Rose

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn?t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, "Hi, Handsome. My name is Rose. I?m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I?m here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No, seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I?m getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized, listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet and I?ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her 3x 5 cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed, she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I?m sorry I?m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I?ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success."

"You have to laugh and find humor every day."

"You?ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don?t even know it!"

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don?t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eight-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn?t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change."

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don?t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose." She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives.

At the year?s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it?s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

Some say, "Love, it is a river that drowns the tender reed,"
Some say, "Love, it is a razor that leaves your soul to bleed."
Some say, "Love, it is a hunger, an endless aching need."
I say, "Love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed."
It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes a chance.
It's the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give,
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember, in the winter far beneath the bitter snow,
Lies the seed that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes the rose."

Two Pots

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a
pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in
it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion
of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house,
the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only
one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the
perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of
what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a
bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?
That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table.

In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws.
Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.
Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes."

Valentine Roses

Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose.And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.The card said, "Be my Valentine," like all the years before.Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,"I love you even more this year, than last year on this day.""My love for you will always grow, with every passing year."She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.He always liked to do things early, way before the time.Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair.While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.

A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate.With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door. She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop. The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain, Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago," The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know.". "The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance.""Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance.""There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year.There also is another thing, that I think you should know,He wrote a special little card...he did this years ago.""Then, should ever, I find out that he's no longer here,That's the card...that should be sent, to you the following year."

She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card. Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote...


"Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone,I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome.""I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real. For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel. The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life. I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife." "You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need. I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve. I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears. That is why the roses will be sent to you for years." "When you get these roses, think of all the happiness, That we had together, and how both of us were blessed. I have always loved you and I know I always will.But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.". 


"Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days.I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways. The roses will come every year, and they will only stop, When your door's not answered, when the florist stops to knock.""He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out. But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt, To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him, And place the roses where we are, together once again."