A water bearer(搬运工)had two large pots.One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was 1 .It always 2 a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, but the cracked pot was only half full.For two years, this went on daily with the bearer delivering only 3 pots of water to his master’s house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its work.But the 4 cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and felt miserable that it was able to finish only half of 5 .It spoke to the water bearer one day by 6 ,“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”
“Why?”asked the bearer.“What are you ashamed of?”
“I have been able to deliver only half of what it had been made to do because of this crack in 7 .Because of my flaw, you have to do all of this work, but you don’t get full use from your 8 ,”the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot and said,“As we return to the master’s house, I want you to 9 the beautiful flowers along the path.”
As they went up the hill, the old cracked pot saw the sun 10 the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this 11 it a bit.But at the end, it still felt bad because it had leaked half its load, and 12 , the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot,“Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on 13 side?That’s because I have always known about your crack, and I 14 it.I planted flower seeds and I’d like them to 15 on your side of the path, and every day 16 we walk back from the stream, you’ve 17 them.For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s tables. 18 your being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty in his house.”
Each of us has our own unique flaws.We are all cracked pots.But if we allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace his house.In God’s great 19 , nothing goes to waste.Don’t be afraid of your flaws.Know them, and you can be the 20 of beauty, too.Always remember that in our weakness, we can find our strength.
Scientists no w believe the earth’s magnetic poles(地磁极)have changed many times.One 1 change may have taken place about 330,000 BC.This 2 is about when modem man first 3 on the earth.
Many 4 now believe the magnetism(磁力现象)of the earth may have a 5 influence(影响)on life itself.In the 6 past many kinds of animals and plants died out suddenly, 7 the North and South magnetic poles changed 8 .
Animals, birds and 9 people are to some degree controlled by magnetic forces When there is a 10 increase in magnetic strength; many animals have 11 in finding their way.Mice, 12 near a strong magnet, lose their hair and die 13 .And when the earth's magnetism suddenly decreases, the 14 of men or women who kill themselves increases.
How 15 does the earth’s magnetism 16 our lives?We cannot know for 17 .We do know this magnetism is getting weaker and we know that in 2,500 years the magnetic poles may change position 18 .And we know when 19 happened in the past there were enormous 20 in life on Earth.