A friend of mine sent this in:
THE BREADWINNER
Bread Winner...
I was speaking to an emergency room physician this morning.
He told me that a woman in her 20s came to the ER with her 8thpregnancy.
She stated, "my momma told me that I am the breadwinner for the family."
He asked her to explain. She said that she can make babies and babies get
money for the family.
It goes like this:
The grandma calls the Department of Child and Family Services and states
that the unemployed daughter is not capable of caring for these children.
DCFS agrees and states that the child or children will need to go to foster care.
The grandma then volunteers to be the foster parent, and thus receives a check
for $1500 per child per month in Illinois.
Total yearly income: $144,000 tax-free,
not to mention free healthcare (Medicaid) plus a monthly card entitling
her to free groceries, etc, and a voucher for 250 free cell phone minutes per month.
This does not even include WIC and other welfare programs.
Indeed, grandma was correct in that her fertile daughter is the "breadwinner" for the family.
This is how the ruling class spends our tax dollars.
Is this a GREAT COUNTRY or what...
Don't forget to pay your taxes!!!
There are a lot of "Breadwinners" depending on you
Monday, April 18, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Joe Willie On The Shrimpbox: Proud to be from Georgia!
My buddy Wayne Stewart sent me this. Thought I'd share with it you:
PROUD TO BE FROM GEORGIA
There are some things that all Georgians should know:
Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River ...
Coca Cola is ours, and unless you've had one in a six-and-a-half ounce bottle,
with a slight crust of ice on top, you missed a real treat.
Try pouring about half a pack of salted peanuts into one sometime.
If it weren't for a Georgian - Crawford Long of Jefferson - all surgery would hurt bad!
Georgians, native or adopted, say "ma'am" and "sir" and call their mothers "mama" and their fathers "daddy".
They know that y'all is perfectly good English and never means just one person.
"Fixin to" is perfectly acceptable, too. It's really preferred.
And if y'all don't like the way we talk, Delta (which is also ours) is ready when you are.
Long before the Olympics brought the world's greatest athletes to Atlanta ,
we gave the world Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Walt Frazier, Luke Appling, Johnny Mize,
Fran Tarkenton, Bobby Jones, Wyomia Tyus, and Herschel Walker.
If you don't know who these people are, you ought to find out before you go to bed tonight.
The greatest tournament in golf will still be played in Augusta every April,
and on autumn Saturdays,
Every Fall the Red-and-Black faithful will gather in Athens for a prayer meeting between the hedges.
Georgia Tech fans gather in Atlanta for Buzz to carry out the sting.
The Stone Mountain carving is lots bigger than the one on Mt. Rushmore
and the people etched into the side of Stone Mountain deserve the honor, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and President Jefferson Davis.
It wasn't about slavery. It was about freedom and independence from an all powerful government-sorta like Braveheart and most Southerners can trace their heritage to Scotland .
The best grapes and wine is produced in Lumpkin County .
Yes, we are better than California .
Atlanta with its millions of people has one of the greatest economies in the world and no other city in the USA has so much to offer in the way of the arts.
Milledgeville is the best small town in the USA and Georgia Military College is one of the top military colleges in the USA .
In 1864, Sherman burned parts of Atlanta and Georgia . He and his "men" also raped, stole and pillaged on his March to the sea. But we persevered.
We're called the " Peach State " because ours are the sweetest.
We do produce the most peanuts, pecans, and poultry.
The best barbecue in the world is from our Georgia pits.
Yes, God intended for iced tea to be served "sweet."
Elvis wasn't ours, but Otis Redding, James Brown, the Allman Brothers,
Johnny Mercer, Joe South , Ray Charles, Bill Anderson, Brenda Lee,
Trisha Yearwood, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, Jerry Reed, Burt Reynolds, Ray Stevens, Tommy Roe, and Alan Jackson are, as are trumpeter Harry James and wrestler Hulk Hogan
So are Sidney Lanier, Joel Chandler Harris, Margaret Mitchell and Alice Walker.
And I still miss Lewis Grizzard every day.
Julia Roberts may be Georgia's prettiest movie star,
and Holly Hunter may well be the most talented.
Dakota Fanning may one day surpass them both.
But no one shines brighter than actress Joanne Woodward.
Georgians Doc Holliday found his fame in the Old West and Oliver Hardy made us laugh in movies.
FDR adopted us. His "Little White House" in Warm Springs , Ga. is exactly as it was the day he died there,
near the end of World War II.
Every Georgian and citizen of the USA needs to visit Warm Springs.
Roosevelt's New Deal put Georgians to work
and turned an entire generation of her people into the best employers/employees in this great land.
Georgia once had three governors at the same time.
Lester Maddox wasn't one of them, but was elected by the General Assembly
without getting a majority of the popular vote.
He did a good job too, God rest his soul.
"Gone With the Wind" belongs to us. We own it.
Not only is it by one of our own and is about Georgia ,
but it's also one of the great novels of all times.
WSB (TV) means "Welcome to the South, Brother."
The Brown Thrasher, the Cherokee Rose, and the Live Oak are our symbols.
Proud, decent, honest people are our heritage.
And lastly, Georgia ain't exactly heaven - but it will do until I get there.
Can I Hear an AMEN?!
PROUD TO BE FROM GEORGIA
There are some things that all Georgians should know:
Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River ...
Coca Cola is ours, and unless you've had one in a six-and-a-half ounce bottle,
with a slight crust of ice on top, you missed a real treat.
Try pouring about half a pack of salted peanuts into one sometime.
If it weren't for a Georgian - Crawford Long of Jefferson - all surgery would hurt bad!
Georgians, native or adopted, say "ma'am" and "sir" and call their mothers "mama" and their fathers "daddy".
They know that y'all is perfectly good English and never means just one person.
"Fixin to" is perfectly acceptable, too. It's really preferred.
And if y'all don't like the way we talk, Delta (which is also ours) is ready when you are.
Long before the Olympics brought the world's greatest athletes to Atlanta ,
we gave the world Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Walt Frazier, Luke Appling, Johnny Mize,
Fran Tarkenton, Bobby Jones, Wyomia Tyus, and Herschel Walker.
If you don't know who these people are, you ought to find out before you go to bed tonight.
The greatest tournament in golf will still be played in Augusta every April,
and on autumn Saturdays,
Every Fall the Red-and-Black faithful will gather in Athens for a prayer meeting between the hedges.
Georgia Tech fans gather in Atlanta for Buzz to carry out the sting.
The Stone Mountain carving is lots bigger than the one on Mt. Rushmore
and the people etched into the side of Stone Mountain deserve the honor, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and President Jefferson Davis.
It wasn't about slavery. It was about freedom and independence from an all powerful government-sorta like Braveheart and most Southerners can trace their heritage to Scotland .
The best grapes and wine is produced in Lumpkin County .
Yes, we are better than California .
Atlanta with its millions of people has one of the greatest economies in the world and no other city in the USA has so much to offer in the way of the arts.
Milledgeville is the best small town in the USA and Georgia Military College is one of the top military colleges in the USA .
In 1864, Sherman burned parts of Atlanta and Georgia . He and his "men" also raped, stole and pillaged on his March to the sea. But we persevered.
We're called the " Peach State " because ours are the sweetest.
We do produce the most peanuts, pecans, and poultry.
The best barbecue in the world is from our Georgia pits.
Yes, God intended for iced tea to be served "sweet."
Elvis wasn't ours, but Otis Redding, James Brown, the Allman Brothers,
Johnny Mercer, Joe South , Ray Charles, Bill Anderson, Brenda Lee,
Trisha Yearwood, Little Richard, Gladys Knight, Jerry Reed, Burt Reynolds, Ray Stevens, Tommy Roe, and Alan Jackson are, as are trumpeter Harry James and wrestler Hulk Hogan
So are Sidney Lanier, Joel Chandler Harris, Margaret Mitchell and Alice Walker.
And I still miss Lewis Grizzard every day.
Julia Roberts may be Georgia's prettiest movie star,
and Holly Hunter may well be the most talented.
Dakota Fanning may one day surpass them both.
But no one shines brighter than actress Joanne Woodward.
Georgians Doc Holliday found his fame in the Old West and Oliver Hardy made us laugh in movies.
FDR adopted us. His "Little White House" in Warm Springs , Ga. is exactly as it was the day he died there,
near the end of World War II.
Every Georgian and citizen of the USA needs to visit Warm Springs.
Roosevelt's New Deal put Georgians to work
and turned an entire generation of her people into the best employers/employees in this great land.
Georgia once had three governors at the same time.
Lester Maddox wasn't one of them, but was elected by the General Assembly
without getting a majority of the popular vote.
He did a good job too, God rest his soul.
"Gone With the Wind" belongs to us. We own it.
Not only is it by one of our own and is about Georgia ,
but it's also one of the great novels of all times.
WSB (TV) means "Welcome to the South, Brother."
The Brown Thrasher, the Cherokee Rose, and the Live Oak are our symbols.
Proud, decent, honest people are our heritage.
And lastly, Georgia ain't exactly heaven - but it will do until I get there.
Can I Hear an AMEN?!
Joe Willie On The Shrimp Box: "Old German Shepherd"
One day an old German Shepherd starts chasing rabbits and before long, discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a panther heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.
The old German Shepherd thinks, "Oh, oh! I'm in deep **** now!"
Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the panther is about to leap, the old German Shepherd exclaims loudly,
"Boy, that was one delicious panther! I wonder, if there are any more around here?"
Hearing this, the young panther halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees.
"Whew!," says the panther, "That was close! That old German Shepherd nearly had me!"
Meanwhile, a squirrel who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the panther. So, off he goes.
The squirrel soon catches up with the panther, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the panther..
The young panther is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here, squirrel, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!"
Now, the old German Shepherd sees the panther coming with the squirrel on his back and thinks, "What am I going to do now?," but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old German Shepherd says...
"Where's that squirrel? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another panther!"
Moral of this story...
Don't mess with the old dogs... Age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery!
BS and brilliance only come with age and experience.
If you don't send this to five 'old' friends right away, there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.
Of course, I am in no way insinuating that you are old, just 'youthfully challenged'.
The old German Shepherd thinks, "Oh, oh! I'm in deep **** now!"
Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the panther is about to leap, the old German Shepherd exclaims loudly,
"Boy, that was one delicious panther! I wonder, if there are any more around here?"
Hearing this, the young panther halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees.
"Whew!," says the panther, "That was close! That old German Shepherd nearly had me!"
Meanwhile, a squirrel who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the panther. So, off he goes.
The squirrel soon catches up with the panther, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the panther..
The young panther is furious at being made a fool of and says, "Here, squirrel, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!"
Now, the old German Shepherd sees the panther coming with the squirrel on his back and thinks, "What am I going to do now?," but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old German Shepherd says...
"Where's that squirrel? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another panther!"
Moral of this story...
Don't mess with the old dogs... Age and skill will always overcome youth and treachery!
BS and brilliance only come with age and experience.
If you don't send this to five 'old' friends right away, there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.
Of course, I am in no way insinuating that you are old, just 'youthfully challenged'.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Joe Willie On The Shrimpbox: The Southern Ten Commandments
THE SOUTHERN TEN COMMANDMENTS
This is much easier to remember !!!
Ten Commandments In Southern...
(1) Just one God
(2) Put nothin' before God
(3) Watch yer mouth
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
(5) Honor yer Ma & Pa
(6) No killin'
(7) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(8) Don't take what ain't yers
(9) No tellin' tales or gossipin'
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff
Now that's plain an' simple.
Y'all have a nice day now ya hear!
And bless your little heart....
This is much easier to remember !!!
Ten Commandments In Southern...
(1) Just one God
(2) Put nothin' before God
(3) Watch yer mouth
(4) Git yourself to Sunday meetin'
(5) Honor yer Ma & Pa
(6) No killin'
(7) No foolin' around with another fellow's gal.
(8) Don't take what ain't yers
(9) No tellin' tales or gossipin'
(10) Don't be hankerin' for yer buddy's stuff
Now that's plain an' simple.
Y'all have a nice day now ya hear!
And bless your little heart....
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Joe Willie On The Shrimpbox: A Patriot!!
WOW! A patriot. Refreshing.
A CALIFORNIA PRINCIPAL'S OPENING MESSAGE TO STUDENTS
Dennis Prager - from a principal at a high school in Redding, California, on the first day of classes in 2010:
To the students and faculty of our high school:
I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater
calling than to teach young people. I would like to apprise you of some
important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country.
Therefore:
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.
The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans.
If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, or religious identity through your school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity-race-and non-American-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- E Pluribus Unum -- "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America's values.
That includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.
Our clubs will be based on interests and passions -- not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So, we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave thisschool speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America's citizens for more than 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English-language skills, I will have been remiss in my duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English. But if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the "F-word," you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the "N-word," even when used by one black student to address another, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until the state of California decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight.
Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian. We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school and does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.
Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.
A CALIFORNIA PRINCIPAL'S OPENING MESSAGE TO STUDENTS
Dennis Prager - from a principal at a high school in Redding, California, on the first day of classes in 2010:
To the students and faculty of our high school:
I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater
calling than to teach young people. I would like to apprise you of some
important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers, against your parents, and against our country.
Therefore:
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow, or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian, or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.
The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans.
If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial, or religious identity through your school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity-race-and non-American-nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- E Pluribus Unum -- "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America's values.
That includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation, or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.
Our clubs will be based on interests and passions -- not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So, we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, math, carpentry, and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic or racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
Second, I am not interested in whether or not English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave thisschool speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America's citizens for more than 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English-language skills, I will have been remiss in my duty to ensure that you are prepared to compete successfully in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English. But if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for a meal at a nice restaurant than they do for church or school. Those people have their priorities backwards. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the "F-word," you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission plus epithets such as the "N-word," even when used by one black student to address another, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few of your age to distinguish instinctively between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until the state of California decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence of this is that there will be only one class valedictorian, not eight.
Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom-wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual, or not Christian. We will have failed, if any one of you graduates from this school and does not consider himself or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.
Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Joe Willie On The Shrimpbox: "Seeds"
A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Your aspiration is your motivation, your motivation is your belief, your belief is your peace, your peace is your target, your target is heaven, and life is like hard core torture without it!
Instead of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were Shocked, but the boss continued "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.
By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection.
Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"
All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!
His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed.
"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.
All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"
* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
* If you plant hard work, you will reap success
* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.
Your aspiration is your motivation, your motivation is your belief, your belief is your peace, your peace is your target, your target is heaven, and life is like hard core torture without it!
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