bestofwords13

God is the final authority here, and I thank Him for you,
and allowing me to share with you in this way.
Lord, please continue to use me to do Thy Will.
Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak and unsaved.
Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
May the Holy Spirit always continue to guide me.
I ask for your continued prayers, and please pray for each other

Bunny's Words © 1999-2004 All rights reserved

Gard61@aol.com

Song Playing is: "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" by Lauren Hill

Music is for evaluation purposes only.
If you like the music, please support the artists by purchasing the CD.

I absolutely do not receive any monetary gain for anything.
Everything I do is freely given, as it was freely received.

Remember that wonderful old gospel song, "His eye is on the sparrow?"
The chorus starts, "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free; for His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." That's not only a song of assurance, it's a song of reassurance.

When you are free from the constant nagging guilt of sin because you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you have every right to be happy and to sing about it, and that's just the start. You can then be assured of His care through all of life's woes -- more reason to sing.

You must remember, however, God doesn't just drop the food in the sparrow's mouth. They have to scratch for it, and so do we. I keep saying that with every privilege there is an equal responsibility. You can't have one without the other. You can't enjoy God's blessing without an accompanying responsibility to serve Him. There are no free rides.

Jesus spoke an important statement in Luke 12:15 (niv), "...a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Let's be careful not to judge God's blessings by the number of trinkets we own. God provides a supply of food for the sparrow, but it has to build its own nest. The sparrow has all it needs -- no trinkets. Should we expect more?

Because I Don't Care Anymore God Does Care About Me

Because I don't care anymore I won't feel the pain around me
Because God does care I will only feel the pain that will help me grow.
Because I don't care anymore, I won't care who loves me I will just love everyone.
Because God does care, He will return love to me from where He wants me to get it.
Because I don't care anymore, I don't care what material things I have.
Because God does care, He will see that my material needs are met.
Because I don't care anymore, I don't care how I look to others
Because God does care, He will have me look the way He wants others to see me.
Because I don't care anymore, I don't have a care in the world.
Because God does care, He will fill me with the care of doing His Will.
Because I don't care anymore, I don't care who talks to me.
Because God does care, the people who talk to me will hear His Word.
Because I don't care anymore, I don't care what happens to me.
Because God does care, everything that happens to me will turn out good for me.
Because I Don't Care Anymore God Does Care About Me

My heart soars like the eagle swift and high. My heart is with My God and I am embracing Him who takes care of me.
How beauteous the melody He shares.
My spirit sings His praise with love and adoration,
I am far from earthly things.
I feel grace pouring down on me
I continue to raise my eyes to Thee
Blessings I receive will I treasure
Now and forever
Amen.

Maria

Because He was tempted in all points as we, I have an advocate.
Because He was despised and rejected, I am loved.
Because His hands were pierced for me, I place my hands in His.
Because He wore a crown of thorns, I may wear a crown of righteousness.
Because He drank the bitter cup, I may taste Heaven's joy.
Because the darkness covered Him, I can see the "Way."
Because He was falsely tried, I can know the "Truth."
Because He died in my place, I can have "Life."
Because He suffered for my sin, I can be forgiven.
Because He came forth from the tomb, I have immortality.

Even on the most difficult days there is hope. The worst that could possibly happen cannot even come close to the good that already is. The whole world could crumble around you and still there would be the very real presence of joy and fulfillment in your life. The best things you have, you cannot ever lose. The most important things can never be taken from you no matter what tragedy may befall you.

And therein lies the strength to attempt anything. You truly cannot fail, so you might as well succeed in the most spectacular fashion. Yes, you will stumble and there will be pain, but it can never equal the joy of which you're capable. Even though no one may catch you when you fall, the minute you hit bottom there will be endless ways to start climbing again.

Dear God, be good to me.
The sea is so wide, and my boat is so small.

The Breton Fisherman's Prayer

Beauty Of A Sunset

The beauty of a sunset is a splendor to behold,
sometimes the sky's afire with tints of red and gold.
Then other times it's gentle like a lovers soft embrace,
enthralling us in grandeur to be blessed with such a place.
How special are these moments that nature lets us see,
moments where our spirits will struggle to be free.
These moments, when they find us, bring contented inner peace, moments that we purge ourselves and give our souls release.
We see how small we really are next to nature's majestic age, it grants us humbling moments when pondering this awesome stage.
This is a union as day couples with the night, a dance of perfect harmony, the joining of darkness with light. When these two forces come together, they are more united then when apart. We stand to learn so much from this display of divine art.
Embrace the feeling within your heart when nature opens the door, for if you do, you will find you are granted so much more. As Mother Earth prepares for slumber, it's enough to make one pray, for the gift of seeing this miracle again another day....

Where is my Music.

Someone once told me the story of Mimi and Rudolfo.. and I thought that the most beautiful love story I have ever heard.. Sometimes when the pain has had time to lessen, what stays in the memory is the beauty of the wonderful times.. The pain of sadness disappears, or at least becomes less acute, allowing one to remember the total joy of love...

Was this a fleeting moment, an interruption in our lives?
I learned from you a different view of worlds to recognize.
The music sings a love affair so tender, yet so tragic,
of Mimi and Rudolfo, and of all the morning's magic..
And pain comes rushing back to me with tears like rivers flow.
A sadness has enveloped me, Where did my music go?

Woman at the Well

And just like the woman at the well...
I too was thirsty and You gave me drink...

And Jesus said "If you only knew the free gift of God
and who it is that is asking you for water, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

John 4:10

Lord, I am like the women at the well, for I too am thirsty. In this world there are not many places
I can go to get that drink of living water.
Lord, show me the heart of man.
Show me who I can trust in this world of sin and strife. I am just one woman here, trying to make a difference in this world.
Teach me Your ways Lord.

If I can make a difference in only one life Lord, then let me see that one life. Let me see the one person I need to reach.
Show me that lost and lonely soul.
I pray oh Lord, for Your guidance in all that I do and say.

Amen

Be
In this world of true and real existence
Alive
And honest
To follow My lead
Wherever I may send you.
Be still
Calm
Unafraid
No matter how Satan seeks to restrain you
For I am ever with you
That you may press on
In peace.
Be still and
In My comfort
Wait for My deliverance
Which comes to all who believe.
Be still and know
With powers of mind
And experience
That you may be aware
And trust
With perfect confidence.
Be still and know that
There is one Truth
One Destiny
One Way
To be free
And rest.
Be still and know that I
Your Creator
Your Savior
Stand supreme
The only
Undefeated Commander
Of reality.
Be still and know that I am
Strong enough to care
And provide
I Am
The living Lord
Who reigns forever
For all the universe
And the heart that chooses
To accept
And shine in My serenity.
Be still
And know
That I am God.
Be still
And know
That I am God.

(Psalm 46:10: 9 July 2001) by Ray McAllister

Reduce intellectual and emotional noise until
you arrive at the silence of yourself, and listen to it

(Isa 53:1-5 NLT)

Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal His saving power? My servant grew up in the Lord's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance, nothing to attract us to Him. He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by. He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God for His own sins! But He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten
that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!

Prayer: LORD, may I never take for granted the awesome price You paid for my life. Your suffering was greater than I can imagine. The good news though, is that it is now over, and You live forever in victory.
Your death and resurrection gave me life, and by Your wounds I was healed. I am grateful for Your sacrifice for me and I will thank You and praise You for all eternity. I pledge my love to You forever.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Just this morning I was reading in Psalm 104 about all of the majestic works of God in nature. We take His world for granted and forget to be grateful.

Near the end of the chapter the psalmist says (vs. 31), “May the glory of the Lord last forever! The Lord rejoices in all He has made!”
Aren’t you glad you can wake up every morning and absolutely depend on the sun being there, cloudy or not. God is faithful!

From the tiny birds of the air and from the fragile lilies of the field, we learn the same truth, which is so important for those who desire to live a life of simple faith: God takes care of His own. He knows our needs.
He anticipates our crises. He is moved by our weaknesses. He stands ready to come to our rescue. And at just the right moment, He steps in and proves Himself as our faithful Heavenly Father.

The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek God's face. And then when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

************************

A Child's Faith

"Jesus loves me, this I know,
for the Bible tells me so"
Little children ask no more,
For love is all they're looking for.
And in a small child's shining eyes
The Faith of all the ages lies
And tiny hands and tousled heads
That kneel in prayer by little beds
Are closer to the Dear Lord's heart
And of His Kingdom more a part
Than we who search, and never find,
The answers to our questioning mind
For Faith in things we cannot see
Requires a child's simplicity
For, lost in life's complexities.
We drift upon uncharted seas
And slowly Faith disintegrates
While wealth and power accumulates
And the more man learns, the less he knows,
And the more involved his thinking grows and, in his arrogance and pride, no longer is man satisfied
To place his confidence and love
With childlike Faith in God above
Oh, Father, grant once more to men
A simple childlike Faith again
And, with a small child's trusting eyes,
May all men come to realize
That Faith alone can save man's soul
And lead him to a higher goal.

If there is an all powerful, loving God who is accomplishing His
purposes behind the scenes, then we must never look at our present circumstances and conclude that what we see is all there is to reality.
No matter what life looks like presently, no matter how much it appears that evil is winning, humans don't have the last word.
God has the last word, and it is a word of hope, peace,
and victory to those who love Him and who are walking in
His will. But God's purposes take time to work out.
So what we need while we wait for God's answer is patience and courage that comes from robust faith, and an absolute, flat-out refusal to believe that what we see is what we get. . . .

We assume that because we don't always see what God is doing, He is doing nothing. And because we see everything that evil is doing, we feel our fate is left dangling. We cannot afford to be naïve.
Our problem must be faced realistically and squarely.
But when we are in a fearful situation, there is nothing that builds our confidence in God more than remembering His promises.

The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness;
to an opponent, tolerance;
to a friend, your heart;
to your child, a good example;
to a father, deference;
to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you;
to yourself, respect;
to all men, charity.

************************

Shadow of My Real Life

Thud!

I lay sprawled across the marble floor of the bustling main corridor at the mall. I knew why I had fallen, but that didn't make it any easier to accept.
I attempted to get up, but felt as though I were submerged in a swimming pool with 50-pound weights anchored to my legs. I could not make my body do what I wanted it to do.
This incident not only humiliated me, it also frightened me. Throughout the following days of medication and unsure movements, I pondered my life. I found myself staring into the face of my own mortality.
Just a few weeks after my 17th birthday I had learned that I have multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time I didn't comprehend the implications of the disease. For the next eight years I maneuvered through life virtually trouble-free, fighting only an occasional, short-lived exacerbation. I knew that I had a disease, yet it seemed distant and foreign. When I read articles about the handicapped or physically challenged, I didn't associate myself with them.
After another fall at the mall a short time later I found it necessary to get a handicapped parking permit. I felt self-conscious as I parked in one of the blue-painted parking spaces with the glaring "handicapped" symbol. I imagined that people were staring at me, and I dreaded the inevitable confrontation when an indignant person would ask me why I parked my car in a handicapped spot. As weeks passed without any such confrontations, I was shocked to realize that I looked as though I had a right to park there.
I delved into the Scriptures searching for comfort. I wanted to find a giant bandage that would make everything better. I didn't find a bandage, but I did find something more soothing: "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, niv
These words didn't -- couldn't -- make my problems disappear, but they did comfort me and help me to view the seeming injustice of this perplexing disease in light of eternity. Eternal life is at work in me even now -- "My troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory" (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:17) -- through the trying times and difficult circumstances. This life is unsure and unstable, a mere shadow of my real life. These temporary trials and struggles -- and occasional tumbles at the mall -- are simply that: temporary. They are instruments of God, working good for eternity's sake

Lord, sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have aches and pains and hard times. Give us Your joy today and help us to remember that our afflictions help us to depend on You and that they are temporary -- we have eternity with You to look forward to!
We pray in Jesus' name. Amen

I wish you love, strength, faith, and wisdom,
Goods, gold enough to help some needy one.
I wish you songs, but also blessed silence,
And God's sweet peace when every day is done.

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify Your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

************************

A puzzle piece has many twists and turns with many straight edges and curves. Like a picture puzzle, to make a family it takes different "pieces" all joined together to complete the picture.
First God brings two "pieces" of the puzzle together, with all their likes and differences, and neatly fits them together. Then as children come, God knows just what is needed to complete this puzzle.
He adds one "piece" with gentle curves that snugly fits and follows the flow with a sweet disposition that helps keep everyone humble.
Next comes a "piece" with straight edges of dependability that can always be counted on to hold everyone together.
Maybe another "piece" is added with surprising twists that has just enough mischievousness to keep everyone on their toes.
God fits this puzzle gently together and builds a family that is joined together as one, yet, each "piece" has its own uniqueness. No matter which "piece" you are in your family, you were placed there to make complete the beautiful picture of your family puzzle.

by Linda Norton

"Don't Make An Anchor Out Of It."

It doesn't matter what kind of problem, grief or feud in which you may be involved -- "Don't make an anchor out of it!" Get over it -- it's time to move on with your life. If you don't treat an infection, it will only fester and become worse.
The same is true of life's disappointments. Sometimes radical surgery is needed. The worst thing you can do is sit and brood. Get involved with some useful activity. Do something worthwhile for someone else, but don't sit and mope. This may sound harsh, but sometimes we need a good kick in the "seat of learning."
Read Matt:11:28 (nlt) as if you are reading it for the very first
time: "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Read it again, then remember, whatever your problem, "don't make an anchor out of it."

************************

Dirty Old Beggar

There was a old beggar who lived on the streets
He had holes in his shoes no socks on his feet
No coat did he wear across his thin shoulders
When the cold wind did blow
Down his neck it would spin
Like an ice cold finger cutting his skin
He owned not a house or even a bed
He had no where to lay down his head
A cardboard box he called his home
And there he lived all alone
The hunger he felt was like a raging fire
And each day he lived the flame burned higher
He walked down the streets with a smile on his face
Each person he passed he bid them good day
But they wouldn't smile or even speak
To this dirty old beggar who lives on the streets
They just quickly turned the other way
No time to be bothered by him today
No used socks to warm his feet
An old coat to help keep in the heat
He dare not ask for a crust of bread
To help the hunger in his belly be fed
If only he could feel a hug
Just to know that he was loved
Slowly he would shuffle back down the street
To his cardboard box where he would sleep
There he would bow down his old head
Asking His Father to send down His love
And like a blanket it would come
And on this night Jesus called him home
On the streets he will no more roam
No cold or hunger will he ever feel
Jesus hugs they make it real
Now he is wrapped in Jesus love
He's in Heaven up above

One day he decided to take a stroll
To view the streets down below
And sure enough he did see
Beggars on the streets so cold
With heavy hearts they did stroll
For they knew that on this day
No kindness would come their way
No one would lend a helping hand
As the cold night did approach
To cardboard boxes they would go
As they bowed down their heads
Asking God up above to once
more send down His love
Like a blanket it would come
Wrapping each in His pure love
So if by chance you happen to see
Dirty old beggars on the streets
You might take a minute or two
To decide what you might do
Will you give a helping hand
To the people of this land
This is a plea from me to you
Dirty old beggar standing in Jesus love!

Belle Parker 11-4-1999

Popularity Can Make kids Do Cruel Things

She sits there--alone--every lunch hour. Not that she’s
antisocial or anything like that. It’s more like junior
high school society is anti-her. She doesn’t wear the right
clothes. And she doesn’t have the right look. And she doesn’t
have the right friends. And she isn’t up on all of the right things.
Which makes her wrong. All wrong. To be seen talking to
her is to risk teasing from everyone else --- or at least
everyone who is anyone. Suggesting that people be nice to
her could result in a major hassle with the popular crowd.
And if anyone finds out that she considers you her friend .
. . well, do the words social suicide mean anything to you?
So she sits there --- alone --- every lunch hour. Usually
she has the entire table to herself. And to tell the truth,
she prefers it that way --- especially since the alternative
to being completely ignored seems to be a barbaric form of
adolescent humor where somebody says something terribly
cruel to her while everyone else laughs.
Everyone, that is, except her.

"Hey Geek, what kind of mousse are you using these days ---
Penzoil?" Big laugh. "What’s the matter, Geek, don’t they
sell Clearasil by the gross?" Another big laugh.
"Are the cooks serving from the sewer again or did the Geek
forget to shower?" Well, OK. She almost smiles at this one.
But only because she works so hard to make sure that she is
clean and free of offensive odors. Things are tough enough
when you’re a geek. You don’t need to bring more trouble on
yourself by being careless, you know what I mean?
Things haven’t always been this way for her. Kindergarten
was great. She enjoyed school and she had lots of friends.
Ditto grades one, two and three. But something must have
happened that summer between third and fourth grades,
because somehow she suddenly seemed . . . well, different
from the other girls. And in the pre-adolescent world of
the fourth- grader, where social awareness dawns with the
bright light of peer pressure, few things are more
unacceptable than different. Especially if it also means
bigger. And slower. And clumsier. And less fashionable.
You know --- geeky.

In fact, it was at about that time that the g-word first
entered her life. The first time someone called her a
geek she laughed. It was such a funny-sounding word it
had to be a joke, right? But there wasn’t anything
comical about the tone of voice that was used each time
the epithet was hurled in her direction, or the look in her
mother’s eye when she finally got up the courage to ask her
what the word means. It doesn’t really mean anything, her mother
told her, except that the person who calls you that isn’t your friend.

From that point on she had fewer and fewer friends. The
kids she had always played with became distant and aloof.
Popularity became more valuable than friendship. And everyone
knows you don’t get to be popular by hanging out with a geek.

Through the years she’s learned to deal with rejection and
ridicule. In fact. she pretty much expects it now. And
she handles it. Somehow. But once in a while something
comes along and catches her off guard. Like the time her
science teacher showed the class a movie about wolves. She
was fascinated by the sophisticated social structure of the
wolf pack, with its genetic checks and balances. But then
there was an explanation of how the pack purged itself by turning on the weak and vulnerable. And suddenly, unexpectedly, she cried.

The teacher was concerned, probably because he had never
seen a student cry during what had to be considered a
fairly academic, dispassionate film.
"Are you ok?" he asked her as she tried to hurry out of class.

Her gaze was focused downward --- as usual, but she
hesitated and nodded.
"I was just wondering," he continued, "because . . . well,
I couldn’t help but notice your reaction to the movie. If
something bothered you, I’d like to help you understand it."
She paused a moment. "You can’t," she said. "Nobody can."
She started to leave the room, then turned and added: "I
guess I just feel bad for the wolves that get picked on."
She left quickly, melting into the crowded hallway.

It was time for lunch. Time to be alone.

by Joseph Walker

Joseph Walker is a Bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.
"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.
"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the young woman continued.
"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.
"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement."
"In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners,
I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, Keep your fork." "It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!"
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket
with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder
what's with the fork?"
"Then I want you to tell them: keep your fork ... the best is yet to come."
The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the
young woman good-bye.

He knew this would be one of the last times he would see
her before her death. But he also knew that the young
woman had a better grasp of Heaven than he did. She
had a better grasp of what Heaven would be like than
many people twice her age, with twice as much experience
and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.
Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's
with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.
The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it
remind you ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you
smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
Show your friends how much you care. Remember to always
be there for them, even when you need them more. For you
never know when it may be their time to "Keep your fork."

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

************************

My daily wish is that we may see good in those who pass our way;
Find in each, a worthy trait that we shall gladly cultivate;
See in each one passing by, the better things that beautify
A softly spoken word of cheer, a kindly face, a smile sincere.
I pray each day that we may view the things that warm one's heart anew;
The kindly deed that can't be bought, that only from good are wrought.
A burden lightened here and there, a brother lifted from despair,
The aged ones freed from distress; the lame, the sick, brought happiness.
Grant that before each sun has set we'll witness deeds we can't forget;
A soothing hand to one in pain, a sacrifice for love, not gain;
A word to ease the troubled mind of one whom fate has dealt unkind.
So, friend, my wish is that we may see good in all who pass our way.

by Phil Perkins

Never mind the storm. When you're one with God,
there is always a rainbow waiting.

Song Of Joy

Lord, place a song of joy, in my heart,
A song that arise, as each morning starts,
A song I can sing, again and again,
A song of joy, that will never end,
Please fill my heart, with Holy laughter,
So my face can reflect, Your love ever after,
To Your glory, honor and praise, let my song of joy so amaze,
That others can see, through Heaven's door,
And be blessed by Your loving gaze.

I Am The Way

I am the way so just follow Me
Though the way may be rough and you cannot see...
I am the truth which all men seek
So heed not "false prophets"
Nor the words that they speak...
I am the life and I hold the key
That opens the door to Eternity...
And in this dark world I am the Light
To the Promised Land where there is no night!

Helen Steiner Rice

Often called the white robed apostles of hope, lilies have been recognized throughout art and literature as an image
of beauty, resurrection and hope. It is believed that beautiful lilies sprouted from the drops of Christ's sweat in His final hours.
The pure white lily is also associated with the Virgin Mary.

As legend is told, visitors paid tribute to the Virgin Mary's tomb to find it empty, except for bunches of majestic white lilies. Early artists made the lily the emblem of the Resurrection of
the Virgin, with the white petals signifying her spotless body and golden antlers, her soul glowing with Heavenly light. To this day, Christians honor the lily's significance by surrounding their altars and crosses with its beauty.

A white tailed deer drinks from the creek
I want to drink God, deep draughts of God.
I'm thirsty for God alive.
I wonder, will I ever make it alive and drink in God's presence"
I'm on a diet of tears, tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long, people knock at my door pestering,
"Where is this God of yours?
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?"
Fix my eyes on God. Soon, I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my GOD.

************************

Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness,
Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and to be loved, it is the privilege of the Gods.
And most of all take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul

Take Time For Yourself

As we age, we watch our partners, our brothers or sisters, and our friends grow frail and forgetful. Some of them become chronic invalids. "They're all getting old," we think ruefully, and then we realize that we too are old and getting older.

There's no help for it; but many of us find our spirits struggling against the acceptance of these changes. We contain within ourselves the seeds of everything we can ever be: the potential for wisdom and goodness as well as for narrow discontent.
If we nurture our spirits and allow them to grow with plenty of love, faith, humility, and patience, we stand an excellent chance of becoming wise and good as we grow old.

For a well-nourished spirit, acceptance of change, surrender to the process that we can't halt, is itself great wisdom. To live in the moment, simply to be where we are, is to be wise, for we are occupying the space that was meant for us and fulfilling our part of the grand design.

Ute Prayer

Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light.
Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory.
Earth teach me humility as blossoms are humble with beginning.
Earth teach me caring as the mother who secures her young.
Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands alone.
Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground.
Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry fields weep with rain.

There is an enthusiastic Christian man and even though he has suffered with the pain of arthritis for many year, when people greet him and inquire, "How are you today?" he cheerfully answers, "Just fine!"

Those who know of his pain sometimes question his sincerity. "How can you say you're fine when you're in so much pain?"
His standard response is: "How I feel has very little to do with how I am. You see, the part of me that hurts is just a shell, not the real me, and the real me is just fine!"

What he calls a shell, the Apostle Paul called a tent. And the "real me" that he refers to, the apostle called the inward man. Although this gentleman's earthly tent is painful and
perishing, he realizes that it is after all just a temporary housing for the inward man.
One day he will exchange it for his permanent home awaiting him in heaven. That is his confidence. But until then, the inward man is conscious of being renewed daily.

How are you today? Is your tent drooping? Remember, if Christ is Your Savior and Lord, a perfect body awaits you one day...But until then, no matter what's on the outside, on the inside
we can say, "I'm just fine!"

************************

If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such "Wisdom" does not come down from Heaven but is earthly,
unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish
ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But
the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then
peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Prayer: LORD, help me to appropriate Your wisdom in my life today. In all that I do and say, I want to reflect to others the love, consideration, care, mercy, grace, and peace that You have extended to me without cost or condition.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

The boy walked along the ocean shore, trying not to stray.
He looked up to his father saying, "Dad, I want to play."
His father looked upon him with love showing in his eyes.
"Do what you want to, my son...but do not leave my side."
"I would never leave you daddy, I love you way too much."
But the boy took a step away, out of his father's range of touch.
He walked through the surf, the waves tickling one toe.
"If I take one more step in" He thought, "Father will never know."
His father called out to him, "Son, to me ... remain true!"
The boy thought with glee, "At the moment, I don't need you!"
His father felt a sadness, but ... he held his tongue,
Sometimes lessons need to be learned, even when so young.
The boy stepped out a little further, the water covering his waist.
His father spoke with urgency, his father spoke with haste.
"My son come back to me," he said "The day is almost done!"
"Not yet Dad," the boy yelled, "I'm having too much fun!"
But the boy did not have his father's insight,
So he could not yet tell....
The tide was coming in fast, there would be no time to yell.
"Father!" he tried to scream, as the water covered his head,
"I need you now, Daddy!" Was what the boy had said.
And in a single instant, his father was by his side.
"I thought you left me Daddy, I thought you went to hide."
The father looked upon his son, a tear streaming down his cheek.
The boy looked upon his father, and cried the sobs of the meek.
"I would never leave you son, for I love you just the same."
"I was only waiting, for you to call upon my name."

************************

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

The Apple Basket

One day an elderly man entered into a hospital. He was grumpy from being on medication and the nurses thought him to be insane, as he yelled for his wife to get the apple basket. By the time they had checked him into his room the nurses were exhausted from the fight he was putting up.
"Sir you have to calm down we are doing everything we can for you" they would try to explain.
"I don't need your help" the grumpy man would yell "I want my apple basket". He finally slept. The nurses sighed with relief and talked among themselves whether they should call the hospital psychologist about the old man and his obsession with the apple basket.
As they talked and laughed about the situation the wife came in carrying the basket of apples. They looked kind of stunned as she asked if she could see her husband and deliver his basket. Sure, they agreed as they watched her slip past into his room.
Curiosity consumed them over the next few weeks as they tended to the elderly man. He was eaten with cancer and the doctors had given him no hope of survival. He turned out to be a very calm, happy man once he had his basket. His wife, they noticed, would come in with apples and go out with apples and the curiosity grew even more till one nurse couldn't stand the suspense.
One night as he was nearing the end, the nurse sat down in a chair by the wife." May I ask why do you have that apple basket? I just don't understand the significance."
"I am an apple farmer by trade" he sighed. "From the time I was 20 till the day I do die I will forever have my apples." The nurse nodded thinking she understood.
He just likes his work, she thought, assured now he was a little bit crazy.
As she started to leave, the old man asked her to sit down. "At age 20, I was saved, I accepted the Lord as my Savior." Oh no, the nurse thought.
Here comes the lecture on religion. The old man continued. "The day I accepted the Lord as my Savior I got this basket, and each time I had a problem or concern that I could not handle, I put an apple in the basket un-shined."
"Why?" the nurse said shaking her head.
"Because it reminded me to give those problems to the Lord for Him to shine. See my basket now, he stated. As my problems disappear so do the apples. As I get new problems, ones I cannot handle alone, I put an apple in."
The humble nurse looked into the basket...only one apple was there.
With that, he took a big breath and grabbed his wife by the hand and faded into eternal sleep. The wife paused for a moment and got up from her place to take from the basket the last remaining apple. She whispered in his ear that his reward awaits him in Heaven.
The nurse stayed still and asked with tears in her eyes, "What do you think his riches will be?"
The wife knew what they were, eternal life with Jesus Christ. But she could see the concern and sadness upon the young nurse's face and handed her the apple and said "the biggest apple pie you can imagine!"
That was the day the young nurse was saved, and from that day on she always had a basket by her bed.

************************

If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.

After the storm
Comes the blaze of healing sun.
After the darkness
The rain
The thunder
Comes the Light, the growth, the calm
After the hurt
The tears
The frustration
Comes the chance
By Heaven's wisdom
To savor a life made whole again
Purged and watered
By the showers of pain
And released anew
Into the warming glory
Of Joy.

O Lord
May e'er our struggles bring us peace
And the gift of growing
Into the simple softness
Of the rose.

Ray McAllister (6 June 2001)

************************

All of our visible blessings are but pale shadows of the real wealth that we can have if we live in continual communion with God. He does not put His best gifts in the store windows. He keeps those in the inner chambers. The best good is not the good that we can touch, taste, and handle and that man can see.

Dare to Fly

Oh, how very often do we hold ourselves in check
when it comes to expressing what we truly desire
as if life were nothing but a series of second chances
And even though we realize there will be that moment
when it is too late for saying or doing what we wanted
more often than not we still allow ourselves to hold back
What is it about us that makes us so cautious and afraid
to be truthful and reveal our heart's desire to another
while restless days and nights punish us unmercifully
Do we really believe that by telling someone of our love
it will somehow harm the relationship that we share
and if that be so, then what does that say about us
Choose not to live your life in fearful speculations
while your dreams fade into the mists of time, but seize the moment to be true to yourself. Dare to give your hopes and dreams wings to fly freely where you most desire to be for no one else is likely to do it for you
And, if you do not heed this heartfelt plea you doom yourself to the gray shadows of who you might have become

dennis j hopkins

You already have what you need. Otherwise you wouldn't even be alive. Beyond your needs, which are already fulfilled, are the
things you desire. Some of them you may desire very, very much.
That's known as passion, and it can drive you to do and become
and create magnificent things. But it's not because you need to.
It is because you desire to.
We belittle our desires by claiming them as needs, but that's
not really necessary. If you're alive, your needs are met. Be
thankful and grateful for that, and realize that it gives you
the opportunity to follow your most passionate, sincere desires.
Though we often misinterpret and corrupt our desires, there's
nothing wrong with desire itself. At the heart of each true
desire is the essence of your own, unique universe of possibilities.
Your purest desires urge you toward the greatest person you can
become. Find them, nurture them, follow them and live your
possibilities

Thank You

Lord, thank you for this sink of dirty dishes; we have plenty of food to eat.
Thank you for this pile of dirty, stinky laundry; we have plenty of nice clothes to wear. And I would like to thank you, Lord, for those unmade beds; they were so warm and comfortable last night. I know that many have no beds.
My thanks to you, Lord, for this bathroom, complete with all the splattered mirrors, soggy, grimy towels and dirty lavatory; they are so convenient.
Thank you for this finger-smudged refrigerator that needs defrosting so badly; It has served us faithfully for many years. It is full of cold drinks and enough leftovers for two or three meals.
Thank you, Lord, for this oven that absolutely must be cleaned today. It has baked so many things over the years.
The whole family is grateful for that tall grass that needs mowing, the lawn that needs raking; we all enjoy the yard. Thank you, Lord, even for that slamming screen door. My kids are healthy and able to run and play.
Lord, the presence of all these chores awaiting me says You have richly blessed my family. I shall do them cheerfully and I shall do them gratefully.

LORD, help me to be strong and courageous in every circumstance I face in life, knowing that You are good and Your love and mercy never fails. Not one promise will fail. You are always good, always faithful. Thank You for your great faithfulness to me.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

Lord, even in the most difficult circumstances, You are able to protect and deliver those who trust in You. Help me also to remember that in those situations, there may be others who need You.
I want to always be an example of Your love and grace regardless of my circumstances and always be ready to share the message of Your love and mercy with those who need to hear.

Index	Ten	Twenty	Thirty
One	Eleven	Twenty-One	Remembering One
Two	Twelve	Twenty-Two	Remembering Two
Three	Thirteen	Twenty-Three	Remembering Three
Four	Fourteen	Twenty-Four	Animals One
Five	Fifteen	Twenty-Five	Animals Two
Six	Sixteen	Twenty-Six	Animals Three
Seven	Seventeen	Twenty-Seven	Heroes
Eight	Eighteen	Twenty-Eight	Holidays
Nine	Nineteen	Twenty-Nine

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	The Christians with Chronic Illness/Pain Site Ring
	This site is owned and maintained by Bunny