A Man, A Bird, A Bucket of Gratitude

A True Story.

It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange and was starting to dip into the blue ocean. Old Ed would come strolling along the beach to his favorite pier in Coconut Grove , Florida.

Clutched in his bony hand would be a bucket of shrimp.

Ed would walk out to the end of the pier, where it seemed he almost had the world to himself.
Standing out on the end of the pier, Ed would be alone with his thoughts…and his bucket of shrimp.

Before long, however, he would not be alone. Up in the sky a thousand white dots would come screeching and squawking, winging their way toward that lanky frame standing there on the end of the pier.

Before long, dozens of seagulls would envelope him, their wings fluttering and flapping wildly.
Ed would stand there tossing shrimp to the hungry birds. As he did, if you listened closely, you could hear him say with a smile, ‘Thank you. Thank you.’

In a few short minutes the bucket would be empty. But Ed wouldn’t leave. He would stand there lost in thought, as though transported to another time and place.

If you were sitting there on the pier with your fishing line in the water, Ed might have seemed like ‘a funny old duck,’ as my dad used to say. Or, ‘a guy that’s a sandwich shy of a picnic,’ as my kids might say.

To onlookers, he’d be just another old codger, lost in his own weird world, feeding the seagulls with a bucket full of shrimp.

His full name was Eddie Rickenbacker.

He was a famous hero back in World War I and II, earning the Medal of Honor during WW I.
During WW2, he carried out special assignments for Henry Stimson, the Secretary of War.

In October, 1942, flying in a B-17 over the Pacific, on such a mission to Douglas MacArthur, the plane went down in the Pacific. Miraculously, all of the men survived, crawled out of their plane, and climbed into a life raft.

Captain Rickenbacker and his crew floated for days on the rough waters of the Pacific. They fought the sun. They fought sharks. Most of all, they fought hunger.

By the eighth day their rations ran out. No food. No water. They were hundreds of miles from land and no one knew where they were.

They needed a miracle.

That afternoon they had a simple devotional service and prayed for a miracle.

They tried to nap and Eddie leaned back and pulled his military cap over his nose.

Time dragged. All he could hear was the slap of the waves against the raft.
Suddenly, Eddie felt something land on the top of his cap. It was a seagull!
Old Ed would later describe how he sat perfectly still, planning his next move. With a flash of his hand and a squawk from the gull, he managed to grab it and wring its neck.

He tore the feathers off, and he and his starving crew made a meal of it – a very slight meal for eight men.

Then they used the intestines for bait. With it, they caught fish, which gave them food and more bait……and the cycle continued.

With that simple survival technique, they were able to endure the rigors of the sea until they were found and rescued (after 24 days at sea).

Rickenbacker later wrote a book about the experience titled Seven Came Through.

Eddie Rickenbacker lived many years beyond that ordeal, but he never forgot the sacrifice of that first lifesaving seagull.

And he never stopped saying, ‘Thank you.’

That’s why almost every Friday night he would walk to the end of the pier with a bucket full of shrimp and a heart full of gratitude.

- excerpt from "In the Eye of the Storm" by Max Lucado

The Cave People

Long ago, or maybe not so long ago, there was a tribe in a dark, cold cavern. The cave dwellers would huddle together and cry against the chill. Loud and long they wailed. It was all they did. It was all they knew to do. The sounds in the cave were mournful, but the people didn’t know it, for they had never known life.

But then, one day, they heard a different voice. “I have heard your cries,” it announced. “I have felt your chill and seen your darkness. I have come to help.”

The cave people grew quiet. They had never heard this voice. Hope sounded strange to their ears. “How can we know you have come to help?”

“Trust me,” he answered. “I have what you need.”

The cave people peered through the darkness at the figure of the stranger. He was stacking something, then stooping and stacking more.

“What are you doing?” one cried, nervous.
The stranger didn’t answer.

“What are you making?” one shouted even louder.
Still no response.

“Tell us!” demanded a third.
The visitor stood and spoke in the direction of the voices. “I have what you need.” With that he turned to the pile at his feet and lit it. Wood ignited, flames erupted, and light filled the cavern.

The cave people turned away in fear. “Put it out!” they cried. “It hurts to see it.”

“Light always hurts before it helps,” he answered. “Step closer. The pain will soon pass.”

“Not I,” declared a voice.

“Nor I,” agreed a second.

“Only a fool would risk exposing his eyes to such light.”

The stranger stood next to the fire. “Would you prefer the darkness? Would you prefer the cold?
Don’t consult your fears. Take a step of faith.”

For a long time no one spoke. The people hovered in groups covering their eyes. The fire builder stood next to the fire. “It’s warm here,” he invited.

“He’s right,” one from behind him announced. “It’s warmer.” The stranger turned and saw a figure slowly stepping toward the fire. “I can open my eyes now,” she proclaimed. “I can see.”

“Come closer,” invited the fire builder.

She did. She stepped into the ring of light. “It’s so warm!” She extended her hands and sighed as her chill began to pass.

“Come, everyone! Feel the warmth,” she invited.

“Silence, woman!” cried one of the cave dwellers. “Dare you lead us into your folly? Leave us and take your light with you.”

She turned to the stranger. “Why won’t they come?”

“They choose the chill, for though it’s cold, it’s what they know. They’d rather be cold than change.”

“And live in the dark?”

“And live in the dark.”

The now-warm woman stood silent. Looking first at the dark, then at the man.

“Will you leave the fire?” he asked.

She paused, then answered, “I cannot. I cannot bear the cold.” Then she spoke again. “But nor can I bear the thought of my people in darkness.”

“You don’t have to,” he responded, reaching into the fire and removing a stick. “Carry this to your people. Tell them the light is here, and the light is warm. Tell them the light is for all who desire it.”

And so she took the small flame and stepped into the shadows.

Good People: wise choice

An old man sat outside the walls of a great city.When travelers approached, they would ask the old man, "What kind of people live in this city?"

The old man would answer, "What kind of people live in the place where you came from?" If the travelers answered, "Only bad people live in the place where we came from," the old man would reply, "Continue on; you will find only bad people here."

But if the travelers answered, "Good people live in the place where we came from," then the old man would say, "Enter, for here too, you will find only good people."

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He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harms.
- Proverbs 13:20

The results we reap from our companionships will correspond with the choice we make. The very choice of the spiritually right, and good is an evidence of wisdom at the start. In such fellowship a right and God-pleasing character is built up even in the midst of hard times. The companion of the frivolous and the wicked soon learn their ways, and become conformed to their character which leads to personal destruction. Proper company contributes to safety and growth. The point cannot be missed: examine who is influencing you; one's companions can make all the difference in one's life.

How does one grow wise? By seeking out the company of wise people, and by talking with them, often and continuously.

We are left free to choose our companions from among the wise and the fools, but we are not without guidance. We have reason, and conscience, and the Word and Spirit of God.

Keep your fork...

A woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given three months to live. She asked her Pastor to come to her home to discuss her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at her funeral, and what scriptures she wanted read, and which outfit she wanted to be buried in.Then she said, "One more thing... I want to be buried with a fork in my hand."The pastor was surprised. The woman explained, "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably say to everyone, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite time of the dinner, because I knew something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie - something wonderful. So, I want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and wonder, ' What's with the fork?' Then, I want you to tell them, ' Keep your fork, because the best is yet to come.' "The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he bid the woman goodbye. He realized she had a better grasp of heaven than he did, and knew something better was coming.At the funeral, when people asked him why she was holding a fork, the pastor told them of the conversation he had with the woman before she died. He said he could not stop thinking about the fork, and knew they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.
"Keep your fork. The best is yet to come."
- author unknown

What Christmas is all about...

Charlie Brown: "Isn't there anyone out there who can tell me what Christmas is all about?"

Linus Van Pelt: "Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you. Lights, please."

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you this day is born in the City of Bethlehem, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men'".

"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."

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Merry CHRISTmas to all !!!

Fourth Thursday in November: a good time for gratitude

The following article appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 11/18/2007, section C , page 1. It was written by Leslie Criss.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.
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"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder"

I'm so excited about Thanksgiving because as soon as it's over we can decorate for Christmas." Someone actually said this last week. I heard them. And it made me sad.

I love Thanksgiving.

Truth be told, in my advancing years I believe it has become my favorite holiday. It seems to be the holiday least touched by crass commercialization, its salvation secured, I'm sure, by being sandwiched snugly between Halloween and Christmas. It's a day created for being grateful.

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." - Aesop

Thanksgiving is not a day created for football, but many are grateful for the opportunity to watch the frolic on the field. Nor is it a day created for grazing, but we are all grateful for the dressing and desserts, the casseroles and cranberries, the rolls and the relish tray and, for many, the bird. The Indians and Pilgrims had no parade at Plymouth, but I've always harbored a secret appreciation for the "Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade," as my sweet, little grandmother used to call it.

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving" - H.U. Westermayer

I do admit that, as a child, watching Santa wave from his sleigh at the tail end of Macy's parade did ignite a small flame of anticipation for the December holiday. And with the anticipation, there was a bit of anxiety that I'd be the one called on in a few hours to ask the blessing, a task this painfully shy Episcopal child did not relish.

"Thank you for the food we eat; thank you for the world so sweet; thank you for the birds that sing; thank you God for everything." - Anonymous

In my 50 years, I've spent only one Thanksgiving away from my immediate family. The year I Iived in Southern California, I had Thanksgiving dinner with cousins I'd only recently met. They were great, the food was fine, but my most vivid memory of the day is crying after talking by phone to my parents and sister back home in Mississippi.

Thanksgiving is a day for family, and for mine I am grateful.

Have a good day with yours.

Happy Thanksgiving.

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'thank you,' that would suffice." - Meister Eckhart

More than a day...

As Thanksgiving Day rolls around,
It brings up some facts, quite profound.
We may think that we're poor,
Feel like bums, insecure,
But in truth, our riches astound.

We have friends and family we love;
We have guidance from heaven above.
We have so much more
Than they sell in a store,
We're wealthy, when push comes to shove.

So add up your blessings, I say;
Make Thanksgiving last more than a day.
Enjoy what you've got;
Realize it's a lot,
And you'll make all your cares go away.

- unknown

Rekindled light...

Sometimes our light goes out
but is blown into flame
by another human being.

Each of us owes deepest thanks
to those who have rekindled this light.

--Albert Schweitzer

optimism

There is a story of identical twins. One was a hope-filled optimist. "Everything is coming up roses!" he would say. The other twin was a sad and hopeless pessimist. He thought that Murphy, as in Murphy's Law, was an optimist. The worried parents of the boys brought them to the local psychologist.

He suggested to the parents a plan to balance the twins" personalities. "On their next birthday, put them in separate rooms to open their gifts. Give the pessimist the best toys you can afford, and give the optimist a box of manure." The parents followed these instructions and carefully observed the results.

When they peeked in on the pessimist, they heard him audibly complaining, "I don't like the color of this computer . . I'll bet this calculator will break . . . I don't like the game . . . I know someone who's got a bigger toy car than this . . ."

Tiptoeing across the corridor, the parents peeked in and saw their little optimist gleefully throwing the manure up in the air. He was giggling. "You can't fool me! Where there's this much manure, there's gotta be a pony!"

- Author Unknown
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There is so much to be learned from this story. I hope that you receive encouragement from it and choose to be an optimist in spite of your circumstances. It is YOUR choice.

attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you.

- Chuck Swindoll

playing catch... together

Once there was a little boy who wanted his dad to teach him how to play catch. One sunny day the little boy's father was sitting on the couch, drinking a beer, while watching a baseball game. The boy rushed into the house exclaiming "Daddy, daddy, daddy, show me how to play catch!" The father, blankly starring at the television screen, replied " In a little while son, let me finish watching this inning, come back in five minutes." "Okay daddy" said the boy and ran out of the room. Five minutes later the boy returned screaming "Daddy, let's go, let's play some catch now!" The father turned to the boy and said hold on son the inning is not quite over come back in five more minutes. "Okay, daddy" said the boy as he shuffled out the room. Five minutes later the boy returned ball and glove in hand eagerly awaiting for his father to play some catch. "Daddy, lets go, I want to be Ken Griffey Jr.!" shouted the boy. By this time, the father had cracked open another cold one and another inning was taking place. Frustrated by the boy's constant hindrances, the dad scanned the room. While scanning the room the father notice a magazine underneath the coffee table. On the cover of the magazine was a large picture of the world. The father, who was angered & annoyed, began tearing the magazine cover in to small pieces. After a few moments, of shredding up the magazine cover, the father placed the torn pieces on the magazine. Then, the father turned to his boy and said "Son, once you put this picture of the world back together we can play catch, but do not interrupt me again until you are done!" Apprehensively, the boy took the magazine and sulked into his room. As he sobbed "Okay, daddy I won't". A few moments later the boy returned and said, "I'm done daddy can we play catch now?" Stunned, the father glanced towards his child, and there in his small hands laid the magazine with the world pieced perfectly together. Amazed, the dad asked his child how he put the world together so quickly. "It was simple" stated the boy "On the back of the world was a picture of a person, and once I put the person together that's when their world came together."
- Author Unknown
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Sometimes it just takes a little story to give us some perspective on life, to remind us of what we need to work on and how we need to be.

set yourself free

Set yourself free from anything that might hinder you in becoming the person you want to be.

Free yourself from the uncertainties about your abilities or the worth of your dreams, from the fears that you may not be able to achieve them or that they won't be what you wanted.

Set yourself free from the past.

The good things from yesterday are still yours in memory; the things you want to forget you will, for tomorrow is only a sunrise away.

Free yourself from regret or guilt, and promise to live this day as fully as you can.

Set yourself free from the expectations of others, and never feel guilty or embarrassed if you do not live up to their standards.

You are most important to yourself; live by what you feel is best and right for you.

Others will come to respect your integrity and honesty.

Set yourself free to simply be yourself, and you will soar higher than you've ever dreamed.

- Author Unknown

wondering gaze

I saw a brilliant sunset the other day over clouds that looked like mountains. (Being that I live in Miami, I pretend that I see mountains in the clouds sometimes.) And then it hit me.

Why do I love California so much?

There are those who roll their eyes whenever I say anything about a beautiful California sunset or a California sky full of stars. They tell me that these are just boring things that you can see anytime and anywhere, and they don’t see the attraction. Then, they rush home to go about their day. Well, I don’t fault any of them, but I wish they could understand what they’re missing or at least see it through my eyes.

I think I love California so much because by looking at nature, at the creation, it tells me so much about the one who created it. God is the greatest artist ever. And God put so much of himself into everything that he created. He is in each flower petal and in each hummingbird and in the scent of a fresh rose and in the red hues of the sunset and in the clouds and in the mountains. And the most amazing thing is that He created these things out of love. He created these things for us. You can learn a lot more about God just by opening your eyes and enjoying His creation rather than researching theology or philosophy.

For since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…- Romans 1:20
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This is one of my all time favorite hymns... to listen to it, click here .

This Is My Father's World by Maltbie D. Babcock

1.This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings
the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

2.This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;He speaks to me everywhere.

3.This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,And earth and Heav’n be one.

4.This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I open my eyes, and in glad surprise
cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,Came—a pledge of deathless love.

5.This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The Lord is King—let the heavens ring.
God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.No place but is holy ground.

6.This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze
God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,My heart is still at home.

the legend of manna

Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread, not our monthly or yearly bread. The story about "manna", as told in Exodus 16, inspired me to start writing Manna for Mañana in 1995. I had stopped writing for a long while but lately, it has rekindled my desire to write again.

God asked Moses to lead the Israelites in the desert after they had been rescued from slavery and had crossed the Red Sea. The people traveled in the hot, dusty desert for 3 days. Finally they came to a pond of water. The people were so thirsty. They probably ran to the water to drink. However, as soon as they swallowed the water, they realized that the water was bitter.

The people were so upset. They complained to Moses telling him that they needed something to drink. Moses prayed to God for help. God showed Moses a piece of wood close to the water. God told Moses to throw wood into the water. Instantly, the water was sweet and delicious! The people stayed there several days then God asked them to travel again in the desert. This was not easy for God’s people. They began to complain and grumble because of the hard times and struggles. They had forgotten how God promised to take care of them. God heard their cries and told Moses that He would bring them meat to eat in the evening and bread from Heaven in the morning.

God also told Moses that He would test the people to see if they would follow directions. God would provide for their needs each day. They were not supposed to collect any bread or meat for the next day. The one exception was for the 7th day. On the 6th day, God would let the people collect for the 7th day so that they could rest and worship God on that day.

Just as promised, God sent quail in the evening for His people. In the morning, there were little white flakes on the ground. Moses told them that these flakes were bread from Heaven. It was delicious to eat and it tasted like honey. The people called it manna. The people used manna in different ways. Some baked it into bread, while others boiled it like oatmeal. God gave His people food during their time in the hot desert. God told His people that they should only collect enough food for that day. Sure enough, some people tried to collect the manna for the next day. Surprisingly, the manna was smelly and full of bugs. However, when the people did as God said and collected extra for the 7th day, it stayed fresh and good.

God cared for the needs of His people. Even when they were grumbling and complaining, He helped them and took care of them. Remember that the people did not get exactly what they wanted. They got a new food surprise, manna! The manna would appear every morning on the dew for the next 40 years. There would not be any manna on the 7th day, the Sabbath. They would have to gather the manna each morning from daylight until about noon. When the sun got hot the manna would melt. To be able to eat manna, they would have to depend upon God every day. They would have to depend upon God to provide the proper weather every morning for the dew to appear with the manna. They would have to work, gather the manna, every day for six days. If they did not gather any manna, they would not eat, even though God provided the manna for them. Each day at night all the bread (manna) would be gone and they would have to trust God to provide manna the next day. It was one day at a time.

We need to depend upon God every day. God takes care of us too. Just like God’s people, sometimes we may complain about our unfair circumstances but God hears our prayers and will answer. The thing is He may not answer in the way that you think, but rest assured that God will take care of you and always give you His best.