Here is your Friday story, When There’s Nothing We Can Do  courtesy of Bob Proctor

“Out of all that you possess, what do you believe is the most valuable?” he asked me.

“Rich, you know me well enough to know I put little value on things in my life. So, this, for me, is a difficult question,” I replied.

“It’s not the same answer for everyone and yet, most people put little, if any, value on this,” he said.

Rich is a man with more energy than any one person should have. When he is speaking with you he talks to everyone around you. When he is in a room everyone knows it. He is not boisterous, rude or obnoxious. He is just super happy and friendly with everyone he meets.

There are times when I see people and wish out loud, “I want to be that happy.” I’m not sure I’d want to be as happy as Rich. He sometimes exhausts me.

I thought about what he said for a few minutes while he scanned the people nearby.

“Hey, this is Bobby Perks. He’s a big time writer!” he said to someone. I, in turn, wanted to hide.

“Well, I would guess I would say I value my home. It’s a simple one, big enough for Marianne and I, but I would guess shelter would have to be at the top of my list.”

“Good answer. I knew you wouldn’t say your car. You don’t drive a fancy one. You don’t wear a watch or fancy jewelry. You’re right, stuff doesn’t matter to you.”

“So, what’s your answer?”

“Your words. Not because you are a writer and a speaker. I believe that you own your words and many people don’t. You care about what you say.”

He gives me more credit than I deserve for I have, like some people, said things I regretted later.

I thought about “owning my words.”

They say that actions speak louder than words, but people tend to say things without really thinking.

Words build up or tear down.

Words inspire or insult.

The first words spoken have made lovers out of strangers.

The last words whispered may ease a mourners pain.

Words spoken in anger are often forgiven, but rarely forgotten.

“Just what I needed to hear!” means God spoke through you.

You are what you say and how you say it.

Matthew 12:37 “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Dale Carnegie once said, “You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world’s happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.”

Sometimes words are all we have when there’s nothing we can do.

“I wish you enough!”

Bob Perks

Bob Perks is an inspirational author and speaker. Bob’s new book I Wish You Enoughhas been published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. A collection of stories based on hisEight Wishes expressed below. Available through your favorite bookstore or online. Visit www.BobPerks.com

“I Wish You Enough!”
(c) 2001 Bob Perks
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Goodbye.”

Here is your Friday story, Gliding Through Life – courtesy of Bob Proctor

Jumping over huge snow mounds, then propelling down steep snow slopes at a ridiculously high speed to the bottom of the mountains–what a feeling!

Well, maybe in my dreams. However what was I going to say when the person who had asked me to give an inspirational speech in Boise, Idaho, invited me to try skiing after I concluded my talk? I had just finished my talk with the words: “Nothing is impossible.” However, I am disabled after having been hurt as a teenager, AND I had never, ever, been snow skiing. I asked myself: “What am I going to do?”

Well, I did the only thing I could think of and calmly stated: “I’ve never skied in my life; however, I’m always looking for challenges, so I would love to go.” As I returned to my hotel room I was excited for the next day’s “skiing adventure.”

I awoke and dressed appropriately for the slopes. Tina, who had been the one to invite me to deliver the keynote at Boise State University, came to my room with her friend. We started the 45 minute drive up the mountain. As we got out of the car Tina said, “Wait here, I need to get the instructor, John, who I hired.”

Shortly afterwards, she came back with John who explained that I needed rental equipment (skis, poles, etc.). He helped me put the equipment on and said, “Mike, lets go to the slopes.”

It wasn’t easy getting from the locker room to the slopes, but the guide helped me (a lot!) and we finally got to the “rope tow.” (For those of you who are not aware, a “rope tow” is how beginners on the “bunny hill” get from the bottom of the hill to the top. I never knew there was anything called a “rope tow” but I learned quickly.) John said, as he was ready for me to try to get on the tow, “Are you ready?” and I replied, “Yep.” His response was, “One, two, three…go.” I grabbed the tow, almost falling, but I did it!

John was right behind me on the tow. When we got to the top he explained how we were going to go down the hill: he would hold onto the rented pole at one end and I would hold onto the other end. He then explained that as we would be going down the hill we would put weight on one leg, then on the other, in order to descend the hill on an angle.

My excitement was mounting and finally he asked, “Ready?”

As we pushed off, a huge smile on my face could be seen by everyone.

Meanwhile, down at the base of the hill, Tina and her friend had brought “cam cord” cameras to record my “skiing experience” so I could always have a reminder. However, unfortunately, Tina’s camera battery had run out; and to make matters worse, her friend’s camera’s battery also had run out of power.

What was she going to do? She became frantic. She wanted this experience to be videoed.

Just then, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a news crew with a camera doing a story at the ski mountain. She ran over to them and begged, “Can I buy some video?”

Naturally, they all said, “Of course not.” However, after she explained the need for the camera, the news crew became enthusiastic and they shot the film. That night, there was a story on Channel 7 News about, “a first-time skier whom the camera crew had just run into.” (Actually, it was Tina who had “run into them.”)

I learned many things about life that bright sunny day while skiing down the slopes in Idaho. For everyone, life is full of “bumps and not always smooth”. However, with the right attitude (as well as other factors), few things in life are impossible. I proved that as I glided down to the base of the mountain.

Michael Segal

Michael Jordan Segal, who defied all odds after being shot in the head, is a husband, father, social worker, freelance author (including a CD/Download of 12 stories, read with light backgroud music, entitled POSSIBLE), and inspirational speaker, sharing his recipe for happiness, recovery and success before conferences and businesses. To contact Mike or to order his CD, please visit www.InspirationByMike.com and please take a moment to check out his youtube video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNeRqpaoNpQ you will be glad you did.

Here is your Friday story, “The Big Deal – That Shouldn’t Have Been”. Courtesy of Bob Proctor

The “big deal” in this case has nothing to do with Goldman Sachs, Wall Street, health care, or government bailouts. It did involve money, though, and that is part of the reason it made headlines. A couple of weeks ago, Brian Davis told the truth, acted with integrity, and forfeited $411,000 in the process.

You likely know the story. It happened during the Verizon Heritage golf tournament. Brian Davis and Jim Furyk were on the first hole of a playoff, after finishing the day with identical scores. Davis had holed a clutch 18-foot putt for birdie on the final hole to force the playoff. But he ran into trouble quickly.

Davis was in a hazard that had clusters of reeds all around. He took his time and pondered his options. Playing a 14-time PGA Tour winner such as Furyk, Davis – who has yet to win a PGA event – needed to make a spectacular shot. He and his caddie looked it over carefully. He struck the ball. Then he immediately called a PGA official named Slugger White to come over. He told him that he might have grazed one of the reeds on his backswing.

Nobody had called it. The officials standing nearby had not seen anything amiss. Jim Furyk had not protested. But Davis, although he hadn’t felt it through the shaft of his club, believed he had seen it out of the corner of his eye.

White went to the TV monitor. The touch between club and reed was so slight that it took slow-motion replay to spot it. But there it was! And PGA Rule 13.4 – which prohibits moving any “impediment” with the start of a player’s backswing – says that a player is to be assessed a two-stroke penalty for such an infraction. And that was the end of Davis’ chance to win his first PGA event.

The honesty of Brian Davis became a “big deal” immediately. In some ways, it overshadowed the tournament outcome. E-mails and phone calls flooded in to Davis. Members of the PGA’s senior tour phoned to thank him for restoring some sense of integrity to their sport. Teachers had students write essays. “He’s class,” said Slugger White of the man he had to penalize, “first class!”

As Davis himself admitted in the aftermath of his action, though, it should not have been a big deal at all. That’s what Rule 13.4 says, and golf is played by rules. Shortcuts, cheating, taking advantage of one’s opponent, winning by doing whatever you must – they are all part of the lore of life these days. But they have no place in a person of character. Davis wants to win, but fair and square.

That there was such a fuss over a golfer doing what he was supposed to do may be a commentary on the low expectations we have of one another.

“Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1 NLT).

Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries. To learn more about Rubel please go to: www.RubelShelly.com

Here is your Friday story, Learn to Fly. Courtesy of Bob Proctor

In mythology, the Phoenix is a sacred bird with beautiful red and golden feathers. This bird, at the end of its life, will build a nest of twigs, lay on the nest then ignite. The bird and the nest destroyed in a fierce fire.

January 17, 1987 began as a busy Saturday for the O’Leary family, or at least that is how Susan O’Leary describes it in her inspiring book entitled, Overwhelming Odds. Susan’s husband, Denny, a successful attorney in St. Louis, was at work preparing for a Monday court hearing. She was leaving the house with their oldest daughter, Cadey, taking her to music lessons. Jim, age 17, was still sleeping. As was Amy, 11. John was nine and Susan seven, they were both awake somewhere in the house.

Laura, the youngest, a toddler of eighteen months, would be going with Susan and Cadey. A quick run through the house by Susan told everyone that they were leaving and that they would return in an hour. Susan found John in the basement, he had built a fire in the fireplace and was standing there watching the flames when she found him. That concerned her, and she told John so. “You are not to get near that fireplace unless dad or I are with you. Do you understand?” John nodded his agreement. Susan reminded him where everyone was, and that she and the two girls would be back in an hour. Then, she left.

John, earlier in the fall, had witnessed a couple of older neighborhood boys playing with gasoline and fire. They would dump out some gas, light it, then laugh at the quick ‘poof’ of fire. With the house quiet, mom and dad away, John decided he would do the same as these boys had done. He rolled a piece of paper then lit it from a fireplace flame. He carefully carried it to the garage. There, he found a five-gallon gas can in the corner. John tried to lift the can but with about three gallons of gas inside it, the can was too heavy. So, he put the paper down. The flame intensified as he did so. He intended to dump a few drops on the flame and decided that he would simply tilt the gas can over the burning paper. Leaning over the flame and gas can, he tilted the can. The gas fumes poured out of the nozzle. Before a drop of gas hit the paper, the fumes ignited. The gas can burst, covering John in gasoline. That gasoline ignited. The force of the explosion threw John backwards almost fifteen feet. Months later, the O’Leary’s would learn that the explosion was so intense; the repercussions were heard blocks away. There, in the garage, nine-year-old John’s entire body was engulfed in fire.

Susan and Denny arrived at the hospital, St. John’s Intensive Care Burn Unit. There they learned the blunt facts surrounding their son’s condition. He was burned on nearly 100% of his body. About 15% of his body had second-degree burns with the remainder, 85% of the body, at third degree severity. In places, the burns were through three layers of skin, muscle and into the bone. In the first 24-hours, the fluids pumped into John’s body to help replenish fluids lost from the event and to provide moisture to undamaged cells. The body would react to these fluids by swelling, closing his eyes and mouth. He was semiconscious.

After learning these facts, Susan asked the doctor, “Are you saying he has only a 50% chance of survival? The doctor, one of the best burn specialist in the country, responded, “Mrs. O’Leary, you do not understand what I’ve told you. I’m not a betting man, but if I were to categorize it in that fashion, I would say that John has less than a one half of 1% chance of making it through the night.”

When Susan and Denny first saw their son, John was still able to speak, his mouth had not yet swollen closed from the fluids. He asked, “Mommy, am I going to die?”

In a calm voice Susan replied, “John, do you want to die?”

“No.” was his reply.

“Then John, you are going to have to fight as hard as you have ever have in your life. You are going to have to run as fast as you ever have on the soccer field. You are going to have to give it your all.”

There is an anonymous quote that reads, “When we come to the edge of all of the light we have and we must take a step into the darkness of the unknown we must believe one of two things. Either, we will find something firm to stand on or we will be taught to fly.” Do we choose life? Do we choose life in our daily struggles or the grind of a morning commute, in an argument with our children, in turmoil at work, in our faith or in working a dead-end job.

The Phoenix, after burning and being reduced to ashes will rise again. And, in this new life, is stronger than before, able to fly higher and go further. Live and fight as hard as we have ever fought in life. Know that we will find something firm to stand or will be taught to fly. And, as for John, he followed his choice to live. He survived that first night. And slowly, painfully, day-by-day, he chose life and in so doing rose from the ashes.

Matt Forck

Matt Forck, CSP, JLW, www.thesafetysoul.org is asought after speaker and consultant. He appears at industry events and his corporate client list includes fortune 500 companies, trade associations, utility and construction companies.This story is from Matt’s latest book entitled, Check Up From the Neck Up – - 101 Ways to Get Your Head in the Game of Life.

To learn more about John O’Leary and his incredible story, log onto his website;http://www.rising-above.com/