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Every once in a while (verey often) I feel guilty for having become such a burden to those I love,, having started feeling that with thiis stuid PD so long ago it seems (10 years now), and I know it'ls omly getting worse. i imagine others, like me, feel the same some times.. Well, Here I am - losing sleep again, feeling that way again and this message (below) popps into my email as I'm browsing the internet. It's a little religious which I am not. But it's timing was perfect, it brought a smile, it might to some of you: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX From a God@Work Subscriber: CRACKED POT A waterbearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the waterbearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your masters house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts." The pot said. The waterbearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the masters house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt sad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the Pot apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pots side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my masters table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and you too can be the cause of beauty. Know that in our weakness we find our strength. Source: unknown God@Work Ministry ([log in to unmask]) St. Mark's United Methodist Church 8550 Pioneers Boulevard Lincoln, Nebraska 68520-1306 (402) 489-8885 (402) 489-8343 (Fax) To Subscribe to God@Work, visit our website at: http://www.stmarks.org/