Happy
Thoughts 3
THE HEART
"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began,
"I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed. "I'll
cut your heart
open," he continued,
to see how much
damage has been done..."
"But when you open up my heart, you'll
find Jesus in
there," said the boy.
The surgeon looked to the parents, who
sat quietly.
"When I see how much
damage has been
done, I'll sew your
heart and chest
back up, and I'll plan
what to do
next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The
Bible says He lives there. The
hymns all say
He lives there. You'll
find Him in my
heart."
The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell
you what I'll
find in your heart.
I'll find damaged muscle, low blood
supply, and
weakened vessels.
And I'll find out if I can make you
well."
"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives
there."
The surgeon left. He
sat in his
office, recording his
notes from the
surgery, "...damaged
aorta, damaged
pulmonary vein,
widespread muscle
degeneration.
No hope for transplant, no hope for
cure. Therapy:
painkillers and
bed rest.
Prognosis: Here he paused, "death within one year."
He stopped the recorder, but there was
more to be
said. "Why?" he asked aloud.
"Why did You do this?
You've put
him here;
You've put him in this pain; and
You've cursed him to an early death.
Why?"
The Lord answered and said, "The boy,
My lamb, was not meant for your
flock for long,
for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be.
Here, in My flock, he will feel
no pain, and
will be
comforted as you cannot imagine.
His parents will one day join him here,
and they will
know peace, and
My flock will continue to grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot, but his
anger was
hotter. "You created that
boy, and You
created that heart. He'll
be dead in
months. Why?"
The Lord answered, "The boy, My
lamb,
shall return to
My flock, for He has
done his duty:
I did not put My lamb
with your flock
to lose him, but to
retrieve
another lost lamb."
The surgeon wept. The surgeon sat
beside the
boy's bed; the boy's
parents sat
across from him. The boy awoke and
whispered,
"Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
I
found Jesus there," said the surgeon
DO UNTO OTHERS
(Unknown Author)
You know, he almost didn't
see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could
see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His
As he was tightening up
the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him
that she was from
A few miles down the road the lady saw a
small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before
she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant.
Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash
register was like the telephone of an out of work actor-it didn't ring much. Her
waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a
sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.
The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she
never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how
someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger. Then she remembered
She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which was four $100 bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right; I love you, Bryan."
Simple Objects Remind
Us of God’s Goodness in Us and Others
Toothpick
Rubber band
Band aid
Pencil
Eraser
Chewing gum
Mint
Candy Kiss
Tea Bag
Here's why:
Toothpick - to
remind you to pick out the good qualities in others..Matt 7:1
Rubber band -
to remind you to be flexible, things might not always go the way you want, but
it will work out...Romans 8:28
Band Aid - to
remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's..Col. 3:12-14
Pencil - To
remind you to list your blessings every day..Eph 1:3
Eraser - to
remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay...Gen. 50:15-21
Chewing gum -
to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything..Phil 4:13
Mint - to
remind you that you are worth a mint to your heavenly Father..John 3:16-17
Candy Kiss - to
remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug every day..John 4:7
Tea Bag - to remind you to relax daily and go
over that list of God's blessings..Thess
5:18
(Unknown Author)
"I WISH FOR YOU..."
(By Laura Ellison)
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.
The
Cocoon
(Author unknown)
A man found the cocoon
of a butterfly. One day a small opening
appeared,
he sat and watched the
butterfly for several hours as it struggled to
force its body through
that little hole. Then it seemed to stop
making
any progress.
It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it
could go no
further. So the man decided to help the butterfly, he
took a pair of
scissors and snipped
off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small,
shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly
because he
expected that, at any
moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be
able to support the
body, which would contract in time.
Neither
happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its
life crawling
around with a swollen
body and shriveled wings. It never was
able to
fly.
What the man in his
kindness and haste did not understand was that the
restricting cocoon and
the struggle required for the butterfly to get
through the tiny
opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body
of the butterfly into
its wings so that it would be ready for flight
once it achieved its
freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles
are exactly what we need in our life. If
God allowed
us to go through our
life without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly.
I asked for
Strength.......And God gave me Difficulties to make me
strong.
I asked for
Wisdom.........And God gave me Problems to solve.
I asked for
Prosperity.....And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.
I asked for
Courage........And God gave me Danger to overcome.
I asked for
Love...........And God gave me Troubled people to
help.
I asked for
Favors.........And God gave me Opportunities.
I received nothing I
wanted........I received everything I needed.
Cherish the Small Things in Life
(Unknown
Author)
I'm reading more and
dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the
view without fussing about the
weeds in the garden. I'm spending more
time
with my family and friends and
less time at work. Whenever possible, life
should be a pattern of
experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to
recognize these moments now and
cherish them.
I'm not "saving"
anything; we use our good china and crystal for every
special event such as losing a
pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the
first Amaryllis blossom. I wear
my good blazer to the market. My theory is
if I look prosperous, I can
shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries.
I'm not saving my good
perfume for special parties, but wearing it for
clerks in the hardware store and
tellers at the bank.
"Someday" and
"one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary.
If it's worth seeing or
hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it
now.
I'm not sure what my
cousins would've done had they known that they
wouldn't be here for the tomorrow
that we all take for granted. I think they
would have called family members
and a few close friends. They might have
called a few former friends to
apologize and mend fences for past squabbles.
I like to think they would
have gone out for a Chinese dinner, or for
whatever their favorite food was.
I'm guessing; I'll never know.
It's those little things
left undone that would make me angry if I knew my
hours were limited. Angry
because I hadn't written certain letters that I
intended to write one of these
days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my
husband and parents often enough
how much I truly love them. I'm trying very
hard not to put off, hold back,
or save anything that would add laughter and
luster to our lives.
And every morning when I
open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.
Every day, every minute,
every breath truly is a gift from God.
If you received this it is
because someone cares for you. If you're too
busy to take the few minutes
that it takes right now to forward this, would
it be the first time you
didn't do the little thing that would make a
difference in your relationships? I
can tell you it certainly won't be the
last. Take a few minutes to
send this to a few people you care about, just
to let them know that you're
thinking of them.
"People say true
friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't
need to hold hands because they
know the other hand will always be there."
"I said to the Man at the
gate of the year, "Give me a light that I may go forth into the
unknown", And the man replied, "Put your
hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light, safer than
a known way."
[A New Year's
message from
"I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me."
The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure,
A loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights
called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats
called Jobs. But if you have a spare called Determination, an
engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, A driver
called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success!
(Author unknown)
Winning Friends
Most Important
Never make fun of others.
Never be sarcastic.
Never show off your greater
knowledge.
Never break your word.
Never lie or exaggerate.
Never act superior to others.
Never try to boss others.
Never bawl others out.
Important
Smile pleasantly.
Keep clothes neat.
Keep your mind clean.
Keep your temper under control.
Keep your nose out of others’
business.
Keep out of arguments.
Keep from fault-finding.
Keep from embarrassing others.
Don’t be bold or nervy.
Don’t laugh at others.
Don’t correct others.
Don’t talk more than others.
Less Important, but Necessary
Give up gossiping.
Give up trying to reform others.
Give up borrowing things.
Give up laughing loudly.
Give up asking favors.
Give up telling people your woes.
Give up trying to be impressive.
Give up being gloomy.
Give up being opposed to new things.
Give up being lethargic.
Give up being suspicious of
others.
~ Dale Carnegie
~ ( This Advice was found in Old
“Go placidly amid the noise and
haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without
surrender
Be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and
clearly;
And listen to others,
Even the dull and ignorant,
They too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive
persons,
They are vexations to the spirit.
Do not compare yourself with
others,
For always there will be greater
and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well
as your plans.
Keep interested in your own
career,
However humble;
It is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time,
Exercise caution in your business
affairs;
For the world is full of trickery,
But let this not blind you to
what virtue there is;
Many persons strive for high
ideals;
And life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not pretend
affection.
Neither be
cynical about love;
For in the face of all aridity
and disenchantment
It is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the
years,
Gracefully
surrendering things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to
shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with
imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue
and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
Be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
No less than the trees and the
stars;
You have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to
you,
No doubt the universe is
unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
Whatever you conceive Him to be,
And whatever your labors and
aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life
keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and
broken dreams,
It is still a beautiful world.
Be careful.
Strive to be happy.”
Prayer to Break Chains
Heavenly
Father, in the name of Jesus, I am truly your child. I have been purchased by
the blood of Jesus. I belong to You – I do not belong
to the devil. The devil has no right to me and no power over me because of the
precious blood of Jesus.
Father,
I repent of any known sin(s) (name it/them) which has broken fellowship with You. Also, I ask you to search my heart and see if there is
any offensive way in me. Forgive me of every sin and remove the stains out of
my heart and my life, for Your Word tells me that when I confess my sin, You
will forgive me of my sin and will cleanse me of all unrighteousness.
I
not only confess my own sin, but I confess the sins that were committed by my
parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, sins which introduced curses which
can be broken through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In
the name of Jesus, I now rebuke, break and loose myself and my family from
curses caused by my own sins, the sins of my ancestors or from any other
person. I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,
therefore I am redeemed from the curse of the law. I will break the power of
every spoken curse, of every evil that came from my mouth. I take back all the
ground I ever yielded to the enemy and establish myself in faith in the Lord
Jesus and claim the blessing rather than the curse. I break the power of every
evil word that was knowingly or unknowingly spoken against me by any other
person. I cancel that spoken word and the power of that curse by the authority
of the name of Jesus Christ.
I
believe in Your power, Lord Jesus. I believe in my
redemption. I believe in my heart You are my Saviour, You are my Deliverer. I confess that the power of
every curse is now broken in the authority of Your
name. I command every evil spirit which has come in through the door of curse
to leave me now in the name of Jesus Christ.
By
faith, I now receive my release and I thank you Lord Jesus for it.
(Now,
just let them go. If any specific name or thing comes to mind, speak it out and
rebuke it, telling it to leave you – expect it to go in the name of Jesus)
A little girl walked to and from school
A little girl walked to and from
school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were
forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school. As the afternoon
progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother
of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she
walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might
harm her child. Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming sword,
would cut through the sky. Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car
and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her
little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would
stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with
each the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile. When the
mother's car drew up beside the child she lowered the window and called to her,
What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?"
The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty. God keeps taking my
picture."
May God bless you today as you face
the storms that come your way.
Words for thought!
As I was walking down life's highway many
years ago I came upon a sign
that read “Heavens
Grocery Store.” When I got a little closer the doors swung open wide, and when
I came to myself I was standing inside.
I saw a host of angels. They were standing
everywhere. One handed me a
basket and said
"My child shop with care."
Everything a human needed was in that grocery
store, and what you could
not carry you could
come back for more.
First I got some Patience, Love was in that
same row, further down was
Understanding, you need that everywhere you
go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom and Faith a bag
or two, and Charity of
course I would need
some of that too.
I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost. It was all
over the place, and then some
Strength and Courage to help
me run this race.
My basket was getting full but I remembered I
needed Grace, and then I
chose Salvation for
Salvation was for free. I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me.
Then I started to the counter to pay my
grocery bill, for I thought I
had everything to do
the Masters will. As I went up the
aisle I saw Prayer
and put that in, for I knew when I stepped outside I
would run into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful, the last things
on the shelf. Song and
Praise were hanging
near so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel "Now how much do
I owe?"
He smiled and said, "Just take them
everywhere you go."
Again I asked "Really now, How much do I
owe?"
"My child" he said, "God paid
your bill a long, long time ago."
(This poem originating
in the
If you
believe............
She is
92 years old, petite, well poised,
and proud.
She is
fully dressed
each morning
by
hair
fashionably
coifed, and
her
makeup
perfectly applied, in spite of the
fact she is
legally blind.
Today
she has moved to a nursing home. Her
husband of 70
years
recently
passed away,
making this move necessary.
After
many hours of waiting patiently in
the lobby
of the
nursing home,
where
I am
employed, she smiled sweetly when told
her room
was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the
elevator, I
provided
a visual
description
of her
tiny room, including the eyelet
curtains that
had
been hung on
her
window.
"I
love it," she stated with the enthusiasm
of an
eight-year-old having
just
been
presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs.
Jones, you haven't seen the
room...just
wait," I said.
Then she
spoke these words that I will
never forget,
"That
does not
have
anything to do
with it," she gently
replied.