GREETINGS...GREETINGS!.....

'WISHING ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS'

GIFTS

The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity - Balfour

OUR ONCE UPON A TIME ....

Even without the torn jeans, he made a scruffy-looking ten year old. His fifth grade classmates had never seen anyone as poorly dressed and unpolished as Marco. This was his first day of elementary school in a quaint New England town of well-to-do families. Marco's parents were migrant fruit pickers and his classmates eyed him with suspicion for the first part of the day. Even though they whispered and made comments about his clothes, he didn't seem to notice.

Then came recess and the kickball game. Marco led off the first inning with a home run, earning him a bit of respect from his wardrobe critics. Next up to kick was Richard, the least athletic and most over-weight child in the class. After his second strike (amid the groans of his classmates), Marco edged up to Richard and quietly said, "Forget them, kid. You can do it!" Richard kicked a home run and at that precise moment, something began to change in Marco's class. Over the next few months, Marco was able to teach the class many new things. Things such as how to tell when fruit was ripe, how to call a wild turkey and, especially, how to treat other people.

By the time Marco's parents finished their work in the area, the class was preparing to celebrate Christmas. While other students brought the teacher fancy scarves, perfumes and soaps, Marco stepped up to the teacher's desk with a special gift. It was a rock that he delivered into the teacher's hands which was beautiful and bright. "I polished it up special," he said.

Years later, the teacher still had Marco's rock on her desk. At the beginning of each school year, she would tell her class about the gentle boy who taught her and her class not to judge a book by its cover. And that it's what's on the inside of others that truly counts.

From: This Little Light of Mine

JENNIFER...A CHRISTMAS STORY...(sob...sob)

MERRY CHRISTMAS. Love, Jennifer

(In the previous story, Merry Christmas, Jennifer, Wayne Furrow sent his departed daughter, Jennifer, a Christmas letter via the Internet. It was picked up by a few people and shortly after, Mr. Furrow received this reply.)

Dad,

I did get to experience the Internet and you're right .... I love it. I don't think it's the same Net you are on though. I travel the universe - no downtime, flames, smears, nothing like that at all.

I am with you Christmas morning. Actually, I'm with you every morning. Haven't you felt my presence? Heard my voice? Seen me in a thousand different places? I can do that for a while but eventually I will have to spend more and more of my time spreading around the things you taught me: love, caring, giving, loyalty.

I can't say that I miss you because where I am there are no feelings that are sad. Honestly! Not ever! I do know when you think of me and I am happy. Did you know that I can view my whole life with you and Sarah and Mom in just a few seconds! Can you imagine?

I have so many other people here that are the greatest. Someday you'll find out for yourself. Just remember this Daddy, I'm never sad. I have a feeling that someday this great feeling will be even greater. That's because you'll be with me. Don't be in any rush though. There are a lot of neat things that you can do down there that I can' t do up here, like, love Mom a lot.

Love, Jennifer


Mr. Furrow, I lost a wife and a child a long time ago. I wish I could have received one last letter. God be with you and please forgive an old man's sentimentality. Your letter touched me at the very core of my being.

Every blessing to you.
Fr. Howard Gorle

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Jennifer

Hi, sweetheart. Christmas won't be the same without you this year, but we will try to cope with the many memories of our 19 years spent with you. All I want for Christmas is to have you back with us, but knowing that is impossible I will settle for a letter to you: God will hopefully hand-deliver it in time for the holiday.

I missed having you being here to help me with my Christmas shopping. You always had a sense of what your mom liked. I managed okay, I think you were probably helping me. Your mom will love the gift you sent her from Heaven! Sarah too!

Your mom has done a lot of baking this week; uncooked cake, date squares, etc. Surprised, eh?

Our traditional Christmas get-together will be at your Uncle Steve's place this year. We don't know how we will handle it, but will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Sarah is doing okay, still dating Brian (which has really helped her).

We know she misses you mostly at nights, when you two would do so much talking. She misses her big sister's advice and odd spat!

I have to go to the cemetry tomorrow and shovel 3 1/2 feet of snow, in case some of the family want to visit your grave site. We decorated the poles, hung a white and red bird and a few bells for you to hear when the wind blows. It really looks nice. We know Patrick misses you, and you him. Sorry I wasn't more supportive of your relationship, that will bother me until I can apologise in person.

I'm sorry you never got to experience the Internet, Jenny. You would have loved it! I have met some wonderful people online, families that have also lost children. They have helped me tremendously in coping with your death. Most times, other than your mom, it has been my only release. Losing one's child is the most pain a parent can experience, and being able to correspond with others in the same situation is surely a blessing. Jennifer, we will miss you always. We will never stop loving you or ever forget you!

Love, Sarah, Mom and Dad Furrow

IHSAN SESAMA INSAN

Ihsan juga dituntut semasa bergaul sesama manusia. Tuhan menjelaskan dalam surah al-Qasas ayat 77 yang bermaksud, "Buatlah ihsan sebagaimana Allah telah membuat kebaikan kepadamu. Janganlah kamu lakukan kerosakan di muka bumi. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak menyukai mereka yang melakukan kerosakan."

Berhubung dengan perintah melakukan ihsan yang terdapat dalam ayat ini, Imam Ibn Kathir berkata: "Buatlah kebaikan kepada hamba-hamba Tuhan sebagaimana Tuhan berbuat baik kepada kamu." Dalam hadis yang lain yang dilaporkan oleh Imam Tabrani dan Bazzar, nabi berkata, "Mahukah aku tunjukkan tentang sesuatu yang akan menaikkan darjatmu? Bersopan santunlah dengan mereka yang tidak mempedulikanmu. Maafkanlah mereka yang menzalimimu. Berikanlah kepada mereka yang bakhil terhadapmu. Hubungilah mereka yang memutuskan hubungan persaudaraan denganmu."

Antara insan yang wajib kita gauli dengan ihsan adalah ibu bapa kita. Tuhan menyatakan dalam surah al-Israk ayat 23 yang bermaksud, "Dan Tuhanmu telah memerintakan supaya kamu tidak menyembah selain Dia dan hendaklah kamu berbuat ihsan (iaitu kebaikan) kepada ibu bapamu dengan sebaik-baiknya. Apabila salah seorang antara mereka ataupun kedua-duanya mencapai umur tua, janganlah kamu mengucapkan perkataan 'uh' kepada mereka dan janganlah kamu membentak mereka. Sebaliknya ucaplah kepada mereka ucapan yang mulia."

Konsep ihsan sesama manusia diperincikan lagi dalam surah an-Nisak ayat 36 yang bermaksud, "Sembahlah Allah dan janganlah kamu mempersekutukannya dengan suatu apa pun. Dan berbuat ihsanlah kepada kedua-dua ibu bapa, kaum kerabat, anak-anak yatim, orang-orang miskin, tetangga yang dekat dan tetangga yang jauh, rakan-rakan karib, ibnus sabil (iaitu mereka yang terputus bekalan dalam perjalanan termasuk juga anak-anak yang tidak diketahui ibu bapa mereka) dan hamba sahayamu. Sesungguhnya Tuhan tidak menyukai mereka yang sombong dan yang suka membangga-banggakan diri."

THANKS .....AGAIN!

A British family journeyed to Scotland for a summer vacation. The mother and father were looking forward to enjoying the beautiful Scottish countryside with their young son. But one day the son wandered off all by himself and got into trouble. As he walked through the woods, he came across an abandoned swimming hole, and as most boys his age do, he took off his clothes and jumped in. He was totally unprepared for what happened next. Before he had time to enjoy the pool of water, he was seized by a vicious attack of cramps. He began calling for help while fighting a losing battle with the cramps to stay afloat.

Luckily, it happened that in a nearby field a farm boy was working. When he heard the frantic cries for help, he brought the English boy to safety. The father whose son had been rescued was of course very grateful. The next day, he went to meet the youth who had saved his son's life. As the two talked, the Englishman asked the brave lad what he planned to do with his future. The boy answered, "Oh, I suppose I'll be a farmer like my father." The grateful father said, "Is there something else you'd rather do?" "Oh, yes!" answered the Scottish lad. "I've always wanted to be a doctor. But we are poor people and could never afford to pay for my education." "Never mind that," said the Englishman. "You shall have your heart's desire and study medicine. Make your plans, and I'll take care of the costs." So, the Scottish lad did indeed become a doctor.

There is more. Some years later, in December of 1943, Winston Churchill became very ill with pneumonia while in North Africa. Word was sent to Sir Alexander Fleming, who had discovered the new wonder drug, penicillin, to come immediately. Flying in from England, Dr. Fleming administered his new drug to the ailing prime minister. In doing so, he saved Churchill's life for the second time. For it was the boy Winston Churchill whom Alexander Fleming had rescued from the swimming hole so many years before.

FISIOLOGI SABAR DAN FIKIRAN POSITIF

Kajian yang dilakukan di Harvard School of Public Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs menunjukkan golongan tua yang optimis mempunyai risiko yang rendah menghidap sakit jantung koronary. Fikiran negatif memberi impak negatif dalam kehidupan. Mengikut satu kajian pelajar-pelajar yang bersikap pesimistik sering kali menghidap penyakit selesema, sakit kerongkong dan demam influenza. Mereka yang berfikiran negatif sering dihinggapi tekanan atau stres. Tekanan jangka panjang menyebabkan paras lemak meningkat dalam darah. Lebihan lemak ini menyempitkan pembuluh darah. Apabila ini berlaku dalam pembuluh darah koronari, serangan jantung akan berlaku. Pengeluaran hormon kortisol meningkat pada waktu stres. Hormon ini menyebabkan tekanan darah meningkat. Apabila keadaan ini berterusan individu itu boleh menghidap penyakit darah tinggi. Hormon adrenalin memudahkan proses pembekuan darah. Ini boleh menyebabkan serangan sakit jantung berlaku.

NEEDED: PEOPLE!

Opportunities must be nourished if they are to survive. As Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, says, "Feed an opportunity; starve a problem."


You cannot do it on your own. You will need the help of others - and you will need to give help to others - if you want to be successful. And that will require you to connect with others. To do that, follow these suggestions:

* Focus on people.

* Be likable.

* Show others that you care.

* Remember everyone's name.

* Walk slowly through the crowd.

* Be generous.

SIKAP

"Apabila kita melihat masalah sebagai kesempatan membangunkan diri, kita berfikiran positif."

Mengikut kajian yang dilakukan oleh Carnegie Institute, "Dari kajian ke atas 10,000 orang, Carnegie Institute merumuskan, 15% kejayaan adalah berpunca daripada latihan teknical, 85% berpunca daripada personaliti. Aspek personaliti yang paling penting untuk kejayaan adalah sikap."

ATTITUDE

High achievers tended to care about people as well as profits; low achievers were preoccupied with their own security.

High achievers viewed subordinates optimistically; low achievers showed a basic distrust of subordinates' abilitities.

High achievers sought advice from their subordinates, low achievers didn't.

High achievers were listeners; low achievers avoided communication and relied on policy manuals.

Often our attitude is the only difference between success and failure.

History's greatest achievements have been made by men who excelled only slightly over the masses of others in their fields.

This could be called the principle of the slight edge. Many times that slight difference was attitude. The former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir underlined this truth in one of her interviews. She said, "All my country has is spirit. We don't have petroleum dollars. We don't have mines or great wealth in the ground. We don't have the support of a worldwide public opinion that looks favourably on us. All Israel has is the spirit on its people. And if the people lose their spirit, even the United States of America cannot save us." This great lady was saying.

ISLAM

Extract from: I AM MUSLIM

The Five Pillars of Islam are:

* The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger

* Establishing the prayer, and that one is to pray five times a day: at dawn, afternoon, late afternoon, at sunset and at night (Subuh, Zuhur, Asar, Maghrib and Isya)

* Zakat - giving alms to the poor

* Fasting in the month of Ramadhan

* Performing the Hajj at least once in a lifetime, provided the believer is sane, has reached puberty, is a free man as opposed to being a slave, and financially and physically able to perform the Hajj.

The Six Pillars of Faith (Iman) :

* His Angels

* The Book - Quran

* The Messengers

* Qiamat - the Last Day on earth

* Qada' and Qadar - Divine Preordainment

"SELDOM EVER WAS ANY KNOWLEDGE GIVEN TO KEEP, BUT TO IMPART; THE GRACE OF THIS RICH JEWEL IS LOST IN CONCEALMENT" - Joseph Hall

Dear Readers,

ISLAM: An Overview

Islam is the second most widespread of the world's religions, with more than one billion adherents.....

This article is posted at my other website: www.banyuemas2qss.blogspot.com

All are welcome to view.

WHEN GOD THROWS A BRICK AT YOU...

GOD DIDN'T PROMISE DAYS WITHOUT PAIN, LAUGHTER WITHOUT SORROW, SUN WITHOUT RAIN, BUT HE DID PROMISE STRENGTH FOR THE DAY, COMFORT FOR THE TEARS, AND LIGHT FOR THE WAY...



THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was travelling down a neighbourhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down, when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.

The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?. That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister... please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what to do' . He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car...'It's my brother' he said, 'he rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt, he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and tapped at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay 'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push the wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar... The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: 'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have to listen, HE has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Writer's Comments: Thank you Raja Anoura Raja Mohd Biajid and friends for sharing this beautiful story to all readers.

'GOD TEST WHOM GOD LOVE'

God willed the boy's hand to throw the brick to get attention. Blessed is the young and successful executive, owner of the new Jaguar known for its sleek and speed. God had thrown "hidayah", God-Given Guidance onto this young executive. We, religious and non-religious waited a life time to be thrown "hidayah" onto us.

DO NOT COVET YOUR IDEAS

GIVE AWAY EVERYTHING YOU KNOW, AND MORE WILL COME BACK TO YOU

You will remember from school other students preventing you from seeing their answers by placing their arm around their exercise book or exam paper.

It is the same at work, people are secretive with ideas. 'Don't tell them that, they'll take the credit for it.'

The problem with hoarding is you end up living off your reserves. Eventually you'll become stale.

If you give away everything you have, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish.

Somehow the more you give away the more comes back to you.

Ideas are open knowledge. Don't claim ownership

They're not your ideas anyway, they're someone else's. They are out there floating by on the ether.

You just have to put yourself in a frame of mind to pick them up.

BEES

The world of bees is full of wonders that remind us of Allah's care. The tiny bee leaves its hive in order to seek out sustenance. It lands on a good and pure surface and sucks out nectar. It then returns with a liquid that provides remedy for people, always returning to its own hive without losing its way.

SUMBER DAN KHASIAT MADU LEBAH

Madu lebah ialah nectar yang pekat dan juga makanan asas bagi lebah dewasa. Madu lebah yang dicampur dengan debunga atau pollen menjadi makanan asas bagi lebah pada peringkat larva. Madu lebah mengandungi gula asli glukosa dan fraktosa yang mudah dihadam. Apabila ia dicampur dengan sedikit air, ia menyerap masuk ke dalam darah dalam masa tujuh minit dan dapat dimanfaatkan sepenuhnya oleh otak. Madu lebah juga mengandungi vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 dan C di samping pelbagai zat logam seperti magnesium, potassium, kalsium, sodium, klorin, belerang dan zat besi.

Ahli-ahli sains daripada pelbagai negara termasuk Amerika mengesahkan berkenaan khasiat madu lebah di World Apiculture Conference yang diadakan pada 20 hingga 26 September 1993 di China. Seorang doktor dari Romania membentangkan pengalamannya menggunakan madu lebah bagi merawat 2094 pesakit-pesakit katarak mata atau cataract dan mendapati 2002 daripada mereka sembuh sepenuhnya. Di persidangan yang sama, doktor-doktor dari Poland memberitahu para perwakilan berhubung keberkesanan madu lebah dalam merawat penyakit bawasir, penyakit kulit dan sakit paun.