Buzzards, Bats, & Bumblebees

The following is from an email sent to me from a friend.

Sorry, I can't give credit to the author as I don't know where it originated from.

THE BUZZARD:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painful ly, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up.

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up!

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.

Powerful Example!

Oxford and Cambridge have now decided to remove the words

CAN'T and IMPOSSIBLE from their dictionary.

Jessica Cox, 25, a girl born without arms, stands inside an aircraft. The girl from Tucson, Arizona, got the Sport Pilot certificate lately and became the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

Jessica was born without arms, but that has only stopped her from doing one thing: Using the word 'cant.'

Her latest flight into the seemingly impossible is becoming the first pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.

With one foot manning the controls and the other delicately guiding the steering column, Cox soared to achieve a Sport Pilot certificate. Her certificate qualifies her to fly a light-sport aircraft to altitudes of 10,000 feet.

'She's a good pilot. She's rock solid,' said Parrish Traweek, 42, the flying instructor at San Manuel's Ray Blair Airport.

Parrish Traweek runs PC Aircraft Maintenance and Flight Services and has trained many pilots, some of whom didn't come close to Cox's abilities.

'When she came up here driving a car,' Traweek recalled, 'I knew she'd have no problem flying a plane.'

Doctors never learned why she was born without arms, but she figured out early on that she didn't want to use prosthetic devices.

Jessica Cox, 25, earned a license to fly airplanes on October 10, 2008. Jessica also has two black belts in Tae Kwan-Do, a college degree in Psychology, and a thriving career as a motivational speaker. What doesn't Jessica Cox have? Arms. A bilateral congenital limb deficiency doesn't stop Ms. Cox from achieving and surpassing her goals. From birth on, her feet became her hands. She can drive a car, type 25 words per minute, and fly an airplane using her feet, without any special adaptations. She is the first woman without arms to earn a license to fly. 'I highly encourage people with disabilities to consider flying,' Cox said. 'It helps reverse the stereotype that people with disabilities are powerless into the belief that they are powerful and capable of setting high goals and achieving them. Jessica earned her Sport Pilot certificate after training with Able Flight, a North Carolina flight training company that specializes in helping people with disabilities learn to fly. Ms. Cox won an Able Flight scholarship and was able to train with instructor Parrish Traweek free of charge.

"LUV" one another!

Ever have to deal with someone who seemed impossible to convince even though you KNEW you were right? The following clip expresses this quite well:





Ever feel this way in your relationships? Your marriage? With your kids? People at work? At church? You're not alone!

Try this technique: Learn to "LUV" that person.

"LUV" is an acronym for L - listen U - understand V - validate

First, really listen to the person. Give them time to express their viewpoint. The try to understand their perspective. See if there is validity to what they're saying. Then validate them by expressing the fact that you've heard them and understand what they're saying.

An example of this is something that we've all experienced at some point, the drive-through window at a fast-food restaurant. Look at what takes place when you pull up to a McDonalds window.

"Welcome to McDonalds. May I take your order?"

"Yes. I'd like a Big Mac, small fries, and diet-coke."

"Would you like to super-size that?" (I had to add that. ;) )

"No, thanks."

"Ok, just to confirm. You ordered a Big Mac, small fries, and a diet-coke."

"Correct."

"That will be $5.82 at the next window. Thank you for coming to McDonalds today!"

Folks, they have the "LUV" down pat! They listened, understood, and validated. By repeating the order back correctly, they showed they heard you, clearly understood you, and validated you by giving you exactly what you wanted even though they "suggested" more. They did not look you over and insist you go with the McSalad instead! No, they understood what you wanted and were able to provide that for you.

Now, I'm not suggesting that you must always give in to the opposing person's viewpoint. Simply knowing that you've heard their viewpoint is often enough. For instance, when they verbalize their opinion, you are not over-talking them; you are genuinely listening. Then you show them you understand where they are coming from and validating that opinion by repeating what they said back to them. Often times what will happen is they will hear what they have said from you and either realize that it may be incorrect on their part or how you understood it is incorrect. Either way, you've narrowed the distance between your opinions.

If, after attempting to show them "LUV", there is still a vast disagreement, at least you've greatly decreased the possibility of hostility between you and them. "This is My commandment, that you LUV one another." Give it a try! I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to do so!