<BR>Here is a nice story that helped to pick me up in one of my darker moments, hope it helps someone struggling out there today.<P>The Butterfly <P>A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. <P>Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. <P>What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. <P>Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly! <P>I asked for Strength......... <BR>And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong. <P>I asked for Wisdom......... <BR>And God gave me Problems to solve. <P>I asked for Prosperity......... <BR>And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work. <P>I asked for Courage......... <BR>And God gave me Danger to overcome. <P>I asked for Love......... <BR>And God gave me Troubled people to help. <P>I asked for Favors......... <BR>And God gave me Opportunities. <P>I received nothing I wanted........ <BR>I received everything I needed! <P> <BR>

Thanks

Thankyou - I love it!

<P>I copied it to share with others. Thanks for the pick-me up.

Glad to help, maybe others have a favorite story to tack on here?<BR>

Great one, my friend. I had read it before but somehow lost it, now I have it again.<BR>Thanks<BR>Hugs<BR>Kat<P>------------------<BR>"Each and everyone of us is deserving of a gentle thougth, a kind word and the gift of understanding"

I love that one...and it's one of the reasons for my nick.<P>Though I think I could almost change my name to Chrys (short for Chrysallis (sp) <P>I especially love how circular life is..this is one that Sparky and I both got strength from before.<P>------------------<BR>Cat<P>catfrommb@yahoo.com<P>We're only human, baby<BR>We walk on broken ground<BR>We lose our way<BR>We come unwound<BR>We'll turn in circles, baby<BR>We're never satisfied<BR>We'll fall from grace<BR>Forget we can fly<BR>But through all the tears that we cried<BR>We'll survive<P>Cause when we're torn apart<BR>Shattered and scarred<BR>Love has the grace to save us<P>Sara Evans-- Born to Fly<p>[This message has been edited by Caterpillar (edited June 07, 2001).]

I agree very uplifting...but I'm not sure I like His sense of humor.<BR> <B> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I asked for Strength......... <BR>And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong. <P>I asked for Wisdom......... <BR>And God gave me Problems to solve. <P>I asked for Prosperity......... <BR>And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work. <P>I asked for Courage......... <BR>And God gave me Danger to overcome. <P>I asked for Love......... <BR>And God gave me Troubled people to help. <P>I asked for Favors......... <BR>And God gave me Opportunities. <P>I received nothing I wanted........ <BR>I received everything I needed! <BR><HR></BLOCKQUOTE></B><p>[This message has been edited by dumbdumb (edited June 07, 2001).]