I wanted to share this e-mail I received. It brought tears to my eyes.<P>A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening<BR> appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it<BR> struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it<BR> seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten<BR> as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to<BR> help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the<BR> remaining bit of the cocoon.<BR> <BR> The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small,<BR> shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he<BR> expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to<BR> be able to support the body, which would contract in time.<BR> <BR> Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling<BR> around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.<BR> What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the<BR> restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get<BR> through<BR> the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the<BR> butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it<BR> achieved<BR> its freedom from the cocoon.<BR> <BR> Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God<BR> allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would<BR> cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.<BR> We could never fly!<BR> <BR> I asked for Strength.........<BR> And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.<BR> <BR> I asked for Wisdom.........<BR> And God gave me Problems to solve.<BR> <BR> I asked for Prosperity.........<BR> And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.<BR> <BR> I asked for Courage.........<BR> And God gave me Danger to overcome.<BR> <BR> I asked for Love.........<BR> And God gave me Troubled people to help.<BR> <BR> I asked for Favors.........<BR> And God gave me Opportunities.<BR> <BR> I received nothing I wanted ........<BR> I received everything I needed!<BR> <BR> May God Bless You<P><BR>------------------<BR>Lost Soulmate<P>"Character is doing what's right, when no one is looking"<p>[This message has been edited by lostsoulmate (edited October 12, 2000).]

Thank you LSM...sometimes I need something like that<BR>May God Bless you also

Dear LSM,<P>It is beautiful, I will print it out to share.<P>thank you,<P>weep

Dear LSM,<P>You are so right -- sometimes we get so involved in our problems that we forget everything happens for a reason.<P>God is always watching. Thank you for sending this beautiful reminder.<P>- Heavenly

LSM:<P>Thank you for sharing. It is so beautiful! I know I certainly need to be reminded of count my blessing...big and small and to not be a victim or have a pity party for myself...at least not for long *smile* Thank you for sharing with us. God bless.<P>Comfort