Friday, May 20, 2005
Even a mosquito doesn't get a slap on the back until it starts to work.
Many people know how Hellen Keller overcame the difficult physical challenge of being rendered deaf, dumb, and blind after a fever as a baby, and how she eventually learned to communicate, learning Braille. Her life inspired millions, one of her ardent admirers being Mark Twain. She was invited to visit every U.S. President at the White House from her childhood on.
What many people don't know, however, is how hard Helen worked as an adult. After graduating with honors from Radcliffe College, she worked to help others until her death at the age of eighty-eight. She wrote numerous articles. She gave lectures for the American Foundation for the Blind, and she helped raise a fund of some two million dollars for this foundation. On her eightieth birthday, the American Foundation for Overseas Blind honored her by announcing the Hellen Keller International Award for those who gave outstanding help to the blind.
Not only are each of us called to overcome our own faults, weaknesses, and limitations, but we are asked to exercise our strengths. "Just surviving" isn't what we are challenged to do. We are destined to use our talents for God's purposes, putting all our minds, hearts, and energy to the work He sets before us.
Work hard so God can say to you,
"Well done." Be a good workman,
one who does not need to be ashamed
when God examines your work...
2 Timothy 2:15 TLB
Many people know how Hellen Keller overcame the difficult physical challenge of being rendered deaf, dumb, and blind after a fever as a baby, and how she eventually learned to communicate, learning Braille. Her life inspired millions, one of her ardent admirers being Mark Twain. She was invited to visit every U.S. President at the White House from her childhood on.
What many people don't know, however, is how hard Helen worked as an adult. After graduating with honors from Radcliffe College, she worked to help others until her death at the age of eighty-eight. She wrote numerous articles. She gave lectures for the American Foundation for the Blind, and she helped raise a fund of some two million dollars for this foundation. On her eightieth birthday, the American Foundation for Overseas Blind honored her by announcing the Hellen Keller International Award for those who gave outstanding help to the blind.
Not only are each of us called to overcome our own faults, weaknesses, and limitations, but we are asked to exercise our strengths. "Just surviving" isn't what we are challenged to do. We are destined to use our talents for God's purposes, putting all our minds, hearts, and energy to the work He sets before us.
Work hard so God can say to you,
"Well done." Be a good workman,
one who does not need to be ashamed
when God examines your work...
2 Timothy 2:15 TLB