***

Can I borrow $25?

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5 year old son waiting for him.

SON: Daddy, may I ask you a question?

DAD: Yeah, sure, what is it?

SON: Daddy, how much money do you make an hour?

DAD: That’s none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?

SON: I just want to know, please tell me, how much do you make an hour?

DAD: ‘If you must know, I make $50 an hour.’

SON: ‘Oh,’ the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: ‘Daddy, may I please borrow $25?’

The father was furious, ‘If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don’t work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.’ The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy’s questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn’t ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy’s room and opened the door. ‘Are you asleep, son?’ He asked. ‘No daddy, I’m awake,’ replied the boy. ‘I’ve been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier’ said the man. ‘It’s been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here’s the $25 you asked for.’

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. ‘Oh, thank you daddy!’ He yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. ‘Why do you want more money if you already have some?’ the father grumbled. Because I didn’t have enough, but now I do,’ the little boy replied. ‘Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.’

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness. It’s just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.

But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
“Boy, you’ll never win,
you’ll never win.”

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says “do not be afraid!”
and the Voice of truth says “this is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do
to have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
with just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
of a thousand warriors
shaking in their armor
Wishing they’d have had the strength to stand

But the giant’s calling out
my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I’ve tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
time and time again
“Boy you’ll never win,
you’ll never win.”

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says “do not be afraid!”
and the Voice of truth says “this is for My glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
to put the giant on the ground
and the waves they don’t seem so high
from on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
singing over me

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says “do not be afraid!”
And the Voice of truth says “this is for my glory”
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
‘Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are the Voice of truth

by Casting Crowns

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

An event like this becomes so important in people’s minds to the point that we forget about those around the world fighting & dying for a myriad of causes. Loss of life continues to happen all around us and some of it you never hear about, or even worse grow numb to hearing about over and over again. (When’s the last time you noted the death toll from a suicide bombing in Iraq?)

I was reminded of the following song written by Michael Fogarty and Chris Jung, and sung by Marianna Buhring. No matter what circumstances a life that is snuffed out, is a loss for someone.

Not Just One Life

Song © 2009 Aurora Productions. Used by permission.

Lyrics

Not Just One Life
Lyrics by Michael Fogarty, Chris Jung.
Music by Michael Fogarty.
Sung by Marianna Buhring.

Intro
Yeah
It’s not just one life.

Verse 1
On a cold dark night on a city street,
She hears a shot, then running feet.
Her heart pounds as she runs down to see,
She cries, ”Don’t let it be!” Yeah!
Reaching down, she holds him near,
She calls his name, but no answer she hears.
Gone are the hopes,
The love and care of all those years,
Only left are the tears.

Chorus 1
No, it’s not just one life,
Not just one out of millions,
It’s somebody’s father or mother or child.
No, it’s not just one life, stop! It’s somebody’s loved one
(Can’t you feel the pain?)
That’s been taken away. (Can’t you feel the pain?)

Verse 2
On a war-torn street with smoke-filled skies,
A shot rings out; a nother one dies.
Off in the distance, a young boy cries,
“Don’t let it be! Please don’t let it be daddy!”
One more dead, is that all it means?
Is it just another image on the TV screen?
Or the loss of the hopes,
The love and care of all those years,
Who will wipe his tears?

Chorus 2
Woh, it’s not just one life,
Not just one out of millions,
It’s somebody’s father or mother or child.
No, it’s not just one life, stop!
It’s somebody’s loved one.

Bridge
Every life is special to someone,
Behind every life is a story of love, yeah.

Chorus 3
Oh, it’s not just one life,
Not just one out of mil lions,
It’s somebody’s lover or mother or child.
No, it’s not just one life,

Chorus 4
Not just one life.
It’s somebody’s father or mother or child.
No, it’s not just one life, stop!
It’s somebody’s loved one.
(Not just one life.) No-o-o …

26. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

27. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

28. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are,

29. so that no one may boast before him.

30. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

31. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

(New International Version)