819AFC050908
Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved. Here is a pair of stories I discovered recently. Hope you enjoy them.
The frogs and the tower
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants…
The race began…
Honestly, no-one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
“Oh, WAY too difficult!!”
“They will NEVER make it to the top”.
“Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!”
The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one the competitors slid down the wall to the ground … except for those who, in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher…
The crowd continued to yell
“It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!”
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up…
…But ONE continued higher and higher and higher…
This one wouldn’t give up!
At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?
A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded, How did you did you find the strength to reach the goal?”
It turned out…
That the winner was deaf.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Testing for gossip
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”
“Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied. “Before telling me anything I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“Triple filter?”
“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”
“No,” the man said, “Actually I just heard about it and …”
“All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”
“No, on the contrary…”
“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”
“No, not really …”
“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?”
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Now for a little news: Crucita is looking toward the end of the school year. Her kids are really starting to catch on to what math is and how it works. They are amazed by how much they’ve learned (and so are the other teachers, incidentally). Looks like she will be teaching math again next year, too. She’s been working very hard at finishing up the painting of our little house; I’ll send a photo when it’s done. She’ll be traveling to the Mainland for a while this June, so if you live in AZ or NM you might be in the same neighborhood.
Tim is coming here for a few days, and that will be a kick. Maybe we’ll get together a small jam session or something. I’m so out of practice on my guitar . . . Well, we’ll see what happens. His girlfriend, Chanson, will come to Kaua’i toward the end of his stay. He’s enjoying the expanded responsibilities of his work with Higher Balance, and still making great music.
Maria, Tommy, Willie, Chaz, and Ana are still up in the air about moving. They’ve been hard to contact, so we don’t know the latest yet. Maria has a knack for getting to the bottom of things – like her Mama – and she’s bound to find them a place to live, a job, and transportation.
Remember in your prayers: Jim P, Jim M, John H, John T, John T, John M, Stan D, the People of Darfur, all the servants of God, and the MBN.
Thanks for all your love, your prayers, you great stories, and the MBN commitment. Let’s do that together right now, shall we?
Father, I take a moment to remember everyone in the Moon Beam Network. Watch over them. Bless them. Protect them. Guide them. Direct them. Keep them all safe from any harm or danger in body, mind, and spirit. Give them your Light. Bless them all for the love we share among all of the members of the Moon Beam Network. Likewise bless everyone I have ever loved and everyone who has ever loved me and anyone who has ever loved them for the love we have comes from You through your Son Jesus the Christ by the ministry of The Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
More Great Stories Here
819AFC050908
Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved. Here is a pair of stories I discovered recently. Hope you enjoy them.
The frogs and the tower
There once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants…
The race began…
Honestly, no-one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
“Oh, WAY too difficult!!”
“They will NEVER make it to the top”.
“Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!”
The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one the competitors slid down the wall to the ground … except for those who, in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher…
The crowd continued to yell
“It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!”
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up…
…But ONE continued higher and higher and higher…
This one wouldn’t give up!
At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?
A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded, How did you did you find the strength to reach the goal?”
It turned out…
That the winner was deaf.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Testing for gossip
In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”
“Hold on a minute,” Socrates replied. “Before telling me anything I’d like you to pass a little test. It’s called the Triple Filter Test.”
“Triple filter?”
“That’s right,” Socrates continued. “Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you’re going to say. That’s why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?”
“No,” the man said, “Actually I just heard about it and …”
“All right,” said Socrates. “So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Now let’s try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?”
“No, on the contrary…”
“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?”
“No, not really …”
“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?”
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Now for a little news: Crucita is looking toward the end of the school year. Her kids are really starting to catch on to what math is and how it works. They are amazed by how much they’ve learned (and so are the other teachers, incidentally). Looks like she will be teaching math again next year, too. She’s been working very hard at finishing up the painting of our little house; I’ll send a photo when it’s done. She’ll be traveling to the Mainland for a while this June, so if you live in AZ or NM you might be in the same neighborhood.
Tim is coming here for a few days, and that will be a kick. Maybe we’ll get together a small jam session or something. I’m so out of practice on my guitar . . . Well, we’ll see what happens. His girlfriend, Chanson, will come to Kaua’i toward the end of his stay. He’s enjoying the expanded responsibilities of his work with Higher Balance, and still making great music.
Maria, Tommy, Willie, Chaz, and Ana are still up in the air about moving. They’ve been hard to contact, so we don’t know the latest yet. Maria has a knack for getting to the bottom of things – like her Mama – and she’s bound to find them a place to live, a job, and transportation.
Remember in your prayers: Jim P, Jim M, John H, John T, John T, John M, Stan D, the People of Darfur, all the servants of God, and the MBN.
Thanks for all your love, your prayers, you great stories, and the MBN commitment. Let’s do that together right now, shall we?
Father, I take a moment to remember everyone in the Moon Beam Network. Watch over them. Bless them. Protect them. Guide them. Direct them. Keep them all safe from any harm or danger in body, mind, and spirit. Give them your Light. Bless them all for the love we share among all of the members of the Moon Beam Network. Likewise bless everyone I have ever loved and everyone who has ever loved me and anyone who has ever loved them for the love we have comes from You through your Son Jesus the Christ by the ministry of The Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
More Great Stories Here
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
