GODSmessenger
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Member # 4198
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This is a beautiful story passed on to me about how our LORD definitely uses to impact the lives of others ... sometimes to a life-saving extent! My thanks to Woody Oliver, who sent it to me so that I could share this with you. Remember, we may never know how one small act of kindness or recognition can literally change (or save) someone's life!
Love Always In Our LORD'S Service:
GOD'S Messenger (Make A Difference Ministries)
Forwarded by: Woody Oliver
woodyoliver@sbcglobal.net
Dear Kim,
This is without a doubt the best story I have ever read. I hope you read it all and it affects you like it affected me.
YOU Make A Difference In Others' Lives!
A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high
school by telling them the difference they each made. She called
each student to the front of the class, one at a time. First she
told each of them how they made a difference to her and the class.
Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with
gold letters, which read, "Who I Am Makes A Difference".
Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what
kind of impact recognition would have on the community. She gave
each of the students three more ribbons and instructed them to go
out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to
follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to
the class in about a week.
One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a
Nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning.
He gave him a blue ribbon and put it on his shirt. Then he gave him
the two extra ribbons and said, "We're doing a class project on
recognition, and we'd like you to go out, find somebody to honor,
give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue ribbon so they
can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgment ceremony
going. Then please report back to me and tell me what happened.
Later that day the junior executive went to see his boss. Who had
been noted, by the way, as being kind of a grouchy fellow. He sat
his boss down and he told him that he deeply admired him for being
a creative genius. The boss seemed very surprised. The junior
executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon
and would he give him permission to put it on him. His surprised
boss said, "Well sure." The junior executive took the blue ribbon and
placed it right on his boss's jacket above his heart. As he gave him
the last extra ribbon, he said, "Would you do me a favor? Would
you take this extra ribbon and pass it on by honoring somebody else.
The young boy who first gave me the ribbons is doing a project in
school and he wants to keep this recognition ceremony going and find
out how it affects people."
That night the boss came home to his 14-year old son and sat him
down. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I
was in my office and one of the junior executives came in and told
me he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative
genius. Imagine, he thinks I'm a creative genius. Then he put this
blue ribbon that says "Who I Am Makes A Difference" on my
jacket above my heart. He gave me an extra ribbon and asked me
to find somebody else to honor.
As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about whom I
would honor with this ribbon and I thought about you. I want to
honor you. My days are really hectic and when I come home I don't
pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes I scream at you for not
getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a
mess, but somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just
let you know that you do make a difference to me. Besides your
mother, you are the most important person in my life. Your a great
kid and I love you!"
The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he
wouldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his
father and said through his tears, "Dad, earlier tonight I sat in
my room and wrote a letter to you and Mom explaining why I killed
myself and asking you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide
tonight after you were asleep. I just didn't think you cared at all.
The letter is upstairs, I don't think I need it after all." His
Father walked upstairs and found a heartfelt letter full of anguish and
pain. The envelope was addressed, "Mom and Dad."
The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a
grouch but made sure to let all his employees know that they made
a difference. The junior executive helped several other young people
with career planning and never forgot to let them know that they
made a difference in his life....one being the boss's son. And the young
boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson. Who you are DOES make
a difference.
You are under no obligation to send this on to anyone.... not to
two people or to two hundred people. As far as I'm concerned, you can
delete it and move on to the next message. If you want, you can send
it to all of the people who mean something to you, or send it to the
one, two, or three people who mean the most. Or just smile and know
that someone thinks that you are important, or you wouldn't have
received this in the first place.
Remember that I gave you a blue ribbon!
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Yours In Our LORD'S Service:
GOD'S Messenger
Make A Difference Ministries
Posts: 19 | From: California | Registered: Dec 2004
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