Tuesdays Sunrise

Good Morning Friends,

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Tuesday has arrived to greet you with an Amazing Sunrise. I hope your week got off to a Great start yesterday. Each day offers us many choices to drive our lives and those we encounter each day in a positive direction. The story is a reminder of how important our families are. Count the many blessings before you and be Thankful of where you are and who’s in your life.

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Take the Son:

Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son,

shared a passion for art collecting. Together they traveled around the

world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection.

Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, and many others adorned the

walls of their family estate. The widowed elderly man looked on with

satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. The

son's trained eye and sharp business mind caused his father to beam with

pride as they dealt with art collectors around the world.

As winter approached, war engulfed their nation, and the young man left

to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, the elderly man

received a telegram that his beloved son was missing in action. The art

collector anxiously awaited more news, fearing he would never see his

son again. Within days his fears were confirmed. The young man had died

while rushing a fellow soldier to a medic. Distraught and lonely, the

old man faced the upcoming Christmas holidays with anguish and sadness.

The joy of the season-a season that he and his son had so looked forward

to in the past-would visit his house no longer. On Christmas morning, a

knock on the door awakened the depressed old man. As he walked to the

door, the masterpieces of art on the walls only reminded him that his

son was not coming home. He opened the door and was greeted by a soldier

with a large package in his hand.

The soldier introduced himself to the old man by saying, "I was a friend

of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in

for a few moments? I have something to show you." As the two began to

talk, the soldier told of how the man's son had told every one of his-and

his father's-love of fine art work. "I'm also an artist," said the

soldier, "and I want to give you this." As the old man began to unwrap

the package, paper gave way to reveal a portrait of the man's son.

Though the world would never consider it a work of genius, the painting

featured the young man's face in striking detail.

Overcome with emotion, the old man thanked the soldier, promising to

hang the portrait above the fireplace. A few hours later, after the

soldier had departed, the old man set about his task. True to his word,

the painting went above the fireplace, pushing aside thousands of dollars

worth of paintings. And then the old man sat in his chair and spent

Christmas gazing at the gift he had been given. During the days and weeks

that followed, the man learned that his son

had rescued dozens of wounded soldiers before a bullet stilled his

caring heart. As the stories of his son's gallantry continued to reach

him, fatherly pride and satisfaction began to ease his grief, as he

realized that, although his son was no longer with him, the boy's life

would live on because of those he had touched. The painting of his son

soon became his most prized possession, far eclipsing any interest in

the priceless pieces for which museums around the world clamored. He told

his neighbors it was the greatest gift he had ever received. The following

spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art

world was in anticipation, since, with the old man's passing, and his only

son dead, those paintings would be sold at an auction. According to

the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned on

Christmas Day, the way he had received his greatest gift.

The day finally arrived and art collectors from around the world gathered

to bid on some of the world's most spectacular paintings.

Dreams could be fulfilled this day; greatness could be achieved as some

could say," I have the greatest collection." The auction began with a

painting that was not on any museum list... It was the painting of the

old man's son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid, but the room was

silent.

"Who will open the bidding with $100?" he asked. Moments passed as no

one spoke. From the back of the room came, "Who cares about that

painting? It's just a picture of his son. Let's forget it and get on to

the good ones." More voices echoed in agreement. "No, we have to sell

this one-first," replied the auctioneer. "Now who will take the son?"

Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. "Will you take $10 for the

painting? That's all I have. "Will anyone go higher?" called the

auctioneer. After more silence he said, "Going once, going twice...

Gone!" The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone shouted, "Now

we can get on with it and bid on these treasures!"

The auctioneer looked at the audience and announced that the auction was

over. Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Then someone spoke up and

asked, "What do you mean it's over? We didn't come here for a portrait

of some old man's son! What about all of the other paintings? There are

millions of dollars worth of art work here. We demand an explanation!"

The auctioneer replied, "It's very simple. According to the will of the

father, whoever takes the son...gets it all."

Just as the art collectors discovered on that day...The message is still

the same...the love of the Father....a Father whose son gave his life

for others...And because of that Father's love...Whoever takes the Son

gets it all.

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A small bit of humor for your day:

A game hunter went on safari with his wife and mother in law.

One morning, while deep in the forest, the wife awoke to find her mother gone.

Rushing to her husband, she insisted on them both trying to find her mother...

The hunter picked up his rifle, took a swig of whiskey, and started to look for her.

In a clearing not far from the camp, they came upon a chilling sight:

the mother in law was backed up against a big rock, and a large lion stood right in front of her.

The wife cried, "What are we going to do?"

"Nothing," said the hunter husband.

"The lion got himself into this mess, let him get himself out of it."

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