Max Lucado, If Only I had a Green Nose

How silly, thought Punchinello. It wouldn't make him faster, stronger, or even smarter. It would only make him greener--and make him look just like all the other Wemmicks! Why would he want that when he knows Eli made each of them different for a reason?

But when Punchinello stops visiting Eli regularly, a painted nose somehow doesn't seem as foolish anymore. Now more than ever, Punchinello needs to hear his maker say, "I'll always help you be who I made you to be."

Just like Punchinello, we all want to fit in. To be accepted by the crowd. But at times that may mean we either have to look and act like others--or risk being rejected.

Punchinello's hard-earned lesson shows us how important it is to be who we were created to be, and why that matters. So let this wonderful tale help you remember two things: that you were made unique for a reason, and that there is one who will always help you be you--wonderfully you.

On grief

"Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable."
- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality."
- C.S. Lewis

"It is hard to have patience with people who say 'There is no death' or 'Death doesn't matter.' There is death. And whatever is matters. And whatever happens has consequences, and it and they are irrevocable and irreversible. You might as well say that birth doesn't matter."
- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

"No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear."- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

"Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief."
- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

"There is, hidden or flaunted, a sword between the sexes till an entire marriage reconciles them."
- C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

TORNAY ANDRÁS: LENNÉL-E MENEDÉKEM
Lennél-e menedékem,
Ha teljesen eláztat az eső
Lennél-e menedékem
Ha nem is próbálnék erősnek látszani
Megsimogatnál akkor is,
Ha mocsárba merültem előtted
Lennél-e menedékem
Ha siralmas kiszolgáltatottságom
Egyetlen érintésért könyörögne
Megvigasztalsz akkor is, ha majd
Könnyeim ömlenek aszfaltközöny tócsáiba
Lennél-e a menedékem,
Akkor, mikor magam elől menekülök ...
talán pont hozzád...

Jealousy

"Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.Galatians 5:26, NIVI would rather admit to being angry than jealous, would you? It's quite easy to feel jealous, but hard to admit it, because it can feel like an embarrassing fault to have. Perhaps it’s easier to call it resentment. What’s at the root of jealousy? I think the basic root is lack. Suppose you are jealous of someone who has a bigger house than you, or a better job or car. You come to Jesus with that pain inside you, confess the jealousy which you feel and ask Him “why do I feel like this?” Perhaps He might show you that you have a deep need to feel that you are someone of value. That’s a genuine need, which God Himself longs to meet.In the same way, perhaps He might show you that your feelings of jealousy over someone else's loving family or happy wedding is rooted in a deep need to feel secure and loved and chosen. We need to acknowledge these longings inside, and that we can’t fix them for ourselves. All we can do is come to our loving Father with all our neediness and say “help”. The other root of jealousy can be conceit, as our verse says. If I think that I am better than you, then I may envy you and become harsh in my thoughts or words about you, when I see you being honoured above me. This is sinful and like all sin, we just have to bring it to the cross for forgiveness and cleansing, which is given freely. Then look for the lack which led to that sin developing. Perhaps it comes from a deep need to find significance, to be somebody. God will show you. The ultimate truth is this- God Himself loves you. What more can be said about your significance? Or your security and value? Think about it. It says it all, doesn't it?
Prayer: Father, I acknowledge that I do feel resentful sometimes, and maybe I should admit that it’s jealousy. I'm sorry. Please show me the place of need or emptiness which is at the root of what I'm feeling. I would like to know the depth of love You have for me. Heal me with Your loving acceptance as I open these deep places for Your eyes to see. Through Jesus my Saviour." Amen.

Feeling selfworth
We tend to feel awful from time to time. Esecially, when the satan says that even if we dissapeared from this earth, nobody would take any notice of it. What keeps us in balance, is the feeling that others need us. You are happy, when people tell you, that "we simply cannot go on without you". The world needs you. God needs you, but not just Him. We too. A child will never grow up, without the assistance of his mother. As single people, it is hard really to define, who would be the person, who would need you as much as a child needs her mum. But I am sure it is possible. Because God promised there is a unique place for each one of us in this universe, only there can you find complete joy.

Honor your mother and father,
We all can be very thankful for our parents, who brought us up. They, according to their best, educated us, and wanted the best for each one of us. This is true, that they are a great blessing, and until we live on this earth, we are responsible for them, now as they need our help and care. This is not just it. My Heavenly Father, gave me the most cheerful mum, He could ever have, and He gave me a strickt father, who would remind me of reality, that life is hard. Maybe our heavenly Father, will not require anything else from me today, than respecting my parents. Because they worked so hard for us and they always welcomed us back. However, in our postmodern times, not everybody will love such words as: parents, respect but I will. Because the family is God's best idea. And the promise is given to those, who are open and direct: do not hold anything against each other. Should you have anything against each other, do not let the sun go down on your anger. You are Fireproof, if you are willing to do this. If you have ever rejected them, you hurt soooo deep. Have you ever criticised them harshly from a distance? If you have ever spoken wrong, ask for forgiveness. They will forgive. Have you ever looked beyond the faults, illness, social class differences, and you were ready to shake hands and look into their eyes? Through this little act of kindness you conveyed the message that "I accept you", and "I love you with everlasting love".

Reményik Sándor:

Lefelé menet
Máté 17.

1.

„Elváltozék…” Köntöse, mint a hó.
Olyan szép, hogy már-már félelmetes,
Mégis: a hegyen lakni Vele jó.
Maradni: örök fészket rakni volna jó.
De nem lehet. Már sáppad a csoda,
Az út megint a völgybe lehalad.
Jézus a völgyben is Jézus marad.
De jaj nekünk!
Akik a völgybe Vele lemegyünk,
Megszabadított szemű hegy-lakók
Csak egy-egy csoda-percig lehetünk.
Elfelejtjük az elsápadt csodát.
És lenn, a gomolygó völgyi borúban,
Az emberben, a szürke-szomorúban
Nem látjuk többé az Isten fiát.

2.

Testvérem, társam, embernek fia.
Igaz: a hegyen nem maradhatunk.
Igaz: a völgyben más az alakunk,
Nekünk lényegünk, hogy szürkék vagyunk.
Botránkozásul vagyok neked én
És botránkozásul vagy te nekem,
Mégis: legyen nekünk vigasztalás,
Legyen nekünk elég a kegyelem:
Hogy láttuk egymás fényes arculatját,
Hogy láttuk egymást Vele – a Hegyen.