A candle loses nothing if it is used to light another one

A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married and went to live
with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found
that she couldn’t get along with mother-in-law at all. Their personalities
were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law’ s
habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped
arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that,
according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law
and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing
Li-Li’s poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law’ s bad temper and dictatorship
any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father’s
good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs. She told him the situation and asked
if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for
all.. Mr. Huang thought for a while, and finally said, ‘Li-Li, I will help you solve your
problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you.

Li-Li said, ‘Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do.Mr. Huang went into
the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li,
You can’t use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that
would cause people to become suspicious.

Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison
in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these
herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspect you,
when she dies, you must be very careful to be actively friendly towards her.
Don’t argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen.
Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start
her plot of murdering her mother-in-law.

Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially
treated food to her mother-in-law. . She remembered what Mr. Huang had said
about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law,
and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced
controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset.
She hadn’t had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now
seemed much kinder and easier to get along with.

The mother-in-law’ s attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like
her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best
daughter-in- law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now
treating each other like a real mother and daughter. Li-Li’s husband was very
happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again She said,
Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law.
She’s changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother.
I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her.’

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head.. ‘Li-Li, there’s nothing to worry about.
I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve
her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her,
but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her.’

There is a wise Chinese saying: ‘The person who loves others will also
be loved in return.’ God might be trying to work in another person’s life through you.
A candle loses nothing if it is used to light another one.

And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow
weary - Paul The Apostle LIVE well …. LAUGH often … LOVE much.

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