|
"I Believe in You!" Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << October19, 2006 - "Fly!" |
October26, 2006 - "The List" >> |
|
"I Believe in You!"
A message of Hope, stories from the
road.
By Bob Perks
*************************************************
Hello, my friend!
Good Monday Morning!
I couldn't wait to share today's story with you, but I had
to. Perfect timing had
everything to do with it.
Make it a great week.
*************************************************
Perks Pearl of Wisdom
"When you are down, give up! What? Whenever I find
myself down I give
it all up to God." Bob Perks
*************************************************
You can find great gifts related to
my stories
by visiting our online gift
shop.
"Wishes" Gift
Store
Special one of a kind gifts.
Tapes, Books, Greeting Cards, Wall prints,
Send a Hug Mugs, T-shirts
Buying products helps keep these messages
F R E E
*********************************************************
Make a donation to
help us continue to
"Touch the world one person at a
time"
These messages are f r e e...
but writing and speaking is the way I make a living.
If you enjoy reading and sharing my work, you can help us
continue
our "Ministry of the Heart" in 2006 by making a donation of any
amount:
If you can't help financially at this time there is something you can
do...
an even greater need...
please pray for our mission to "touch the world one person at a
time."
Thanks, my friend!
Bob and Marianne *********************************************************
All stories copyright 2006 Bob Perks
Today's Message:
"The Music of the Light"
By Bob Perks
Okay, sometimes I scare myself. I mean it. I
believe in our connection to all
things. I believe in silent messages that scream
"Pay attention!." I believe that
God uses me any way He can for my own good as well as a
messenger to others.
No, not some glorious God sent heaven appointed apostle
bringing the Word of God
to the world. I am a simple man who can serve as
both a good and bad example.
But because I choose to see the wholeness of life, I get
to see
the intricate workings of the miracle of living
it.
So can you.
Perhaps, just perhaps, I may sometimes make
more out of some tiny thing than I
should. But I am like a child and children get
excited about the smallest discoveries.
I look for signs and life never fails me. This time
it came in a music box.
Marianne and I belong to the "Sparrows Club," a part of
the ministry of Dr. Robert
Schuller. Every year for several years we have
received a gift from them in recognition
of our support.
Music boxes, candle holders, book ends etc. all depicting
the wonder and beauty of the
Sparrow.
If you look around our home you will see some of them on
display. Some we have
given away.
The latest gift arrived just a few days ago.
Truthfully, although I appreciate the effort that
went into creating and designing the piece, I just found
it to be a little too fancy for my taste.
It bordered on gaudy, ornately 24k gold
trimmed.
"Someone will love this. We'll find a home for it,"
I said.
Then I opened it up. The porcelain flowered and gold
gilded jewelry box, held a message
inside. A tiny scroll wrapped in
ribbon with the words to the song, "His eye is on the
Sparrow."
When I removed the scroll, music started to play.
Not the tinkering sound of a wind up music
box, but an actual recording of Roger Williams playing the
song on piano.
It was beautiful.
I discovered the music box is light activated.
Remove the lid and the music plays.
Now, I must warn you there are several lessons
here.
First, I was reminded that one should never judge by the
looks of something.
Whether it be ornate or extremely
plain, you will never truly know the value
of it until you discover what is inside.
Wait, that's not the only lesson here.
I decided to keep the music box. I immediately
placed it on the top shelf
of our entertainment center. Marianne didn't like where I put it, so she moved it.
I didn't know that. Yesterday I looked around for it
and not seeing it, I figured she
really didn't want it at all and
had packed it away to be given to
someone who would appreciate it more.
I was disappointed, to say the least.
Then Sunday morning a message arrived.
While sitting quietly reading the Sunday newspaper, I
suddenly heard music
faintly off in the distance. This wasn't the first time. I had been working in my
office the other day and I thought
I heard music playing. I stood up and looked out
my window
to see if my neighbor was in
her car and perhaps the radio was playing.
No one was there. It stopped.
That is until Sunday, remarkably around the exact same
time.
"Where is that coming from?" I said.
This time I went in search of the source.
As I walked through the downstairs it got louder.
Turning the corner I entered the new addition
we build last year.
I stood in front of the entertainment center thinking
perhaps I left the radio on.
The music stopped.
I turned around and walked toward the couch and
immediately the music began to play
again.
This time I was positioned just right. As I
scanned the shelves my eyes caught the glitter of gold.
There on the very bottom shelf was the music box.
But wait. It was playing and the lid was
on.
"It must be faulty. There's something wrong with it
and it will just keep playing until the battery
wears down. I picked it up and the music
stopped. I opened the lid and the music played.
I set it back on the shelf, stood there a second and heard
nothing.
The moment I walked away, it
played again.
I was baffled. That is until I reached for it
and it stopped once more.
Turning around, I looked up. When we built this
addition we installed a huge
double hung window with a half moon arched opening at the top.
Everyday at this time the sun shines through that
window. I often find my
dogs lying on the floor in front of the entertainment center basking in the warmth of the
sun.
That was it. The light. Even with the lid on,
the light was powerful enough to
penetrate the porcelain box setting off the music.
Lesson Two. I have been in darkness hidden
away from the light of Life.
Sometimes by choice wanting to hide, sometimes by choices I made that put me
there.
But every single time "The Light" broke through the
darkness and
helped me to see the reality of the goodness of life again.
The lesson? You cannot hide from the Light of
God. No matter how
small you feel, you cannot hide. For as the song played again for me,
in the sun light of that day, "His eye is
on the Sparrow and I know God cares for me."
Now wait a minute. I told you sometimes I scare
myself.
Here is the rest of the story.
I was going to write and send this story out
yesterday. Something told
me to wait until today.
As I began to write, I thought it would help if I went to
the website of the
Schuller organization to get a better description of the music box.
Not only did I find it, but I discovered two things.
I can share the exact
song with you, because they provided a
link to hear it.
Two...as I read the story that young Dr. Schuller wrote, I
discovered the
importance of sending this message to you today. You see, he wrote:
"EVERY March 19th, the
swallows FAITHFULLY return to San Juan
Capistrano, to nest there and stay until exactly October 23rd, when
they
once again fly south for the winter months."
Today, my friend, is October 23. It is that same
faithfulness, the same
promise of coming home again, that lifts me
up.
You can see the music box, read the story and hear the
exact song
that plays everyday in my living room if your computer is
capable.
If today, this finds you in the darkness feeling small and
insignificant,
consider this the Light of God breaking through to
you. For if He will care so much for the tiny
Sparrow, empower the
Swallows to leave and come home again as He
planned,
imagine then how much He loves you and what great
possibilities
lie within you.
Listen for, "The Music of the Light!"
"I believe in You!"
Bob Perks
I encourage you to share my stories with your friends but, when
copying I ask that
you keep my name and contact information
attached so that new readers can find their way
here. Use of this
story for commercial use is prohibited without
direct permission
from the author.
***********************************************
May I Suggest...
Need a quick pick me up?
Visit my audio blog to hear my inspirational
messages
and you can hear me sing, too.
Visit my photo album:
Why not send me your picture to be added to
"My Friends I've never met"
Think you missed a message from
me?
Here are the archives...
*************************************************
Your Comments... If you would like
to share brief comment
about today's message, please write to Bob@BobPerks.com
I will use only first names and no email
addresses.
**************************************************
"I wish you enough!"
Bob Bob Perks is a professional speaker, author and vocalist. Member National Speakers Association. Visit http://www.BobPerks.com Visit Bob's story site: http://www.IWishYouEnough.com Sign up to receive Bob's free stories sent three times weekly. "I wish you enough!" written by Bob Perks (c) 2001 "I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye." |
|
| << October19, 2006 - "Fly!" |
October26, 2006 - "The List" >> |
|
"I Believe in You!" Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on "I Believe in You!" |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |