A man was asked to paint a boat.  He brought his paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.  While painting, he noticed a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it.  When he finished painting, he received his money and left.

The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting.  The painter was surprised and said “You’ve already paid me for painting the boat Sir!”  “But this is not for the paint job.  It’s for repairing the hole in the boat.”  “Ah!  But it was such a small service… certainly it’s not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant.”
My dear friend, you do not understand.  Let me tell you what happened: “When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention the hole.  “When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.  They did not know that there was a hole.  I was not at home at the time.  When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole.  Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.  Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole!  You see, now, what you did?  You saved the life of my children!  I do not have enough money to pay your `small’ good deed.”

So, no matter who, when, or how, continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively, and carefully repair all the `leaks’ you find.  You never know when one is in need of us, or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.

Along the way, you may have repaired numerous “boat holes” for several people without realizing how many lives you’ve saved. 

Make a difference….be the best you…
Always do more!  Have a blessed day!
Shared by Pastor Kristi on Facebook in May.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Blessings,
Lisa Beretz, 518-330-9277

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor.  Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.  Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups – porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them help themselves to the coffee. 

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice-looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.  While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves that is the source of your problems and stress.  Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee.  In most cases it is just more expensive and, in some cases, even hides what we drink.  What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… and then you began eyeing each other’s cups. 
Now consider this:  Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups.  They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.  Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us.  God brews the coffee, not the cups…...Enjoy the coffee!” 

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything.  They just make the best of everything.”  Live simply.  Love generously.  Care deeply.  Speak kindly.  Leave the rest to God!!
 
Since staying at home for my broken foot to heal and during this awful pandemic we are experiencing, I started purging my file cabinets and came across this story.  I thought these words are timeless and worth sharing.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Blessings,
Lisa Beretz, 518-330-9277