Louie, some people feel shouted at when a message is all caps. I have taken the liberty of quieting it down a tad.

~S~

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A minister started his sermon with the following message.

"Today my sermon wil be about 'always count your blessings and not your problems.'" He then held up a $20.00 bill and asked who would like it. Many hands were raised.

He then said, "Before I give this to anyone, I will do this." He then wadded it up, crumpled it, and did everything but destroy it.

Again he asked who wanted it and again many hands were raised. He then threw it on the floor, trampled it, and ground it into the dirty floor.

He picked it up and again asked, "Now who wants it?" And again many hands went up.

He then said, "My friends, you have just learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to that $20.00 bill you still wanted it, because it did not decrease in value It was still worth $20.00. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel that we are worthless, but no matter what has happened or will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you.

"The worth of our lives comes not in what we do, or who we know, but by who we are. You are special, don't ever forget it. And for those you care about, you will never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope it can bring. So again, count your blessings, not your problems."

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