Peace, and all that it offers

Peace,

and all that it offers

reflects hopefully in the rushing springs

that form the headwaters,

reflects brilliantly as the sunset

in the desert water hole,

reflects placidly in the cool

deep waters of an alpine lake,

reflects gently in the undulating ripples of

the pebble lined river,

reflects triumphantly in the ocean as

the rivers return to the ultimate source,

reflects poignantly in the eyes of

those who understand it,

reflects perfectly in the lives of

those who embody it.

by Steve Brown

The Pit

A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out.
* A subjective person came along and said, "I feel for you down there."
* An objective person walked by and said, "It's logical that someone would fall down there."
* A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into pits."
* A mathematician calculated how he fell into the pit.
* A news reporter wanted the exclusive story on the pit.
* An IRS agent asked if he was paying taxes on the pit.
* A self-pitying person said, "You haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit!"
* A holier-than-thou person said, "You deserve your pit."
* A Christian Scientist said, "The pit is just in your mind."
* A psychologist noted, "Your mother and father are to blame for your being in that pit."
* A self-esteem therapist said, "Believe in yourself and you can get out of that pit."
* An optimist said, "Things could get worse."
* A pessimist claimed, "Things WILL get worse."
* Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

Freed From Ego

A woman said to a guest at dinner, "We say grace at dinner each day to remind us around here that there is something bigger than our egos." Prayer can free us from the gravitational pull of our egos and remind us of the goodness and might of God. Prayer can move us from self-centered preoccupation to wonder and awe.

Maxie Dunnam in Living the Psalms

The Wars We Make

The following poem was written by Nicholas Peters just after the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Peters, who lived for some years at Grande Pointe, Manitoba, Canada, had emigrated from Russia in 1925 as a boy of 10 and had seen firsthand the horrors of revolution and war in his native country. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and trained as a flying officer. He died on the night of March 7-8, 1945, after his aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The poem is from a collection of Peters' work titled "Another Morn."
THE WARS WE MAKE
I gaze into the world with sorrowing eyes
And see the wide-abounding fruits of hate.
We fight, we say, for peace, and find
The wars we make
To be a spring of hate and source of future wars.

Is there no peace for man?
No hope that this accursed flow
Of blood may cease?
Is this our destiny: to kill and maim
For peace?
Or is this 'peace' we strive to gain
A thin unholy masquerade
Which, when our pride, our greed, our gain is
touched too far,
Is shed, and stands uncovered what we are?

Show me your light, O God
That I may fight for peace with peace
And not with war;
To prove my love with love,
And hate no more!

Stopping to Hear God Whisper His Love

I travel a lot, and I came to San Francisco one night and missed my connection back home. I was angry and upset, and I called my son on the phone. I wanted him to encourage me. I said, "Man, I'm stuck in the airport; it's been a horrible day. I've been traveling too much."
My son said, "You know, Dad, if you didn't travel so much, you wouldn't have things like this happen." Well, I didn't appreciate that. I was ticked off. I said, "Let me talk to your son [my two-year-old grandson]." Well, I forgot that when you're two you can't talk, and when you're 60 you can't hear. This is not a good combination. He's mumbling on the phone. I'm hoping that this is going to make me feel better. It's making me feel worse. Finally, I've had it. I hear the phone drop onto the floor. Now, I hear the kids playing. I'm stuck in the airport. I have this miserable experience. I'm furious and angry, when all of a sudden I hear crystal clear over the phone, "I love you, Grampa."
You know what? All my anxiety, everything went out the window.
There are people who are so busy they're at their wits' end. If they'd only stop for a minute, they could hear the God of the universe whisper to them, "I love you."

- Mike Yaconelli

Christmas Present

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. Pastor Mike was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.
Immediately, Pastor Mike turned towards the church to call the police. But as he was about to do so, he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.
Pastor Mike walked up to Jimmy and said, "Well, Jimmy, where did you get the little infant?"Jimmy replied, "I got him from the church."
"And why did you take him?"
With a sheepish smile, Jimmy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to little Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it."

And is it true, and is it true?

And is it true, and is it true?
This most tremendous tale of all.
Seen in a stained glass window's hue
A baby, in an ox's stall.
The maker of the stars and sea,
Became a child on earth, for me?

And is it true?
For if it is, no loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies, the sweet and silly Christmas things
Bath salts, and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie, so kindly meant.

No love that in a family dwells
No carolling in frosty air
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this simple truth compare:
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today, in bread and wine."

- Betjemann

The Miracle Dreams

That night when in Judean skies
the mystic star dispensed its light,
a blind man moved in his sleep
and dreamed that He had sight.

That night when shepherds heard the song
of hosts angelic choiring near,
a deaf man stirred in slumber's spell
and dreamed that he could hear.

That night when in the cattle stall
slept child and mother cheek by jowl,
a cripple turned his twisted limbs
and dreamed that he was whole.

That night when o'er the newborn babe
the tender Mary rose to lean,
a loathsome leper smiled in sleep
and dreamed that he was clean.

That night when to a mother's breast
the little King was held secure,
a harlot slept in happy sleep
and dreamed that she was pure.

That night when in the manger lay
the sanctified who came to save
a man moved in the sleep of death
and dreamed there was no grave.

by Susie M. Best

The Strength of a Man

The strength of a man isn't seen in the width of his shoulders.
It's seen in the width of his arms that circle you.

The strength of a man isn't in the deep tone of his voice.
It's in the gentle words he whispers.

The strength of a father isn't how many buddies he has.
It's how good a buddy he is with his kids.

The strength of a man isn't in how respected he is at work.
It's in how respected he is at home.

The strength of a man isn't in how hard he hits.
It's in how tender he touches.

The strength of a man isn't in the hair on his chest.
It's in the emotional "heart" that lies within his chest.

The strength of a man isn't how many women he's loved.
It's in his life-long fidelity to one woman.

The strength of a man isn't in the weight he can lift.
It's in the burdens he can carry.

Sleeping Through Life

How much of the day are you awake? You think, I gotta get the dry cleaning, I gotta get going, and this and this. All of a sudden it's dinnertime. And then there is a moment of connection with your spouse or your friends. Then you read and go to bed. Wake up, and it's the same all over. You're not awake, you're not living, you're not experiencing. We start early medicating ourselves. We start kids early on TV and video games and so on. It's daunting how many possibilities there are in life for every one of us. But rather than face that I may be a failure or a success - I think both of them are terrifying - people find diversions.

by Tim Allen

Shakespeare and Surfing

Believe it or not, William Shakespeare has some important insights on surfing. In his play Julius Caesar, he has Brutus address Cassius after the slaying of Caesar, attempting to refocus the political life of that community: “there is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood leads on to fortune; amid it all the voyage of their life is bound in the shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea we are now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves us or lose our ventures.
I am persuaded that Shakespeare’s counsel is spot on. In a world changing as rapidly as ours we must either learn to surf with Shakespeare or experience repeated rides on the wet side. Wayne Burkan, a corporate futurist, puts it in slightly different terms: “To survive in an ever changing world, it is vital to anticipate the future”.
One has only to look back on the waves of change that have battered the Church in the last four decades and see the waves we have missed to realise there must be a better way. For example, we failed to anticipate the impact of MTV and video games on the young in the eighties and nineties. And the Church has been decades late in waking up to the growing need for racial reconciliation in America. Belatedly, Promise Keepers, ‘a group which encourages men to live truly Christian lives’, discovered that this is a serious issue that Evangelical Christians need to address.
Too often in the past the Church has either been jolted by waves of change or allowed them to pass us by altogether – because we have made virtually no effort to anticipate them. Too many of us in leadership have been operating as if we are frozen in a time warp. As a consequence we have missed repeated opportunities to make a difference. In the third millennium the Church needs leaders who can lead with foresight.

by Tom Sine

Interesting Twist on a Prayer

This interesting prayer was offered in Kansas at the opening session of their Senate. It seems prayer still upsets some people.
When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session Of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard.
"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that.
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery,
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare,
We have killed our unborn and called it choice,
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable,
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem,
We have abused power and called it politics,
We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition,
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression,
We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.
Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent: to direct us to the centre of Your will and to openly ask these things in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!"
The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest. In 6 short weeks, Central City Church, where Rev. Wright is pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea. Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program," The Rest of the Story," and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called "one nation under God."

Australian Statistics

If Australia were a village of 100 people, there would be 49 males and 51 females…

who were born in

Australia....................... 77

Asia/Middle East........... 7

Britain/Ireland............... 6

Europe.......................... 6

New Zealand................ 2

Elsewhere..................... 2

Who are

Married........................ 51

Unmarried..................... 32

Separated/Divorced...... 11

Widowed...................... 6

And Speak

English.......................... 84

Italian............................ 2

Greek........................... 1

Cantonese..................... 1

Arabic.......................... 1

Vietnamese................... 1

Other............................ 10

Whose religion is

Christian....................... 68

Atheistic/Agnostic......... 15

Buddhist....................... 2

Muslim.......................... 1.5

Hindu/Jewish/Other....... 0.5

Unknown...................... 13

Who earn weekly

No income.................... 6

Less than $200............. 21

$200-$400................... 21

$401-$600................... 16

$601-$800................... 11

$801-$1000................. 7

$1001-$1500............... 7

More than $1501.......... 4

Unknown...................... 7

And live with

A family........................ 81

Friends......................... 10

No one......................... 9

And live in a

House........................... 81

Flat/Unit........................ 9

Terrace House.............. 7

Caravan........................ 1

In a home that is

Fully Owned................. 42

Mortgaged.................... 28

Rented.......................... 28

Other............................ 2

A Scorpion Moment

There was a man in India who saw a scorpion floundering around in the water. He decided to save it by stretching out his finger, but the scorpion stung him. The man still tried to get the scorpion out of the water, but the scorpion stung him again.
A man nearby told him to stop saving the scorpion that kept stinging him.
But the other man said: "It is the nature of the scorpion to sting. It is my nature to love. Why should I give up my nature to love just because it is the nature of the scorpion to sting?"

Following in His Steps

Lee Strobel tells about a mother from Costa Mesa, California who told about the day her three-year old son was on her heels wherever she went. She was having trouble doing her routine chores.
"Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around I would trip over him," she said. "Several times I suggested fun activities to keep him occupied, but he would just smile and say, 'That's alright Mummy I'd rather be in here with you.' He continued to follow me and after the fifth trip, my patience wore thin and I asked him why he was following me constantly."
He said, "My Sunday school teacher told me to walk in Jesus' footsteps but I can't see him so I'm walking in yours."
The greatest way we can teach our children about and show our loved ones the love of Jesus is through the example of how we live, and how we model his love in our everyday life.
As another has said, "We raise not the children we want but the children that we the parents are."
"Dear God, please help me to so live that people, especially my children (and loved ones), will see Jesus in me and will want to follow in my footsteps and have Jesus in their life too. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

Lunch with God

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him his biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy? "He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked, "Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Statistics

The statistics are mind-numbing, yet, like the script of a cheap horror film, they continue to lurch like a nightmare through the pages of every major urban newspaper. Life in America is beginning to unravel. Author Robert Rector paints a grim, graphic portrait of the impoverished life.
In Queens, a heroin-addicted mother with AIDS murders her four-year-old daughter, stuffs the body in a laundry bag, and with the help of her current boyfriend - also a drug addict - tosses the bag from a bridge into the East River.
In Philadelphia, two commercially successful "gangsta rap" artists realize their fantasies, gunning down a female police officer during a hold-up.
In Chicago, police raid the apartment of five sisters on welfare. The apartment swarms with cockroaches and is chilled by a winter wind pouring in through broken windows. In four rooms are 19 children, the youngest 12 months old. Feces and garbage cover the floor; hungry children share food in a dog bowl with several dogs. Dazed, one of the kids asks a policewoman, "Can you be my mommy?"
In Detroit, a five-year-old is thrown from a 14th floor window of a public-housing complex because "he refused to steal."
In Washington, D.C., a gunman empties his semi-automatic into a swimming pool crowded with children.
Rector tells us there is hope.
Boys who regularly attend church are 50% less likely to commit crime.
They are 54% less likely to use drugs and 47% less likely to drop out of school.
Boys and girls who attend church regularly are 2/3 less likely to engage in sexual activity.
Church attendance halves the probability of having an illegitimate child.
Children who attend religious schools are 2/3 less likely to drop out of school.
Children aged 10 to 18 who do not attend church are 1/3 to 1/2 more likely to exhibit anti-social and dysfunctional behavior.

Real Support

A rabbit being chased by a dog through the countryside was observed by a crowd enjoying a family picnic. They cheered for the rabbit as he swiftly hopped from side to side, masterfully eluding his attacker. Then the rabbit pulled away from the dog a great distance, looked at the crowd and said. "I appreciate your encouragement, but shoot the dog!"

What's Left

Legendary movie moguls Jack Warner and Sam Goldwyn were instrumental in advancing the motion picture business. They both died wealthy men, with the Warner estate ($26,267,457) only slight less than the Goldwyn estate ($27,550,901). According to the old saw, "money isn't everything; it's just a way of keeping score," these men finished almost even.
But Sam bested Jack in several respects. While the marital deduction of both were around $11 million, Sam left $13.8 million to charity while Jack left none. Well, it was his money after all. But the Warner estate shrunk by 30% due to costs and taxes while the Goldwyn estate shrunk by only 5%. And here's the kicker: The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation (1994 Assets: $22 million) has given out millions of dollars over the years to the types of charities they favored.
So if you're keeping score by the net worth method, you might consider making the final tally after the estate has been settled.
Even though we aren't in the same financial league as these men, we have a duty to accomplish the most we can with our assets and an obligation to plan carefully for the future. After all, Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven when neither moth nor rust can destroy!

The 23rd Psalm Explained!

The Lord is my Shepherd - That's Relationship!
I shall not want - That's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures - That's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters - That's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul - That's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness - That's Guidance!
For His name sake - That's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - That's Testing!
I will fear no evil - That's Protection!
For Thou art with me - That's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me - That's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies - That's Hope!
Thou anointest my head with oil - That's Consecration!
My cup runneth over - That's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - That's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord - That's Security!
Forever - That's Eternity!

Personal Anecdotes

In his book "Night," Elie Wiesel tells of one night when several prisoners decided to put God on trial. They wanted to try God for the horrors of the Holocaust. These were men of faith, but it seemed to them their faith had failed them. They asked young Wiesel to witness the proceedings.
The "prosecuting attorney" brought charges. God's people had been torn from their homes, separated from their families, beaten, abused, and burned alive in the incinerators. The defense attorney made his case. But in the end, they found God guilty of failing and abandoning his people, maybe even guilty of not existing.
The trial was over. The mood in the room was sombre, dark, depressing. The men prepared for bed. A few minutes later, however, when the time came for the Jewish evening prayer, these same men who had just found God guilty of abandoning them got on their knees and prayed their evening prayer.
This scene brought Habakkuk once again to mind: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength" (3:17-19).

Submission Versus Subjugation

Submission is not subjugation. Subjugation turns a person into a thing, destroys individuality, and removes all liberty.
Submission makes a person become more of what God wants him to be; it brings out individuality; it gives him the freedom to accomplish all that God has for his life and ministry.
Subjugation is weakness; it is the refuge of those who are afraid of maturity. Submission is strength; it is the first step toward true maturity and ministry.

Warren Wiersbe

You Can't Earn Sacrifice

As a former Army Ranger, Seattle pastor Tom Allen described a special connection he felt to the characters in the World War II movie Saving Private Ryan:
I was extremely proud - until the last minute of the movie. I was proud watching the Rangers take Omaha Beach. Then they receive a mission to go deep into enemy territory to save Private Ryan. They hit skirmish after skirmish, and some of them are killed along the way. They finally get to where Private Ryan is holed up, and they say, "Come with us. We've come to save you."
He says, "I'm not going. I have to stay here because there's a big battle coming up, and if I leave my men they're all going to die."
What do the Rangers say? "We'll stay here and fight with you."
They stay and fight, and it's gory and hard, and almost everyone dies except Private Ryan. At the end, one of the main characters - played by Tom Hanks - is sitting on the ground. He's been shot and he's dying. The battle has been won.
Private Ryan leans over to him, and Hanks whispers something to him. Everyone in the theater is crying because Tom Hanks was shot; I was crying because of what he said - it was so terrible. Ryan bent down and Hanks said, "Earn this."
The reason that made me angry is no Ranger would ever say, "Earn this." Why? Because the Ranger motto for the past 200 years has not been "earn this." The Ranger motto for the past 200 years has been Sua sponte, "I chose this." I volunteered for this.
If Hanks was really a Ranger he would have said, "Sua sponte." In other words, "This is free. You don't pay anything for this. I give up my life for you. That's my job."
And so when you look at the cross and see Jesus hanging there and hear him say, "I thirst," you do not hear "earn this." You never hear Jesus say, "Earn this." He doesn't say, "I've given up everything for you. Now you need to gut it out for me."
What he says is "I thirst." He says, "Sua sponte. I volunteered for this. You don't have to pay anything for it."

Character in the Workplace

Doing the right work with the right attitude and the right spirit is immensely important. Because the most important thing you bring home from work is not your paycheck. The most important thing you bring home from work is you.

John Ortberg and Ruth Haley Barton, An Ordinary Day with Jesus (Zondervan, 2001)

Meditation

Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, thinking over, dwelling on, and applying to oneself the various things one knows about the works and ways and purpose and promises of God.
It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communication with God.
Its purpose is to clear one's mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let his truth make its full and proper impact on one's mind and heart.
It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself.
It is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God's power and grace.

J. I. Packer, Knowing God (InterVarsity Press, 1973), pp18-19

Advent Prayer

In this Advent season we await the coming of Christ
Child of promise come,
Revealer of God come,
Bringer of life come,
Come to the beaten and the battered,
Come to the despised and rejected
Come to all in whom the divine image is still distorted
We wait in joyful expectation.
Come not as an distant emperor but as a helpless babe
Come not as a prince in a gold palace, but as a displaced and frightened refugee
Come not as a man of power, but in love and compassion
Come to those outcast like shepherds in the field
Come to foreigners like Magi watching from afar
Come to rich and poor, young and old, male and female,
We wait in hopeful anticipation
Come to bless all creation with your love
Come to bring salvation on the earth
Come to rule with justice and in peace
Come Child of promise, open the windows of our hearts
Come Christ of compassion, open the doors of our homes
Come Prince of Peace, open the pathways to our lives
We wait with all the peoples of the earth
Child of hope we welcome your coming
Christ of life we welcome your coming
King of glory we welcome your coming

No Excuse is Good Enough

The next time you think you have an excuse why God can't use you, remember the following people:
Noah was drunk,
Abraham was too old,
Isaac was a daydreamer,
Jacob was a liar,
Leah was ugly,
Joseph was abused,
Moses was a murderer (like David and Paul),
Deborah was a female judge,
Gideon was afraid,
Samson had long hair,
Rahab was a prostitute,
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young,
David pretended to be mad, had an affair
and ran away from his own son,
Elijah was suicidal,
Isaiah preached naked,
Jonah ran away from God,
Naomi was a widow,
Job lost everything,
John the Baptist ate locusts,
Peter was hot-tempered,
John was self-righteous,
the disciples fell asleep while praying,
Martha was worried about everything,
Mary was too lazy,
Mary Magdalene was demon-possessed,
the boy with the fish and five rolls of bread was too unknown (and still is),
the Samaritan woman slept with many men,
Zacchaeus was too small,
Peter was too impulsive,
Mark had given up,
Timothy had a stomach ulcer,
and Lazarus - he was dead."

- Peter Reid

Centre of the Bible

This is pretty strange or odd how it worked out this way. Even if you are not religious you should read this.
What is the shortest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 117
What is the longest chapter in the Bible? Answer - Psalms 119
Which chapter is in the centre of the Bible? Answer - Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118
Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118
Add these numbers up and you get 1188
What is the centre verse in the Bible?
Answer - Psalms 118:8
Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?
The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the centre of His will, just send them to the centre of His Word! Psalms 118:8 (NKJV) "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."
Now isn't that odd how this worked out (or was God in the centre of it)?
...and in the interests of complete transparency, check here.

God's Delays are not Denials

God's delays are not denials;
He has heard your prayers;
He knows all about your trials,
Knows your every care.
God's delays are not denials,
Help is on the way;
He is watching over life's deals,
Bringing forth the day.
God's delays are not denials,
You will find Him true;
Working through life's darkest trials,
What is best for you.

St Patrick’s Breastplate

"St. Patrick's Breast-Plate", is supposed to have been composed by him in preparation for this victory over Paganism. The following is a literal translation from the old Irish text:
I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

People

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON. . . It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.
Then people come into your life for a SEASON. Because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

He Makes No Mistakes

My Father's way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I'm glad to know,
He makes no mistakes,
My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away,
But still I'll trust my Lord to lead,
For He doth know the way,
Though the night be dark and it may seem,
That day will never break,
I'll pin my faith, my all in Him,
He makes no mistake,
There's so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight's far too dim,
But come what may, I'll simply trust,
And leave it all to Him,
For by and by the mist will lift,
And plain it all He'll make,
Through all the way, though dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

A.M. Overton, (c) 1932

I Wish for You...

Comfort on difficult days,
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.
God Bless you!

Hearing God's Voice...

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?" After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.
It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God...If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey." As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience.
He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street. This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will".
He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in semi commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighbourhoods either the businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.
"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here. "He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep.
"What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk , "Here, I brought this to you. "The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I asked Him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.

Author Unknown

The Cost of Children

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't The even touch college tuition. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into $8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be "rich." It is just the opposite. What do your get for your $160,140?
Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
Glimpses of God every day.
Giggles under the covers every night.
More love than your heart can hold.
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up.
You get to finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to keep: reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling a wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step, first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
Enjoy your kids and grandkids!

God Uses

God uses
what you have
to fill a need,
which you could never have filled.

God uses
where you are
to take you where
you never could have gone.

God uses
what you can do
to accomplish what
you never could have done.

God uses
who you are
to let you become
who you never could have been.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual act of worship. - Romans 12:1-2

Eyes Forward...

It is a mistake to be always turning back to recover the past. The law for Christian living is not backward, but forward; not for experiences that lie behind, but for doing the will of God, which is always ahead and beckoning us to follow. Leave the things that are behind, and reach forward to those that are before, for on each new height to which we attain, there are the appropriate joys that befit the new experience. Don't fret because life's joys are fled. There are more in front. Look up, press forward, the best is yet to be!

- F. B. Meyer

Ancient Wisdom

A native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said 'I feel as if I have two wolves fighting in my heart. One wolf is a vengeful, angry, violent one. The other wolf is a loving, compassionate one.' The grandson asked him, 'Which wolf will win the fight in your heart?' The grandfather answered: 'The one I feed.'

You are important

Xvxn though thx typxwritxr I usx at homx is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll, xxcxpt for onx of thx kxys. I wish many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx 47 kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs a lot of diffxrxncx. Somxtimxs sxxms to mx that our club is somxwhat likx my typxwritxr - xach mxmbxr is important. You may say to yoursxlf, "wxll, I'm only onx pxrson and I won't makx or brxak thx club." But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx, bxcausx to bx xffxctivx thx club nxxds thx intxrxst and participation of xvxry mxmbxr. So, thx nxxt timx you think your mxmbxrship isn't rxally nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr my old typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I'm a kxy pxrson in this club and I am nxxdxd vxry much."

Tempered Temper

There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as she learned to control her anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all.
She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper.
The days passed and the young girl was finally able to tell her mother that all the nails were gone.
The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the fence.
She said, "You have done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one." You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won' t matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

I Believe

I believe - that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I believe - that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe - that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I believe - that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.
I believe - that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I believe - that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I believe - that you can keep going long after you can't.
I believe - that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I believe - that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I believe - that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take it's place
I believe - that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I believe - that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe - that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I believe - that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe - that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
I believe - that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
I believe - that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
I believe - that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe - that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.
I believe - that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I believe - that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
I believe - that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I believe - that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I believe - that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
I believe - that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I believe - that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I believe - that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

There is a Place

There is a place
that's mine alone,
where I'll go still
when I am grown.
A long road ends
atop a hill,
beneath a tree,
and there I fill
my mind with thoughts
of what might be,
and watch the leaves
sway over me
like waves on some
green, gentle sea.

by David Korr

There is a Road

There is a road
I call my own.
It beckons me
when I'm alone,
this special road
that seems to be
a road I planned
so perfectly
¬it winds and bends
at my command
and takes me where
I wish to be
¬atop a hill,
beneath a tall old tree.

by David Korr

When My Imagination

When my imagination
Takes me by the mind,
It leads me off so far, so fast,
My body's left behind.
Yet that's when I am most myself,
Lost in wish and dream,
And coming back, I smile and think,
"I'm more than I might seem."

by David Korr

Against the Odds

It was the summer of 1942. I was nineteen years old and a signal man third class on the USS Astoria stationed in the South Pacific.
One hot night in August, we found ourselves skirmishing with the Japanese for control of Guadalcanal, gearing up for the bloody battle that soon followed. At midnight, I finished my duty on watch. Still wearing my work detail uniform of dungarees and a T-shirt, and only pausing long enough to unstrap my standard-issue life belt and lay it beside me, I fell into an exhausted sleep.
Two hours later, I was awakened abruptly by the sound of an explosion. I jumped to my feet, my heart pounding. Without thinking, I grabbed my life belt and strapped it on. In the ensuing chaos, I focused on dodging the rain of enemy shells that were inflicting death and destruction all around me. I took some shrapnel in my right shoulder and leg, but by some miracle, I avoided being killed.
That first battle of Savo Island lasted for twenty minutes. After the enemy fire ceased, the men left standing helped with the wounded, while others manned the guns.
I was making my way toward a gun turret when suddenly, the deck disappeared. My legs windmilled beneath me as I realized that an explosion had blasted me off the deck. My shock was immediately replaced by a stomach-clenching fear as I fell like a stone - thirty feet into the dark, shark-infested water below.
I immediately inflated my life belt, weak with relief that I'd somehow remembered to put it on. I noticed between ten and thirty men bobbing in the water in the area, but we were too far away from each other to communicate.
I began treading water, trying to stay calm as I felt things brushing against my legs, knowing that if a shark attacked me, any moment could be my last. And the sharks weren't the only danger: The powerful current threatened to sweep me out to sea.
Four agonizing hours passed this way. It was getting light when I saw a ship - an American destroyer - approaching. The sailors on board threw me a line and hauled me aboard.
Once on the ship, my legs buckled and I slid to the deck, unable to stand. I was fed and allowed to rest briefly. Then I was transported back to the Astoria, which, though disabled, was still afloat. The captain was attempting to beach the ship in order to make the necessary repairs.
Back on board the Astoria, I spent the next six hours preparing the dead for burial at sea. As the hours passed, it became clear our vessel was damaged beyond help. The ship was taking on water and finally, around twelve hundred hours, the Astoria began to roll and go under.
The last thing I wanted to do was to go into that water again, but I knew I had to. Filled with dread, I jumped off the high side of the sinking ship and began swimming. Although I still had my life belt on, it couldn't be inflated a second time. Luckily, I was soon picked up by another destroyer and transferred to the USS Jackson.
Against all the odds, I had made it - one of the lucky men to survive the battle of Savo Island. We were issued Marine uniforms, and I spent my time, in between visits to the ship's doctors for treatment of my wounds, sitting on the deck of the Jackson, waiting for our transport to San Francisco's Treasure Island and the leave that would follow.
Though it felt odd to wear the unfamiliar uniform, I wasn't sad to lose my old dungarees and T-shirt. The one thing I found I didn't want to give up was my life belt. I hung on to the khaki cloth-covered rubber belt, studying it sometimes as I sat around on the Marine ship.
The label on the belt said it had been manufactured by Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, which was my hometown. I decided to keep the belt as a souvenir, a reminder of how lucky I'd been.
When I finally took my thirty-day leave, I went home to my family in Ohio. After a quietly emotional welcome, I sat with my mother in our kitchen, telling her about my recent ordeal and hearing what had happened at home since I went away. My mother informed me that "to do her part," she had taken a wartime job at the Firestone plant. Surprised, I jumped up and grabbed my life belt from my duffel bag, putting it on the table in front of her.
"Take a look at that, Mom," I said. "It was made right here in Akron at your plant."
She leaned forward and, taking the rubber belt in her hands, she read the label. She had just heard the story and knew that in the darkness of that terrible night, it was this one piece of rubber that had saved my life. When she looked up at me, her mouth and her eyes were open wide with surprise. "Son, I'm an inspector at Firestone. This is my inspector number," she said, her voice hardly above a whisper.
We stared at each other, too stunned to speak. Then I stood up, walked around the table and pulled her up from her chair. We held each other in a tight embrace, saying nothing. My mother was not a demonstrative woman, but the significance of this amazing coincidence overcame her usual reserve. We hugged each other for a long, long time, feeling the bond between us. My mother had put her arms halfway around the world to save me.

Elgin Staples (c) 2000, from Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul

Learn

"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting."

- from "The Once and Future King" by T.H. White

Perseverance

When doubts and fears are growing,
It's hard to keep on going
From day to day not knowing
Just what the end will be.
Take each day as you find it,
If things go wrong, don't mind it,
For each day leaves behind it
A chance to start anew.

- Gertrude Ellgas

Life’s Purpose

“There is a tale from tsarist Russia about a priest who was walking along minding his own business when a royal guard stopped him at gun point. The guard demanded to know: ‘What is your name? Why are you here, and where are you going?’ The priest gazed quizzically at the soldier and then asked, ‘How much do they pay you to do this work?’ The soldier, somewhat taken aback, replied, ‘Why, three kopeks a month.’ “I’ll pay you 30 kopeks a month if you will stop me every week and ask me these same questions,’ the priest said.”

How Beautiful Is Your Heart?

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.
In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing. The people stared - how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought?
The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."
"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.
Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.
How sad it must be to go through life with a whole heart.

Father's Love Letter

My Child…
You may not know me, but I know everything about you…Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up…Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways…Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered…Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image…Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being…Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring…Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived…Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation…Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book…Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live…Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made…Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother’s womb…Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born…Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me…John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love…1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you…1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father…1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could…Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father…Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand…James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs…Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope…Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love…Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore…Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing…Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you…Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession…Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul…Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things…Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me…Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart…Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires…Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine…Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager…2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles…2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you…Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart…Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes…Revelation 21:3-4
And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth…Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus…John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed…John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being…Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you…Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins…2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled…2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you…1 John 4:10
I have up everything I loved that I might gain your love…Romans 8:31-32
If you received the gift of my son Jesus, you received me…1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again…Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen…Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father…Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…Will you be my child?...John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you…Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Father. Almighty God

Your Choice

You must learn that you cannot be loved by all people. You can be the finest apple in the world, ripe, juicy, sweet, and succulent and offer yourself to all.
But you must remember that there will be people who do not like apples.
You must understand that if you are the world's finest apple and someone you love does not like apples, you have the choice of becoming a banana.
But you must be warned that if you choose to become a banana, you will be a second rate banana. But you can always be the finest apple.
You must realise if you choose to be a second rate banana, there will be people who do not like bananas.
Furthermore, you can spend your life trying to become the best banana, which is impossible if you are an apple.
Or you can seek again to be the finest apple.

"I Am Afraid"

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear, but gladness."

Look Closer

What do you see nurse, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you look at me,
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit with far away eyes,
Who dribbles her food, and makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice: "I do wish you'd try."
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe,
Who, quite unresisting, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill.
Is that what you're thinking, is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am, as I sit here so still,
As I move at your bidding, as I eat at your will,
I'm a small child of ten, with a father and mother,
And brothers and sisters, who love one another,
A girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that son a lover she'll meet;
A bride soon a twenty my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep;
At twenty-five now I have young of my own,
Who need me to build a secure, happy home;
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound together with ties that should last;
At forty, my young sons have grown up and gone;
But my man stays beside me to see I don't mourn;
AT fifty once more babies play 'round my knee;
Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all busy, wit young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love I have known.
I'm an old woman now, and nature is cruel,
'Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass, a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living all over again.
I think of the years, all too few and gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
But a crabby old woman, look closer, see me.

by Phyllis McCormack

36 Stress Reducers for Christians

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
7. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
8. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
9. Take one day at a time.
10. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety.
11. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K. M. S. (Keep Mouth Shut) This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough exercise.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write thoughts and inspirations down.
22. Everyday, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until its time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus!"
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
** God has a way of turning things around for you **

- Author Unknown

I May Never See Tomorrow

I may never see tomorrow; there's no written guarantee
And things that happened yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moments. I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely for it soon will pass away,
and be lost forever, as part of yesterday.
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet
Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today may never be undone.
And friendships that I fail to win may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray,
and I thank God with a humble heart for giving me this Day.

Author Unknown

God's Holding Pattern

Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in our life to "swallow us up. This season in our spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us. God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no interference's, an no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit, think, meditate, and pray. When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.
A Few Of God's Holding Patterns:
1.When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed, but God has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern.
2.When you are having problems with your children and you have put them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a holding pattern.
3.When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and they have not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.
4.When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.
5.When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a holding pattern.
When we are deep in the belly of difficult situation, there are no interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit, think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low enough, rivers that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or places that are hidden enough from Him. We must remember to praise Him while we're waiting and remember three things:
1. The pattern has a purpose.
2. The pattern has a plan.
3. The pattern has a process.
So, stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love you."
Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me and will turn anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but victories, and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path. Amen.

- Author Unknown

Prayer for the Working Person

Lord Jesus, as I enter this work place, I bring your presence with me. I speak Your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into the atmosphere of this office. I acknowledge Your accomplished within these walls. Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gifts you have deposited in me. I do not take them lightly but commit to using them responsibly and well. Give me a fresh supply of truth and beauty on which to draw as I do my job. Anoint my creativity, my ideas, my energy, so that even my smallest task may bring You honour.
Lord, when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energize me. Lord, when I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.
May the work that I do and the way I do it, bring hope, life, and courage to all that I come in contact with today. And Oh Lord, even in this day's most stressful moments, may I rest in You. In the mighty Name that is above all Names, in the Matchless Name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus, I pray, Amen.

- Author Unknown

Words to Live By

1. Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.
2. You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.
3. Love ......and you shall be loved.
4. God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.
5. All people smile in the same language.
6. A hug is a great gift..one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.
7. Everyone needs to be loved...especially when they do not deserve it.
8. The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.
9. Laughter is God's sunshine.
10. Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.
11. It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.
12. Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need.
13. If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.
14. Happy memories never wear out.... relive them as often as you want.
15. Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.
16. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.
17. The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.
18. Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.
19. If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.
20. Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.
21. Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.
22. The best thing parents can do for their children is to love each other.
23. Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.
24. To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.
25. We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.
26. Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished.
27. Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others.
28. You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.
29. For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.
30. Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are.
31. THE BEST GIFTS TO GIVE
... To your friend - loyalty;
... To your enemy - forgiveness;
... To your boss - service;
... To a child - a good example;
... To your parents - gratitude and devotion;
... To your mate - love and faithfulness;
... To all men and women - charity; and
... To your God - your life.

- Author Unknown

I Love to Live

Today, dear Lord, I'm 80 and there's much I haven't done.
I hope, dear Lord, you let me live until I'm 81.
But then, if I haven't finished all I want do do,
Would you please let me stay awhile, until I'm 82?
So many places I want to go, so very much to see,
Do you think that You could manage to make it 83?
The world is changing very fast, there is so much in store,
I'd like it very much to live until I'm 84.
And if by then I were still alive, I'd like to stay 'til 85!
More plans will be up in the air, so I'd really like to stick
And see what happens to the world when I turn 86.
I know, dear Lord, it's much to ask, (and it must be nice in heaven)
But I'd really like to stay, until I'm 87.
I know by then I won't be fast, and sometimes will be late,
But it would be pleasant to be around in 88.
I will have seen so many things, and had a wonderful time,
So I'm sure that I'll be willing to leave at the age of 89...maybe.
Just one more thing I'd like to say, dear Lord, I thank you kindly
But if it's okay with You, I'd love to live past 90.

- Author Unknown

God's Positive Answers

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it:
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

15 Questions God Won't Ask...

1. God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but will ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2. God won't ask the square footage of your house, but will ask how many people you welcomed into it.
3. God won't ask about the fancy clothes you had in your closet, but will ask how many of those clothes helped the needy.
4. God won't ask about your social status, but will ask what kind of class you displayed.
5. God won't ask how many material possessions you had, but will ask if they dictated your life.
6. God won't ask what your highest salary was, but will ask if you compromised your character to obtain that salary.
7. God won't ask how much overtime you worked, but will ask if you worked overtime for your family and loved ones.
8. God won't ask how many promotions you received, but will ask how you promoted others.
9. God won't ask what your job title was, but will ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
10. God won't ask what you did to help yourself, but will ask what you did to help others.
11. God won't ask how many friends you had, but will ask how many people to whom you were a true friend.
12. God won't ask what you did to protect your rights, but will ask what you did to protect the rights of others.
13. God won't ask in what neighbourhood you lived, but will ask how you treated your neighbours.
14. God won't ask about the colour of your skin, but will ask about the content of your character.
15. God won't ask how many times your deeds matched your words, but will ask how many times they didn't.

What is invited in...

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."
"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.
"No", she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."
The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success..."

The Giver's Big Hands

A young boy went to the local store with his mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help himself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the boy held back. So the shop owner pulled out a handful for him.
When outside, the boy's mother asked why he had suddenly been so shy and wouldn't take a handful of suckers when offered.
The boy replied, "Because his hand is much bigger than mine!"

What Cannot Be Done

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage-payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could -- and should -- do for themselves.

- Abraham Lincoln

Refuse to be Discouraged

I refuse to be discouraged,
To be sad, or to cry;
I refuse to be downhearted,
And here's the reason why:

I have a God who's mighty-
Who's sovereign and supreme;
I have a God who loves me,
And I am on His team.

He is all-wise and powerful-
Jehovah is His name;
Though everything is changeable,
My God remains the same.

My God knows all that's happening-
Beginning to the end;
His presence is my comfort;
He is my dearest Friend.

When sickness comes to weaken me-
To bring my head down low,
I call upon my mighty God;
Into His arms I go.

When circumstances threaten
To rob me of my peace,
He draws me close unto His breast
Where all my strivings cease.

When my heart melts within me,
And weakness takes control,
He gathers me into His arms-
He soothes my heart and soul.

The great "I AM" is with me-
My life is in His hand;
The "God of Jacob" is my hope;
It's in His strength I stand.

I refuse to be defeated-
My eyes are on my God;
He has promised to be with me
As through this life I trod.

I'm looking past all my circumstances
To Heaven's throne above;
My prayers have reached the heart of God-
I'm resting in His love.

I give God thanks in everything-
My eyes are on His face;
The battle's His, the vict'ry mine;
He'll help me win the race.

The 23rd Channel

The T V is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the faith.
It destroys my soul. It leads me in the
path of sex and violence for the sponsor's sake.
Yea, though I walk in the shadow of Christian
responsibilities, there will be no interruption
for the T V is with me.
Its cable and remote control, they comfort me.
It prepares a commercial
for me in the presence of my worldliness.
It anoints my head with humanism
and consumerism, my coveting runneth over;
Surely, laziness and ignorance shall follow me all
the days of my life and I shall dwell
in the house watching T V Forever..