
"... and most of all, God, thank-you for Mrs Squid Heavens - cos she's the nicest teacher ever! I like Mrs Squid Heavens, God! A-men!"
Now, I couldn't help grinning at this last little note, appended as it was at the end of Mikey's prayer.
Mrs Squid Heavens? I thought - who was she?
"Mikey," I enquired, trying not to sound too much like I was prying, "Who is Mrs Squid Heavens?"
"Oh, she's my new teacher at pre-school," said Mikey, in a very serious little voice. "She's cool!"
"Are you sure that's her name?" I continued.
Mikey nodded his head vigorously.
"Yep!" he assured me.
I smiled - somehow I doubted that Mikey's information was quite right on this one.
"Well good-night, darling Mikey!" I said, giving my little guy a great, big hug and a kiss.
"G'night Mom!" returned a very sleepy little son.
Two days later, I walked Mikey to his pre-school class. I was greeted by a mature and very kindly lady, with a wonderful, bright smile.
"Why, hello Mikey!" she said, warmly.
"Hello!" returned my little man, smiling shyly.
"And you must be Mikey's mom," said this new teacher, reaching out to shake my hand.
"Yes, that's right, I am. I'm very pleased to meet you!" I replied.
But I couldn't help smiling.
There, on this new teacher's lapel, was a name tag. The letters were embossed in gold. They read:
'Mrs Gwyn Evyns'. Immediately, my brain made the connection - Squid Heavens! Now little Mikey's prayer made sense!
I looked into the kind, sparkling eyes of this new teachers face, and I thought to myself, when I get to know her a little better, I must tell Mrs Gwyn Evyns about Mikey's interpretation of her name! I felt sure, that like me, she would find it rather amusing!
Lord, I guess what I'm trying to say here, in my own long and rambling adult way is this: thank-you for our children! They surely are one of your greatest gifts! And it's times like the other night, when they're down on their little knees at bed-time, praying so earnestly for Squid Heavens (or whatever other variations on a theme children can come up with!)that they make us love them even more, if that's possible! Lord - protect our children; help us give them happy lives! And with your loving guidance, help us to be the best parents that we can be - and Lord? May all their teachers be as wonderful as Squid Heavens!
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
We Thank Thee, A Song, Sung By Jim Reeves
Alex Martin made his way early in the morning, through the newly laid bitumen road to the colony's bus stop which is a good five minute walk from his home. The Heavy Electrical residential colony which is twenty kilometers away from Hyderabad was built for the families of engineers and technicians working in the Heavy Electrical factory, one the many prestigious units planned all over India with Czechoslovakian technology. Alex's two elder brothers, both Electrical engineers are employed in that factory and Alex, the youngest along with his parents stay in the spacious and luxurious residential house allotted to them.
Alex Martin, the youngest of the three brothers is a post graduate in Biochemistry, a trainee Production chemist in a bulk drug manufacturing factory situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, which is about forty minutes from his residence. As he is working in the general shift, which is at seven in the morning, he has to catch the first bus which starts at six o' clock from the colony. The early morning walk, Alex felt in the beginning was a painful process, but within few days he started liking the cool breeze, the greenery, and identifying the birds by their songs found abundantly in the unpolluted atmosphere around the colony.
The colony has only few occupants and one of them is the corner house, nearer to the bus stop with a green gate and a well maintained garden. Alex usually waits for the bus, standing underneath the dense neem tree which is right opposite the corner house.
He noticed that if he arrives just before five thirty five he could hear the beautiful songs sung by Jim Reeves played on a cassette recorder from the kitchen of the corner house. And what he cannot understand is that the last song, 'We thank Thee' is abruptly switched off exactly at five fifty.
Alex is in the bulk drug industry which is the fastest growing industry in India and its products are exported to nearly all the countries around the world and as the best survive, the industry is forever improving their profit margins by cutting costs, either in the purchase of the raw material or in the manufacturing process. And to Alex's consternation he and his other seven colleagues have been asked to take a crash course in computers, as their factory is on the threshold of computerizing the entire manufacturing process.
As the one year full time computer course is a very expensive one, the management insisted that its employees sign a bond to work for two years in the same pay scales. Experienced production chemists are much in demand and Alex's seven colleagues have already resigned and joined a rival company leaving him in a dilemma of whether he has also to resign or continue in the same firm.
The management had given Alex one month time to decide and the deadline is on Monday the 3rd July 1989. Walking on that day, from his house to the bus stop Alex was still undecided on whether to join the new company with a five fold salary increase or get trained and work for two more years with no assurance of salary hike.
The morning was chilly and Alex was glad that he wore his windcheater and thrusts his hands deep in its pockets and was deep in his thoughts when he heard above the singing of the birds, the beautiful rich voice of Jim Reeves from the corner house. As soon as he reached the neem tree the song was switched off abruptly, disappointing him. Standing under the neem tree Alex looked at his watch and seeing that it was five fifty, had the overwhelming desire to pray. Bowing his head he prayed. A silent prayer for the wonderful day and asking God's help in taking the right decision and the strength to face the unknown and divine help for the future.
After saying his prayers he opened his eyes and felt an overwhelming joy and peace and felt that God had answered his prayers. Going to his factory he signed the bond and joined the computer course.
It was on 15th August 1989, India's Independence Day and a holiday and as he was walking back to his home, came across that corner house where he used to hear the Jim Reeves songs. Stopping, he pressed the bell and was greeted by an elderly gentleman with a ready smile who immediately invited him as soon as Alex introduced himself and the purpose of his visit.
"My name is George. My wife Judy is a Jim Reeves fan," explained the elderly man, "And it is she who daily listens to it. I'll call her."
After a minute or so both of them appeared. She is in her fifties, plump, and with that ready smile which appealed to Alex.
"Alex is your Jim Reeves fan."
Alex laughed and said, "Jim Reeves is loved all over the world. One thing which I wanted to ask for a long time is why you play the same old Jim Reeves songs every day at five thirty five and switch it off at exactly five fifty and that too in the middle of one of the best songs?"
"I never noticed that," said the elderly man as he looked towards his wife for an answer.
"Your songs," continued Alex, "played so early in the morning is very inspiring. The mellowed rich voice, and the wonderful lyrics are really beautiful and particularly in the morning, with only the birds and the cool air for company. Wow, it was heavenly just listening to each and every word and I loved it every lyric of it."
She laughed and keeping her head bowed for some time, answered, "I play Jim Reeves and other singers daily through out the day. And as George has to report for work at seven he likes to have his breakfast by six fifteen every day. He loves a hearty breakfast of French Omelet, boiled eggs, sausages and oats."
Alex listened with a puzzled look and nodded silently. Seeing that Judy was quiet, he asked, "But what has Jim Reeves to do with George's breakfast?"
Judy continued, "George likes to have his eggs hard boiled, and Jim Reeves does that. As soon as I keep the eggs on the stove I switch on the Jim Reeves cassette and switch it off at the start of 'We thank Thee', and the eggs are boiled as per George's liking."
Victor Jasti from India has this passion to write short stories based on Bible and real incidents. He also writes Christian fiction & poetry. Five of his poems were published in Temporal Currents compiled by an American author Ms Christine Tricarico
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
Alex Martin, the youngest of the three brothers is a post graduate in Biochemistry, a trainee Production chemist in a bulk drug manufacturing factory situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad, which is about forty minutes from his residence. As he is working in the general shift, which is at seven in the morning, he has to catch the first bus which starts at six o' clock from the colony. The early morning walk, Alex felt in the beginning was a painful process, but within few days he started liking the cool breeze, the greenery, and identifying the birds by their songs found abundantly in the unpolluted atmosphere around the colony.
The colony has only few occupants and one of them is the corner house, nearer to the bus stop with a green gate and a well maintained garden. Alex usually waits for the bus, standing underneath the dense neem tree which is right opposite the corner house.
He noticed that if he arrives just before five thirty five he could hear the beautiful songs sung by Jim Reeves played on a cassette recorder from the kitchen of the corner house. And what he cannot understand is that the last song, 'We thank Thee' is abruptly switched off exactly at five fifty.
Alex is in the bulk drug industry which is the fastest growing industry in India and its products are exported to nearly all the countries around the world and as the best survive, the industry is forever improving their profit margins by cutting costs, either in the purchase of the raw material or in the manufacturing process. And to Alex's consternation he and his other seven colleagues have been asked to take a crash course in computers, as their factory is on the threshold of computerizing the entire manufacturing process.
As the one year full time computer course is a very expensive one, the management insisted that its employees sign a bond to work for two years in the same pay scales. Experienced production chemists are much in demand and Alex's seven colleagues have already resigned and joined a rival company leaving him in a dilemma of whether he has also to resign or continue in the same firm.
The management had given Alex one month time to decide and the deadline is on Monday the 3rd July 1989. Walking on that day, from his house to the bus stop Alex was still undecided on whether to join the new company with a five fold salary increase or get trained and work for two more years with no assurance of salary hike.
The morning was chilly and Alex was glad that he wore his windcheater and thrusts his hands deep in its pockets and was deep in his thoughts when he heard above the singing of the birds, the beautiful rich voice of Jim Reeves from the corner house. As soon as he reached the neem tree the song was switched off abruptly, disappointing him. Standing under the neem tree Alex looked at his watch and seeing that it was five fifty, had the overwhelming desire to pray. Bowing his head he prayed. A silent prayer for the wonderful day and asking God's help in taking the right decision and the strength to face the unknown and divine help for the future.
After saying his prayers he opened his eyes and felt an overwhelming joy and peace and felt that God had answered his prayers. Going to his factory he signed the bond and joined the computer course.
It was on 15th August 1989, India's Independence Day and a holiday and as he was walking back to his home, came across that corner house where he used to hear the Jim Reeves songs. Stopping, he pressed the bell and was greeted by an elderly gentleman with a ready smile who immediately invited him as soon as Alex introduced himself and the purpose of his visit.
"My name is George. My wife Judy is a Jim Reeves fan," explained the elderly man, "And it is she who daily listens to it. I'll call her."
After a minute or so both of them appeared. She is in her fifties, plump, and with that ready smile which appealed to Alex.
"Alex is your Jim Reeves fan."
Alex laughed and said, "Jim Reeves is loved all over the world. One thing which I wanted to ask for a long time is why you play the same old Jim Reeves songs every day at five thirty five and switch it off at exactly five fifty and that too in the middle of one of the best songs?"
"I never noticed that," said the elderly man as he looked towards his wife for an answer.
"Your songs," continued Alex, "played so early in the morning is very inspiring. The mellowed rich voice, and the wonderful lyrics are really beautiful and particularly in the morning, with only the birds and the cool air for company. Wow, it was heavenly just listening to each and every word and I loved it every lyric of it."
She laughed and keeping her head bowed for some time, answered, "I play Jim Reeves and other singers daily through out the day. And as George has to report for work at seven he likes to have his breakfast by six fifteen every day. He loves a hearty breakfast of French Omelet, boiled eggs, sausages and oats."
Alex listened with a puzzled look and nodded silently. Seeing that Judy was quiet, he asked, "But what has Jim Reeves to do with George's breakfast?"
Judy continued, "George likes to have his eggs hard boiled, and Jim Reeves does that. As soon as I keep the eggs on the stove I switch on the Jim Reeves cassette and switch it off at the start of 'We thank Thee', and the eggs are boiled as per George's liking."
Victor Jasti from India has this passion to write short stories based on Bible and real incidents. He also writes Christian fiction & poetry. Five of his poems were published in Temporal Currents compiled by an American author Ms Christine Tricarico
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
Friday, October 22, 2010
A Recipe For Happiness
I remember as a child, visiting my Aunt Mabel by the sea. I don't know what was the more pleasurable - visiting Aunt Mabel, or visiting the sea, for I loved them both! Never was a grown-up so kindly and enthusiastic, so interested in the world, as my Aunt Mabel was. We'd sit on the porch, and she'd tell me stories of when she was a girl - she'd hoot with laughter when I tried to tell a joke. She'd watch me running along the beach, chasing the dancing edges of the waves. In the evenings, as the sea whispered it's secrets to the shells, Aunt Mabel would light a candle on the table outside, and she'd read me passages from the Bible. I'd close my eyes and lay back on the big, old couch and listen, as the stars lit up the sky... y'know, in our own way, over the years, Aunt Mabel and I made quite a study of that Great Book! Last thing at night, Aunt Mabel would take my hands, and draw me close and kiss me. Then she'd send me off to bed, with a blessing. One of my favorite of Aunt Mabel's blessings was this one:
Happiness is
taking
Whatever God gives you to work with
And making a gift of it to others
Letting God's light shine through you
Just a little every day...
That's the surest recipe to chase the blues away!
Why did this little verse mean so much to me?
Well... Aunt Mabel was confined to a wheel-chair; she'd been in that wheel-chair, ever since she was 10 years old when she'd had an accident and fallen from a horse. I guess Aunt Mabel knew a lot about disappointment... but if she did, she didn't show it! I reckon Aunt Mabel had travelled more miles for God in that wheel-chair, than most people do on two good legs. God calls us to take note of our lives, and serve Him with joy and praise - at least, that's what Aunt Mabel used to say. Now, if she could do it from a wheel-chair - how much more able are most of us! No more excuses! We need to take whatever gifts God gives us, and shine!
"Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 4:11
2010 Laura Swindon-Ross. All rights reserved
This work is copyright, all rights reserved.
I'm a teacher and Christian writer, currently studying for a Ph.D.
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
Happiness is
taking
Whatever God gives you to work with
And making a gift of it to others
Letting God's light shine through you
Just a little every day...
That's the surest recipe to chase the blues away!
Why did this little verse mean so much to me?
Well... Aunt Mabel was confined to a wheel-chair; she'd been in that wheel-chair, ever since she was 10 years old when she'd had an accident and fallen from a horse. I guess Aunt Mabel knew a lot about disappointment... but if she did, she didn't show it! I reckon Aunt Mabel had travelled more miles for God in that wheel-chair, than most people do on two good legs. God calls us to take note of our lives, and serve Him with joy and praise - at least, that's what Aunt Mabel used to say. Now, if she could do it from a wheel-chair - how much more able are most of us! No more excuses! We need to take whatever gifts God gives us, and shine!
"Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 4:11
2010 Laura Swindon-Ross. All rights reserved
This work is copyright, all rights reserved.
I'm a teacher and Christian writer, currently studying for a Ph.D.
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
Thursday, October 21, 2010
That's The Way I Like It....
That's the way ..ah ah.. I like it... ah ah...
That's the way ..ah ah.. I like it... ah ah...
That's the way ..ah ah.. I like it... ah ah...
Thank you, Ling-Ling
For creating this ME above
You have made a wonderful job..
I look good.. I look Cool, baby!!
For creating this ME above
You have made a wonderful job..
I look good.. I look Cool, baby!!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Princess Sarah
Princess Sarah is the fairy-tale of a little girl who leaves India to go and study in England. Her mother died when she was still a baby. Her dad is a millionaire; he bought a diamond mine with a friend in India and has to go back to India to work on that mine with his friend. Unfortunately, he catches a tropical disease and dies shortly after.
His daughter, Sarah, studies at this very expensive school. She wears some of the most expensive dresses and carries around her doll called "Emily", which she treats as her own child. She makes friends in the school with the most sensitive children, a girl of 4 years old, whose mother died a while ago. Sarah decides to be a mum to the 4 year old girl who had been quite distressed by the death of her mum. Sarah also becomes friend to another girl whose father doesn't think she is quite intelligent, so this girl lacks quite a lot of confidence in her. Sarah also becomes friend with the maid of the college called Becky.
Unfortunately, Sarah is hated by Lavinia, one of the most popular girls in the college. Lavinia keeps bossing around the most sensitive classmates, which Sarah has taken under her protection. However, Lavinia takes advantage of this situation to send bad remarks to Sarah to show her hatred towards her. As a matter of fact, Miss Minchin had decided to put Sarah in charge of the class instead of Lavinia.
The headmistress, Miss Minchin manages the college with her sister, Miss Amelia. This headmistress takes so much interest in Sarah because her father had made quite a large donation to the college. Sarah is an intelligent young girl, who doesn't have any difficulties to excel in all the subjects, especially as she speaks French perfectly. She even receives the favour of the Prefect who comes and visits the college yearly and gives substantive donations for his management. Sarah impresses the crowd in the street by her beauty and her good manners. The Prefect wants also Sarah to give grammar lessons to the younger children which is agreed by Miss Minchin.
One day, the headmistress decides to organise an expensive birthday party for Sarah and to send the bill to the notaire of Sarah dad, who manages his affairs in England.
Unfortunately, the day of her birthday, Sarah learns that her dad will no longer be able to support her because he has died of a tropical disease in India. As a result, the headmistress of the college and the notaire are furious against Sarah and her deceased dad. As a result, Sarah is left with debts toward the college and, the notaire takes all Sarah belongings to pay her dad debts.
However, the headmistress decides to keep Sarah in the college as a maid. The notaire of her dad had adviced Miss Minchin to keep Sarah to repay herself from what Sarah dad owed to the college and for the good reputation of the school institution.
Being now an orphan, Sarah has to work very hard with the other maid Becky. She gets up very early in the morning to buy food, to scrub and cook. She is now sleeping in a mansard where it is very cold. She is very badly treated by the headmistress who keeps shouting at her and doesn't supply her meals if she is too slow. On numerous occasions, she sends her in the rain to buy groceries when most of the markets are closed. Sarah has a very hard life but she keeps seeing her ex-classmates which she keeps taking under her protection. Unfortunately, Lavinia is very jealous of Sarah because Sarah is very strong and doesn't flinch to stand to her responsibilities and, doesn't lose her courage. As a result, Lavinia creates all sort of situations to humiliate Sarah and accuses her wrongly to Miss Minchin, to get Sarah punished.
Sarah is rewarded by the friends that she has taken under her protection, they help her to be courageous and hope for better days. One day, Sarah is starving and found some money in the street, she believes that somebody lost it and goes to the priest to give him, in order for him to give back the money to the person that lost it. The priest says to Sarah that God wanted her to find the money and she should use it to buy something to eat. As a result, Sarah goes to the bakery to buy five small breads. As she goes out of the bakery, she found a little girl, begging for food so she gives four loaves of bread to the little girl and she takes one loaf of bread for herself to share with the other maid, Becky, from the college.
The owner of the bakery sees through the window what Sarah did with the bread, her amazing kindness for the little girl. So the owner of the bakery decides to give decent clothes to the little girl and a job in the bakery. The owner of the shop prays that God helps Sarah in due times. Sarah is also a believer of God, she goes to the church sometimes to pray for herself.
When Sarah was rich, she had a pony and a driver to take her for a walk, when she became an orphan, the headmistress of the college had to fire her driver, called Peter. As Sarah goes to buy groceries, she meets Peter who sells in the market and becomes to him a very good friend; he helps her to do her shopping and carries it for her to the college.
In the meantime, the college has a new neighbour who lives in the house just next to it. This neighbour is a rich man from India, who is very sick, he caught a tropical disease in India but the servant of this man becomes quite friend with Sarah, both admire the courage of Sarah. One day, Sarah becomes quite sick as a result of having gone through the rain to do some food shopping for the college.
Her friends, Peter and Becky go and pray in the church for Sarah recovery and they go to the aunt of one of the girls; Sarah had taken under her protection, to get her some medicine for her sickness. The college neighbour sends his servants to go into Sarah room at night to make her a good fire and a good meal to recover her strength. As a result of all those nice gestures, Sarah recovers rapidly from her sickness.
Sarah neighbour keeps supplying good meals to Sarah and Becky anonymously at night but soon, the headmistress finds out about the meals. As a result, Sarah and Becky get punished and, Sarah is sent to sleep in the stable where her pony used to stay before being taken away. Sarah is devastated but she keeps believing in God and found strength by looking at the picture of her deceased parents.
Shortly after, Lavinia celebrates her birthday and wants Sarah to give her the doll "Emily" that her dad had given her before he left for India. Seeing through her cruelty, Sarah friends stand up to Lavinia and urge her to give the doll back to Sarah, which is the only comfort through all the hardships that Sarah had been enduring.
We learn that the college neighbour which is a rich man had been working with Sarah dad in India, this man was Sarah dad childhood friend, he assisted to his death and, he was also owning the mine of diamonds and, now he is searching for Sarah to make her inherit his fortune, not having any family of his own, as he feels he owes to Sarah dad for having influenced him to buy the mine of diamonds who cost him his life.
He doesn't know that the name of the girl he has been helping is the girl he has been looking for. He decides to buy some expensive clothes for Sarah anonymously and send them as a gift to the college.
In the meantime, Lavinia and her friends put the fire at the stable by mistake, wanting to scare Sarah little 4 years old friend, the day of Halloween, chasing her while carrying candles in huge pumpkins; one of the candle falls on the floor of the stable and set fire to it.
Fortunately, Sarah wasn't sleeping in the stable at this time and she manages to save her doll and the photograph of her beloved parents. However, Lavinia accuses Sarah of having set the fire in the stable. The headmistress blames Sarah wrongly despite her friends claiming her innocence; Sarah decides to leave the college for having been treated very badly, worse than a slave.
Sarah found refuge with Peter and his family. She decides to take on the job of selling matches in the street in the harsh cold and snow of winter. Shortly after, Peter brings her back to his home as the sister of the headmistress, Miss Amelia, came to collect her to bring her back to the college to give her the anonymous gift that the college neighbour had sent Sarah.
The headmistress insists on Sarah to try on the clothes that suit her perfectly. So Miss Minchin realises that Sarah has a secret benefactor and, decides for Sarah to resume the college classes and give up her maid status.
In the afternoon, the little monkey of the college neighbour escapes in Sarah mansard. She decides to bring the monkey to the college neighbour without being seen. As it happens, the neighbour asks Sarah her name and found out that she is the daughter of his beloved deceased friend. Having been looking everywhere for her to inherit his fortune.
As a result of finding Sarah, her benefactor decides to keep Sarah in his house and supply her with beautiful dresses, she is called "the princess diamonds".
Shortly after, the headmistress who learnt those amazing news, get quite a shock by realising that she had treated Sarah quite badly, she even wants to give up her position as a headmistress, realising that she had a bad attitude towards Sarah because she became poor and felt threatened by Sarah strength through her dilemma. Having a kind and forgiving heart, free from grudges, Sarah decides to make a huge donation to the college and to carry on studying there with her friends.
As a result, the classmates that hated Sarah decide to become friends with her (including Lavinia). Everything that Sarah had lost as a result of her poverty, her pony and her parrot, are restored to Sarah in the end. Sarah decides to reward the owner of the bakery for having given her the loaves of bread when she was hungry; she wants to pay for every loaf of bread that the owner of the bakery will give to the homeless children every day.
Sarah also decides to engage Becky as a lady of company. As a matter of fact, Becky had stood up for Sarah all the times Sarah was wrongly accused because of the bad jokes of Lavinia, Becky even let herself punished for smuggling food at night for Sarah who was starving.
In conclusion, I can see the power of God in this amazing story of "Princess Sarah", who has been adapted as a cartoon series. I used to watch this cartoon when I was a little girl and forgot most of it as time went on. This story has really touched my heart. Having watched it recently, I really felt for that little girl who had to stay brave despite her tough hardships of life. Her kindness, positivity and sensitivity to the needs of others despite the unfair things going on all around her, she never displayed resentment or anger at being treated unjustly. However, she cried quite a lot in her closet and decided to leave the college when it was too much for her to bear, but, everybody does it. We are human beings. There is so much we can endure.
We can also remember the story of Job, a wealthy man who lost his health and wealth in one day. Shortly after, God restored Job to his previous status of wealth, giving him even more for all the hardships that he had to endure.
James 5:11
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
We can see that God is so much at work in Sarah life; he gives her strength, help and faith through all the people she had helped kindly along the way. Those people risk their positions for helping Sarah out. But, she rewards them all in the end. It is good to be kind to people because we never know when God will use them to help us. Through all the hardships of Sarah, we can see that God is always there; Sarah learns humility and gets rewarded by having more than she ever imagined.
In conclusion, we shouldn't lose heart through our troubles; the light is still shining at the end of the tunnel. God is waiting to reward us for our perseverance and faith in him. God just wants us to trust in Him and He will see us through in due times. God just wants to use those hardships to rely on him and to humble us. He is the only one that can help us.
Colossians 1:11
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
God bless you all.
Sana Edoja
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
His daughter, Sarah, studies at this very expensive school. She wears some of the most expensive dresses and carries around her doll called "Emily", which she treats as her own child. She makes friends in the school with the most sensitive children, a girl of 4 years old, whose mother died a while ago. Sarah decides to be a mum to the 4 year old girl who had been quite distressed by the death of her mum. Sarah also becomes friend to another girl whose father doesn't think she is quite intelligent, so this girl lacks quite a lot of confidence in her. Sarah also becomes friend with the maid of the college called Becky.
Unfortunately, Sarah is hated by Lavinia, one of the most popular girls in the college. Lavinia keeps bossing around the most sensitive classmates, which Sarah has taken under her protection. However, Lavinia takes advantage of this situation to send bad remarks to Sarah to show her hatred towards her. As a matter of fact, Miss Minchin had decided to put Sarah in charge of the class instead of Lavinia.
The headmistress, Miss Minchin manages the college with her sister, Miss Amelia. This headmistress takes so much interest in Sarah because her father had made quite a large donation to the college. Sarah is an intelligent young girl, who doesn't have any difficulties to excel in all the subjects, especially as she speaks French perfectly. She even receives the favour of the Prefect who comes and visits the college yearly and gives substantive donations for his management. Sarah impresses the crowd in the street by her beauty and her good manners. The Prefect wants also Sarah to give grammar lessons to the younger children which is agreed by Miss Minchin.
One day, the headmistress decides to organise an expensive birthday party for Sarah and to send the bill to the notaire of Sarah dad, who manages his affairs in England.
Unfortunately, the day of her birthday, Sarah learns that her dad will no longer be able to support her because he has died of a tropical disease in India. As a result, the headmistress of the college and the notaire are furious against Sarah and her deceased dad. As a result, Sarah is left with debts toward the college and, the notaire takes all Sarah belongings to pay her dad debts.
However, the headmistress decides to keep Sarah in the college as a maid. The notaire of her dad had adviced Miss Minchin to keep Sarah to repay herself from what Sarah dad owed to the college and for the good reputation of the school institution.
Being now an orphan, Sarah has to work very hard with the other maid Becky. She gets up very early in the morning to buy food, to scrub and cook. She is now sleeping in a mansard where it is very cold. She is very badly treated by the headmistress who keeps shouting at her and doesn't supply her meals if she is too slow. On numerous occasions, she sends her in the rain to buy groceries when most of the markets are closed. Sarah has a very hard life but she keeps seeing her ex-classmates which she keeps taking under her protection. Unfortunately, Lavinia is very jealous of Sarah because Sarah is very strong and doesn't flinch to stand to her responsibilities and, doesn't lose her courage. As a result, Lavinia creates all sort of situations to humiliate Sarah and accuses her wrongly to Miss Minchin, to get Sarah punished.
Sarah is rewarded by the friends that she has taken under her protection, they help her to be courageous and hope for better days. One day, Sarah is starving and found some money in the street, she believes that somebody lost it and goes to the priest to give him, in order for him to give back the money to the person that lost it. The priest says to Sarah that God wanted her to find the money and she should use it to buy something to eat. As a result, Sarah goes to the bakery to buy five small breads. As she goes out of the bakery, she found a little girl, begging for food so she gives four loaves of bread to the little girl and she takes one loaf of bread for herself to share with the other maid, Becky, from the college.
The owner of the bakery sees through the window what Sarah did with the bread, her amazing kindness for the little girl. So the owner of the bakery decides to give decent clothes to the little girl and a job in the bakery. The owner of the shop prays that God helps Sarah in due times. Sarah is also a believer of God, she goes to the church sometimes to pray for herself.
When Sarah was rich, she had a pony and a driver to take her for a walk, when she became an orphan, the headmistress of the college had to fire her driver, called Peter. As Sarah goes to buy groceries, she meets Peter who sells in the market and becomes to him a very good friend; he helps her to do her shopping and carries it for her to the college.
In the meantime, the college has a new neighbour who lives in the house just next to it. This neighbour is a rich man from India, who is very sick, he caught a tropical disease in India but the servant of this man becomes quite friend with Sarah, both admire the courage of Sarah. One day, Sarah becomes quite sick as a result of having gone through the rain to do some food shopping for the college.
Her friends, Peter and Becky go and pray in the church for Sarah recovery and they go to the aunt of one of the girls; Sarah had taken under her protection, to get her some medicine for her sickness. The college neighbour sends his servants to go into Sarah room at night to make her a good fire and a good meal to recover her strength. As a result of all those nice gestures, Sarah recovers rapidly from her sickness.
Sarah neighbour keeps supplying good meals to Sarah and Becky anonymously at night but soon, the headmistress finds out about the meals. As a result, Sarah and Becky get punished and, Sarah is sent to sleep in the stable where her pony used to stay before being taken away. Sarah is devastated but she keeps believing in God and found strength by looking at the picture of her deceased parents.
Shortly after, Lavinia celebrates her birthday and wants Sarah to give her the doll "Emily" that her dad had given her before he left for India. Seeing through her cruelty, Sarah friends stand up to Lavinia and urge her to give the doll back to Sarah, which is the only comfort through all the hardships that Sarah had been enduring.
We learn that the college neighbour which is a rich man had been working with Sarah dad in India, this man was Sarah dad childhood friend, he assisted to his death and, he was also owning the mine of diamonds and, now he is searching for Sarah to make her inherit his fortune, not having any family of his own, as he feels he owes to Sarah dad for having influenced him to buy the mine of diamonds who cost him his life.
He doesn't know that the name of the girl he has been helping is the girl he has been looking for. He decides to buy some expensive clothes for Sarah anonymously and send them as a gift to the college.
In the meantime, Lavinia and her friends put the fire at the stable by mistake, wanting to scare Sarah little 4 years old friend, the day of Halloween, chasing her while carrying candles in huge pumpkins; one of the candle falls on the floor of the stable and set fire to it.
Fortunately, Sarah wasn't sleeping in the stable at this time and she manages to save her doll and the photograph of her beloved parents. However, Lavinia accuses Sarah of having set the fire in the stable. The headmistress blames Sarah wrongly despite her friends claiming her innocence; Sarah decides to leave the college for having been treated very badly, worse than a slave.
Sarah found refuge with Peter and his family. She decides to take on the job of selling matches in the street in the harsh cold and snow of winter. Shortly after, Peter brings her back to his home as the sister of the headmistress, Miss Amelia, came to collect her to bring her back to the college to give her the anonymous gift that the college neighbour had sent Sarah.
The headmistress insists on Sarah to try on the clothes that suit her perfectly. So Miss Minchin realises that Sarah has a secret benefactor and, decides for Sarah to resume the college classes and give up her maid status.
In the afternoon, the little monkey of the college neighbour escapes in Sarah mansard. She decides to bring the monkey to the college neighbour without being seen. As it happens, the neighbour asks Sarah her name and found out that she is the daughter of his beloved deceased friend. Having been looking everywhere for her to inherit his fortune.
As a result of finding Sarah, her benefactor decides to keep Sarah in his house and supply her with beautiful dresses, she is called "the princess diamonds".
Shortly after, the headmistress who learnt those amazing news, get quite a shock by realising that she had treated Sarah quite badly, she even wants to give up her position as a headmistress, realising that she had a bad attitude towards Sarah because she became poor and felt threatened by Sarah strength through her dilemma. Having a kind and forgiving heart, free from grudges, Sarah decides to make a huge donation to the college and to carry on studying there with her friends.
As a result, the classmates that hated Sarah decide to become friends with her (including Lavinia). Everything that Sarah had lost as a result of her poverty, her pony and her parrot, are restored to Sarah in the end. Sarah decides to reward the owner of the bakery for having given her the loaves of bread when she was hungry; she wants to pay for every loaf of bread that the owner of the bakery will give to the homeless children every day.
Sarah also decides to engage Becky as a lady of company. As a matter of fact, Becky had stood up for Sarah all the times Sarah was wrongly accused because of the bad jokes of Lavinia, Becky even let herself punished for smuggling food at night for Sarah who was starving.
In conclusion, I can see the power of God in this amazing story of "Princess Sarah", who has been adapted as a cartoon series. I used to watch this cartoon when I was a little girl and forgot most of it as time went on. This story has really touched my heart. Having watched it recently, I really felt for that little girl who had to stay brave despite her tough hardships of life. Her kindness, positivity and sensitivity to the needs of others despite the unfair things going on all around her, she never displayed resentment or anger at being treated unjustly. However, she cried quite a lot in her closet and decided to leave the college when it was too much for her to bear, but, everybody does it. We are human beings. There is so much we can endure.
We can also remember the story of Job, a wealthy man who lost his health and wealth in one day. Shortly after, God restored Job to his previous status of wealth, giving him even more for all the hardships that he had to endure.
James 5:11
Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
We can see that God is so much at work in Sarah life; he gives her strength, help and faith through all the people she had helped kindly along the way. Those people risk their positions for helping Sarah out. But, she rewards them all in the end. It is good to be kind to people because we never know when God will use them to help us. Through all the hardships of Sarah, we can see that God is always there; Sarah learns humility and gets rewarded by having more than she ever imagined.
In conclusion, we shouldn't lose heart through our troubles; the light is still shining at the end of the tunnel. God is waiting to reward us for our perseverance and faith in him. God just wants us to trust in Him and He will see us through in due times. God just wants to use those hardships to rely on him and to humble us. He is the only one that can help us.
Colossians 1:11
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Hebrews 10:36
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
God bless you all.
Sana Edoja
Article Source: FaithWriters.com http://www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders.com http://www.faithreaders.com
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