GOOD MORNING! THIS IS GOD.
I WILL BE HANDLING ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS TODAY
SO HAVE A NICE DAY!
.......
A FRIEND....
(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say
"HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you!
(E)nvisions
the whole of you (even the unfinished parts)
(F)orgives
your mistakes
(G)ives
unconditionally
(H)elps
you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust
wants to "be" with you
(K)eeps
you close at heart
(L)oves
you for who you are
(M)akes
a difference in your life
(N)ever
Judges
(O)ffers
support
(P)icks
you up
(Q)uiets
your fears
(R)aises
your spirits
(S)ays
nice things about you
(T)ells
you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands
you
(V)alues
you
(W)alks
beside you
(X)-plains
thing you don't understand
(Y)ells
when you won't listen and
(Z)aps
you back to reality
(Author unknown)
Oh, the comfort,
the inexplicable comfort of
feeling safe
with a person, having neither to
weigh thoughts
nor measure words, but to pour
them all out
just as if they were chaff and grain
together,
knowing that a faithful Hand will
take and sift
them, keep what is worth keeping,
and then, with
the breath of kindness, blow the
rest away. - by George Eliot
Tale of Two Men
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital
room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each
afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed
was next to the
room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time
flat on his
back. The men talked
for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the
military
service, even where they had been on vacation. And every
afternoon
when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would
pass
the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
could see
outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour
periods
where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the
activity
and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park
with a
lovely lake. Ducks
and swans played on the water while children sailed
their model boats.
Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color
of the
rainbow.
Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the
city
skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window
described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other
side of
the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque
scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a
parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn't hear the band,
he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the
window portrayed
it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed in similar fashion.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their
baths
only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who
had died
peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital
attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate,
the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.
The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making
sure he was
comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to
take his
first look at the world outside.
Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it for himself. He
strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the
bed. It faced a
blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his
deceased
roommate to describe such wonderful things outside this
window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not
even see the
wall. She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage
you."
Epilogue...There is tremendous happiness in making others
happy,
despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow,
but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel
rich, just
count all of the things you have that money can't buy.
(The origin of
this letter is unknown)
BUTT PRINTS IN THE SAND
(author unknown)
One night I had a wondrous
dream,
One set of footprints there
was seen,
The footprints of my
precious Lord,
But mine were not along the
shore.
But then some stranger
prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord,
"What have we here?"
Those prints are large and
round and neat,
"But Lord, they are too
big for feet."
"My child," He
said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried
you alone.
I challenged you to walk in
faith,
But you refused and made me
wait."
"You disobeyed, you
would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would
not know,
So I got tired, I got fed
up,
And there I dropped you on
your butt."
"Because in life, there
comes a time,
When one must fight, and one
must climb,
When one must rise and take
a stand,
Or leave their butt prints
in the sand."
I am Your Friend
If I could catch a rainbow
I would do it just for
you
and share with you its
beauty
on the days you're
feeling blue
if I could build a
mountain
you could call your
very own
a place to find
serenity
a place to be alone
if I could take your
troubles
I would toss them in
the sea
but all these things
I'm finding are impossible for me
I cannot build a
mountain
or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I
know best
a friend that's always
there.
(author unknown)
The
Journey of Life
(Author
unknown)
We convince ourselves that life will
be better after we get married, have a baby, and then another. Then we are frustrated that our kids aren't
old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have
teenagers to deal with. We will
certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life
will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a
nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, or when we retire.
The truth is, there's no better
time to be happy than right now. If not
now, when? Your life will always be
filled with challenges. It's best to
admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Someone once said that for a long
time it had seemed that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the
way, something to go through first, some unfinished business, time still to be
served, a debt to be paid. Then life
would begin. But these obstacles can
control our life.
Remember that time waits for no
one. Stop waiting until you finish
school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain
ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you
start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced,
until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home,
until your car or home is paid off, until spring, summer, fall, or winter.
Until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes
on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die to decide
that there is no better time than right now to be happy.
But to be happy right now..
You need to invite Jesus to make life’s
journey with you
Then you will have happiness in this life
Knowing that this life is not your final
destination..
Your destination is heaven!
General
Principles To Live By
- Author Unknown
Tell the truth. Honesty really is the best
policy.
Perfect your ability to love. It's the most
powerful force in the world.
Pay attention to two-year-olds and
puppies. They know what's important.
Look at sunsets; smell the flowers; listen
to the birds; touch the people
you care about; taste life. Everything you need is there for
you.
Take responsibility for meeting your own
needs, but don't do it in ways
that keep others from meeting theirs.
Forgive yourself and others. We're all
doing the best we can to find our way.
Live by your own values. Others may think
they know best for you, but
you're the one who has to live with the
consequences of your actions.
Listen to your body and take care of it.
It's the best teacher you have now.
Laugh often and long. It really does help.
Hang out with people you like and admire.
We tend to imitate those
around us whether we want to or not.
Follow Jesus if you want life to be
exciting.
Learn from your failures and don't be
afraid to fail; only when we fail do we recognize our spiritual need.
Life isn't fair, but when things don't
seem to
be working for you, let us run quickly to Jesus.
Humans often fail us, but Jesus is always there
to change any circumstance.
He will always take care of
you.
I
Dreamed I Had an Interview with God
"Come in," God said. "So, you would like to
interview Me?"
"If you have the time," I said. God smiled and
said, "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do
you have in mind to ask me?"
"What surprises you most about mankind?"
God answered, "That they get bored of being children,
are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money and then lose their
money to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the
present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.
That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if
they had never lived..."
God's hands took mine and we were silent for while and then I
asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your
children to learn?"
God replied with a smile, "To learn that they cannot
make anyone love them. What they can do
is to let themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in
their lives, but who they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to
others. All will be judged individually
on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis!
To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound
wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.
To learn to forgive by practising forgiveness.
To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but
simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see
it totally different.
To learn that a true friend in someone who knows everything
about them.and likes them anyway.
To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven
by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."
I sat there for awhile enjoying the moment. I thanked Him for His time and for all that
He has done for me and my family, and He replied, "Anytime. I'm here 24
hours a day. All you have to do is ask
for Me, and I'll answer."
(author unknown)
What
People Remember About You
--Author unknown
People
will forget what you said.
People
will forget what you did, but
People
will never forget how you made them feel.
IF
I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
( by Erma Bombeck)
I would have talked less and
listened more.
I would have invited friends over to
dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in
the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted
to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to
listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would never have insisted the car
windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and
sprayed.
I would have burned the pink candle
sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I would have sat on the lawn with my
children and not worried about grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less
while watching television - and more while watching life.
I would have shared more of the responsibility
carried by my husband.
I would have gone to bed when I was
sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I
weren't there for the day.
I would never have bought anything
just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a
lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months
of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment
growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously,
I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."
There would have been more "I love you," “more "I'm sorry"... but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it...and never give it back.
-
(In memory of Erma
Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer)
Author Unknown
Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at their church, the Pastor and his 11-year-old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel tracts. This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside as well as pouring down rain. The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said excitedly,
"Okay Dad, I'm ready!"
His Pastor Dad asked, "Ready for what?
"Dad, it's time we gather our Bible tracts together and go out."
Dad responds, "Son, it's very cold outside and it's really pouring down
rain."
The boy gave his Dad a surprised look, asking, "But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?"
Dad answered slowly, "Son, I am not going out in this weather."
Despondently the boy asks, "Dad, can I go -- Please? Come on Dad.."
His father hesitated for a moment then said, "Son, you can go. Here's the tracts; be careful son."
"Thanks, Dad!" He jumped up and with that he was off and out the door dashing into the rain. This 11-year-old boy walked the streets of the town going door-to-door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel tract. After 2-hours of walking in the rain he was soaked to the bone--chilled wet and down to his very last Bible tract. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to but the streets were totally deserted.
Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell -- but nobody answered. He rang it again and again bit still no one answered. He waited but still no answer. Finally, this 11-year-old trooper turned to leave but something stopped him. Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch. He rang again, and this time the door slowly opened.
Standing in the doorway was a very sad looking elderly lady. She softly asked, "Yes? What can I do for you, son?" With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that, JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU!
I came to give you my very last Gospel tract which will tell you all about Jesus and His great love." With that he handed her his last tract, and turned to leave. She called to him as he departed, "Thank you, son! And God bless you!" he heard a cheerful uplift to her voice.
Well, the following Sunday morning in church, Pastor Dad was in the pulpit and as the service began he asked, "Does anybody have a testimony or want to say anything?"
Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet. As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face. "None of you in this Church know me. I've never been here before. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband has passed on, some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart . . . as I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.
"So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. "Standing on that chair, so lonely and brokenhearted, I was about to leap off when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'Wait, I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.' "I waited and waited-- but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly. I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be?! Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me!' "I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder. When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes!
"There on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life! His smile! Oh, I could never describe it to you! And the words that came from his mouth caused my heart, that had long been dead, to leap to life again, as he exclaimed with cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU.'
"Then he gave me this Gospel tract that I now hold in my hand. As the little angel disappeared back out, into the damp cold and rain, I then closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.
"You see, I am now a happy child of the KING, and since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel tract I have come here to personally say, 'Thank you to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time, and by doing so, spared my soul from an eternity in Hell.'"
There were now no dry eyes in the church. As shouts of praise and honor to the KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated. He took him in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
Probably no church has had a more glorious moment and probably this Universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love and honor for his son, except for one: This Father, God, also allowed His Son, Jesus, to go out into a cold and dark world. He received His Son back with unspeakable, and as all of Heaven shouted praises and honor to the King, the Father sat His beloved Son on a throne far above all principality and power and every name that is named.
There may be someone, reading this, who is also going through a dark, cold and lonely time in your soul. You may be a Christian, for we are not without problems, or you may not yet know the King. Whatever the case, and whatever the problem or situation you find yourself in, and no matter how dark it may seem, I want you to know that I just came to tell you, "JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU!"
"'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.'" John 3:16-18 (NIV)
Do you know the seven wonders of the world?
A group of students were asked to list what they thought were
the present
"
following received the most votes:
1.
2. Taj Mahal
3.
4.
5.
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7.
While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one quiet
student hadn't
turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having
trouble
with her list.
The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up
my mind because
there were so many."
The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe
we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the '
are:
1. to see
2. to hear
3. to touch
4. to taste
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love."
The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The
things we
overlook as simple, ordinary & take for granted are truly
wondrous!
A gentle reminder - that the most precious things in life cannot
be built by
hand or bought by man.
- Anon