bestofwords28.html

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: "Blessed Be" by The Statler Brothers

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.

As I walk through my day
I realize this day how completely blessed I am in my life.
The fact that life is in itself a powerful blessing!
I give thanks for the people in my life,
the many material comforts that are around me,
the ever-availability of resources I so often take for granted,
and the insights that are always dawning in my awareness.
All life supports me utterly, without fail and
without holding back.

As I walk through my day, I give thanks and give thanks
again for the many blessings in my life, and most of all,
I give thanks for the One Great Spirit, present in all things,
between all things,
behind all things, above and below.
I give thanks for the presence of The Great Spirit in me,
and I experience that presence moment to moment.
It is a blessing; I am a blessing. And so it is.

Did You Get What You Asked For?

"Did you get what you asked for?" I was pondering the question my friend had asked me
earlier as I walked through the vacant rooms of our house one last time. Of course,
she had meant did the house bring the price we had asked for in the sale. As I continued
looking through the house, I remembered it had been nearly seventeen years since I had seen
these rooms empty. The rooms echoed my footsteps as if they were a bit sad also at the
emptiness so foreign to them. Had it really been that many years since I first came here
with my husband along with three children in tow?

It didn't seem so long ago that I heard my 14-year-old daughter say, "Can I have the room
with the purple carpet?" I walked into that bedroom where the purple carpet still remained
along with the purple stenciling on the walls where she had created her work of art.
Several times we had considered redecorating the room, even to the point of buying the paint,
but we used the paint somewhere else and somehow the room managed to stay unchanged.

I meandered on down the hall to another bedroom and I wondered how many times my husband had
repaired the walls in this room after Justin, our "wall abuse" child had joined our family
a couple of years after we had moved to this house.

In the living room, now so bare, I imagined I could hear the laughter and squeals of children
sitting around the Christmas tree that usually stood before the bay window at Christmas time.
I thought of the year that a young friend had brought us a real tree from the woods that we
had to repair with duct tape. We even put a stuffed animal in
the bare spot because we didn't want to hurt his feelings by acting as if the tree were
anything but perfect. I looked at that window behind where the tree would have been, and
I was almost sure I could see "Rocky" the cat, sprawl above everything as he arrogantly
watched his kingdom of human peasants from his royal cat throne.

I turned toward the kitchen and I cringed once more at that slight shadow on the floor
next to the refrigerator where I had spilled an entire gallon of salad dressing.
The carpet was new at the time and although I scrubbed with everything imaginable,
the a stain never completely came out and I had finally just placed a pretty throw rug
over the area.

I walked through the kitchen and on down the steps to the basement to the
family/recreation room, better known as the "wrecked room." I stood staring at that old
black cast iron stove which was about the only thing remaining in the house.
It was like an old friend as it kept the basement warm in the winter and I often sat
a pot of ham and beans on the top of it, allowing them to cook slowly all day. Over
against the East wall I noticed the indentions in the carpet where the old upright piano
had been. There were a lot of good times around that piano. It was there that I taught
my son, Jeremy, to play "Moonlight Sonata." He refused to take real piano lessons but
just wanted to know where to put his fingers on the piano and before long he had memorized
the entire song.

I looked out the window where the kids used to play "Fox and Geese" in the snow and I almost
felt I could hear my daughter, Julie, ask, "Mama, we're having so much fun! Can Angie
stay overnight?" The number of children around the house seemed to multiply as my other
children would often want a friend to stay on the very same night or weekend.

There was the time that Jeanna asked to invite a few friends for her 13th birthday.
A few friends turned out to be 19 friends, and while I was busy preparing food,
one of them decided to show the group how he could hold his breath until he passed out.
Fortunately, we stopped that little game. After that, I thought about writing the surgeon
general requesting a warning sign to be posted on birthday supplies and candles stating:
"WARNING: Children's parties can be hazardous to parental sanity."

I walked out into the yard and stood under the tall maple trees that now towered high above
the house and their limbs even shaded the deck. They were only small trees when we first
moved to this house. A garage now stands at the edge of the yard where there was nothing
but lawn when we came here. I remembered my husband, his Dad, and a couple of neighbors
working together to build it. We had such good neighbors.

As I stepped up into the van and gazed toward the house one last time, I thought about
how that house had been such a big part of my life for so many years. I asked myself the
question, "Did I get what I asked for?" I would have to answer a resounding,
"Yes, I got what I asked for and so much more, for who can put a price on family, friends,
good neighbors, and love.

I wondered what changes the new owners would make. Would they have purple carpet,
stenciled walls, and children's parties? Whether they do or not, I hope they also get
what they asked for…and more.

By Pamela R. Blaine...........April 23, 2002
http://members.aol.com/pamyblaine/PamyPlace.html

Believe In Your Heart

Believe in your heart that
something wonderful is about to happen.
Love your life.
Believe in your own powers,
and your own potential,
and in your own innate goodness.
Wake every morning
with the awe of just being alive.
Discover in each day the magnificent,
awesome beauty in the world.
Explore and embrace life in yourself
and in everyone you see each day.
Reach within to find your own specialness.
Amaze yourself and rouse those around you
to the potential of each new day.
Don't be afraid to admit
that you are less than perfect;
this is the essence of your humanity.
Let those who love you help you.
Trust enough to be able to take.
Look with hope to the horizon of today,
for today is all we truly have.
Live this day well.
Let a little sun out as well as in.
Create your own rainbows.
Be open to all your possibilities;
all possibilities and Miracles.
Always believe in Miracles.

Prayer For Courage

Let me pray not to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them.
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain,
but for the heart to conquer it.
Let me not look for allies in life's battlefield,
but to my own strength.
Let me crave not in anxious fear to be saved,
but hope for the patience to win my freedom.
Grant me that I may not be a coward,
feeling your mercy in my success alone;
but let me find the grasp of your hand in failure.

I look and see a helpless child, who's weak and insecure.
God sees a mighty saint of God, with faith that's strong and sure.
I see a mountain in my path, too high, too wide to span.
God sees the tunnel going through, according to His plan.
I see the failures in my life, that all the world can see.
God sees my failures turned to gain, my loss to victory.
I see the wild and stormy seas, with waves that crash and roar.
God see the lighthouse guiding me in safety to God's shore.
I see small puzzle pieces of life's picture that I face.
God sees the final masterpiece, with each small piece in place.
Although my earth-dimmed eyes can't see the plan God has for me,
I know He'll help me to be strong, and win the victory!

Talk to God

Where can you go to feel close to God
When they say He's everywhere?
How can I try to talk to God
When I just don't feel He's there?

I know He'll always lend an ear,
No matter where I may be.
I'm sure He's, always, got the time
To listen to a sinner like me.

But, somehow it doesn't seem right
To try and say your prayers
In front of hundreds of people.
Though, I'm sure no one really cares.

But me, I'd rather talk to God,
Like Jesus talked to His Father,
All alone just me and Him
On a mountain, with no one to bother.

I tell Him all my weary troubles
And He makes them seem all right.
Yes, I would gladly talk to God;
Any time of the day or night.

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

Extra effort

When you've done all you can,
do just a little bit more.
Any extra effort you make will draw immense leverage from
all the ordinary efforts which have preceded it.
That can be powerful and effective.
Almost everyone does just enough to get by.
Those who achieve spectacular success also do enough to get by;
then they add a little bit of extra effort.
That little bit of extra effort makes an enormous difference.

If you're ninety-five percent of the way to outstanding success,
doesn't it make sense to go the additional five percent of the way?
Extra efforts are quite insignificant when compared to the total effort,
and yet they make an enormous difference in the final result.
A marathon which takes hours to run,
can be won or lost by a matter of seconds.
How can you make an extra effort right now, today?
How can you do just a little bit more,
a little bit that will make a big difference?
In every kind of endeavor,
there are ample opportunities for extra effort.
Grab those opportunities, embrace that extra effort and
transform ordinary mediocrity into bright and shining excellence.

Believe

No mountain's too high for you to climb
All you have to do, is have some kind of faith
No river is too wide for you to make it across
All you have to do, is believe it when you pray

And then you will see the morning will come, and everyday will be bright as the sun
Hold on to your fears, cast them on me. I just want you to see........

I'll be your cloud up in the sky, I'll be your shoulder when you cry
I hear your voices when you call me
I am your Angel, and when all hope is gone I'm here
No matter how far you are, I'm near
It makes no difference who you are. I am your Angel, I am your Angel

I saw your teardrops and I heard you cry
All you need is time, seek me and you shall find
You have everything and you're still lonely
It doesn't have to be this way. Let me show you a better day

Then you will see, the morning will come
And all of your day will be bright as the sun
So all of your fears just cast them on me. How can I make you see

And when it's time to face the storm, I'll be right by your side
Grace will keep us safe and warm, I know we'll survive

And when it seems as if your end is growing near
Don't you dare give up the fight. Just put trust on the sky.

Growing Past Disappointment

Each disappointment in your life will continue to weigh you
down only until you learn and accept what it has to teach you.
The moment a disappointment becomes a learning
and growing experience is the moment
in which it is transformed into a triumph.
The chance to learn from your shortcomings
and grow out of your disappointments is one of the richest
opportunities you can ever experience.
Adversity is a thorough, effective
and highly personalized teacher.
The powerful lessons learned in the midst of disappointment
will stay with you always.
When you can bring yourself to be grateful for your problems
you'll begin to harvest their positive value.
Life is difficult; out of that difficulty grows meaning and beauty.
In each disappointment is the seed of fulfillment.
Learn what it has to teach and you'll be moving yourself forward.

I come to meet You, God,
And as I linger here
I seem to feel You very near;
A rustling leaf, a rolling slope
Speak to my heart of endless hope.

The sun just rising in the sky,
The waking birdlings as they fly,
The grass all wet with morning dew
Are telling me I just met You.

And, gently, thus the day is born
As night gives way to breaking morn;
And once again I've met you, God,
And worshipped on Your holy sod.

For who could see the dawn break through
Without a glimpse of heaven and You?
For who but God could make the day
And softly put the night away?

Helen Steiner Rice

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

I Stand in Awe

Oh Lord, my heart overflows - with praises to You,
It's just so awesome - the things that You do.
Nothing exists - without Your masterful design,
And all of Your plans - are perfect and fine.
You made everything - in this whole universe,
You are most worthy - of my praise in this verse.

You made mankind - and placed us on earth,
And you blessed each of us - even before our birth.
You've counted the stars - and each grain of sand,
You hold the universe - in the palm of Your hand.
Oh, Lord I lift my voice in poetic praise,
And I'll shout hosanna - for the rest of my days.

Lord, You made the green meadows - where animals graze,
And you made beautiful sunsets - on which to gaze.
You sprinkle pretty frost - on the meadow grass,
It sparkles like diamonds - or expensive cut glass.
You can order the snowflakes - either day or night,
To cover the hillsides - with a blanket of white.

You designed big rivers - to go rolling by,
They flow continuously - but they never go dry.
I marvel at the sky - and Your clouds filled with rain,
As I watch the raindrops - on my windowpane.
Then when lightening flashes - putting darkness asunder
I praise Your Name - when I hear Your mighty thunder.

For the whole sky lights up - as though it were day,
While I stand in awe - and in helpless dismay.
What a mighty God - what stupendous power,
Lord, you're in control - every moment, every hour.
You control the universe - with Your mighty hand,
All the elements obey - your every command.

Each time I'm in need - I call on Your Name
and You touch me in a way - that I'm never the same.
For You've provided comfort - when my heart was breaking,
You have plenty of assistance - that's mine for my taking.
You always forgive me - when I humbly request,
Oh, I'm such a weak sinner - I feel like a pest.

You love me so much more - then I can even comprehend,
and You're always with me - Oh, true and faithful friend.
You're worthy of my praise - from morning till night,
and Your glorious face - shall never leave my sight.
For my heart is overflowing - with joy and thanksgiving,
and I'll praise You continually - as long as I'm living.

If my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chron. 7:14

The Butterfly

I stood by my kitchen window,
Heart heavy with despair.
Hope was gone, my spirit spent,
Unsure that God was there.
My unseeing eyes gazed outward
While inward thoughts ran wild.
Chasing elusive answers,
My soul, by doubt, beguiled.
Then my mind came into focus
As a movement caught my eye -
Outside among the flowers
Was a tiny, yellow butterfly.
It looked like a bit of sunshine,
Dancing in the breeze.
Darting in and among the flowers,
It fluttered by with ease.
Entranced by this tiny miracle,
Suddenly I knew
That God in all His mercy
Would gently guide me through.
The God who made the universe,
The God who created me,
The God who made the butterfly
Set my spirit free!

Idella Pearl Edwards

There Is A Reason

Our Father knows what's best for us, so why should we complain--
We always want the sunshine, but He knows there must be rain--
We love the sound of laughter and the merriment of cheer,
But our hearts would lose their tenderness if we never shed a tear...
Our Father tests us often with suffering and with sorrow,
He tests us, not to punish us, but to help us meet tomorrow...
For growing trees are strengthened when they withstand the storm,
And the sharp cut of the chisel gives the marble grace and form...
God never hurts us needlessly, and He never wastes our pain,
For every loss He sends to us is followed by rich gain...
And when we count the blessings that God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring and no time to lament
For Our Father loves His children, and to Him all things are plain,
So He never sends us pleasures when the soul's deep need is pain...
So whenever we are troubled, and when everything goes wrong,
It is just God working in us to make our spirit strong.

by Helen Steiner Rice

Psalm 121: I-8
I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from?
My help comes from THE LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip, He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed…He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

THE LORD watches over you

THE LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

THE LORD will keep you from all harm, He will watch over your life;

THE LORD will watch over your coming in and
your going out both now and forevermore.

Your soul,
the essence of "Who you are,"
still searching the lost, forgotten rainbows of silver and gold.
The thread lining of all that life had offered you
still only threads of what could have of been.

Twice in one morning I had readers write with this question:
Why does God let people die?
My answer: Because it is part of the natural health
and life cycle He put into being.
According to statistics, one out of one will die --
some early in their life, others very late.
When, depends on many circumstances --
genes, our own health habits,
environment, accidents and on and on.

When someone dies, does God "cause" it? I don't think so.
Christians are just as subject to the laws of health as anyone else --
we don't get an exemption from it.
We are just as subject to disease as anyone.
One advantage of being a Christian is that when something
difficult does happen, we have an extra resource to call on
to help us get through it.
Why is it that when something bad happens, people ask
"Why did God allow it?"
When something good happens, do we say,
"Why did God allow it?"
The attitude seems to be, if it is bad,
God did it or allowed it, but when something good happens,
we think we did it.
Heb. 9:27 (niv) says, "Just as man is destined to die once,
and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once
to take away the sins of many people."
If you have not yet acknowledged Jesus as your Savior,
you can be one of those "many people" right now by believing.
Then you'll be ready for that "one out of one" statistic.

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

Hear my words
For they are words that come
From the heart, soul and mind.

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

Time is too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love - time is eternity.

Our commitment to Christ,
however genuine and wholehearted it may be today,
must be renewed tomorrow . . .
and the day after that . . .
and the day after that . . .
until the path comes at last to the river.

The only way I can live with my ignorance and terror, is to acknowledge that there are
mysteries that pervade our lives, and we will probably never understand them.
So, I accepted the great mystery of what makes us human and unique, and like others,
I gave it the name of GOD.
And, within that name, lie all the unknowns, and powers, and potentials that make us
what we are, the fears, and dreams, and terrors that visit us, the love we give, and
the love we are so grateful to receive. The spirit that lets us soar….unless,
we fail to nurture it…. and so we sink. I cannot look inside of myself without acknowledging
the dominance of that mystery "Called God"

Worship the Lord with gladness;
Come before him with joyful songs…
For the Lord is good
His love endures forever;
His faithfulness through all generations.

Psalm 100.2

I can't dance and I can't sing.
Sometimes I can't do much of anything.
But I can watch and enjoy the antics of others.
Especially those of my sisters and brothers.

I can laugh and cry right along with you
Even if there is a lot I can't physically do.

I can't mow the lawn or shovel the snow.
But I can plant flowers and bushes and watch them grow.
And see them bloom and get very tall
From the beginning of Spring right through to the Fall.

I can't jump in a car and go for a ride.
I can't go for a walk so I stay inside.
Sometimes I have a chauffeur to sweep me away
So I can do some of the things you can do every day.

My body may have betrayed me My mind sometimes gets defective
No one is more disappointed than I in the changes that are now effective.

But remember....

My eyes can still see the many hues of the sky
The sunsets of the day that slowly fade away
The hundred shades of green all the beauty of life
All this can be seen even among the daily strife.

I can still smell the freshness of cut grass or of blooming roses
All the scents that tell me that I'm still alive and all that it poses that I will survive.

And my ears can still hear and I can still listen
I am always there in spirit even if I can't be there in person.

For all of those in my life and in my heart
For all of those that I love I'll always be a part.

I can still feel and I can still be, not the same but a new me.

If I'm ever needed I can invisibly be there
To lend a hand to show that I care.
And to let you know you're never alone
That I can still be a friend that we can still share.

Friends and family think I still can
But they're strong and healthy so they don't understand.
I'm their sister, daughter, friend or lover
But they don't really know me, or know that everything I do
I do in sheer agony and the stripping of all my energy.

To say, "I love you" and mean it
Back it up and prove it.
Show that you care by your behavior and actions.
That's the only way I will know your true intentions.

Be there to light the path for someone you care.
Make me believe that it does not matter
whether I can or I can't jump in a car or go for a walk.
That maybe all I can do is sit and watch listen and see
enjoy and be without feeling guilty knowing that's okay, too.

Just be there to let me know that I still count for something
For what I am and for what I'm not irregardless of how good I'm looking.

Never forget about the one that you care
I may be invisibly disabled but I am still here.
So reach out your hand and give me your touch
Letting me know I mean so much.

Fill yourself with understanding compassion and support
It'll make your life richer and my life much fuller
Because you're in it and we're in it together.

Cynthia T. Callahan..........November 9, 1993

Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourself under the tree.

Genesis 18:4

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

A Voice

There is a voice
and it will sing for you
if you only have the time
It has a different perspective
of all that you perceive
if you only have the time
It sees through your walls
and into your very worst fears
if you only have the time
It will speak with you
about what you need
rather than merely about
what you think you want
if you only have the time
And when it calls for you
will you invite it in
with the following feelings
Yonder light shining bright
come within all that I know
Lighten my past transgressions
as you banish all the shadows
of yesterday's mistakes
Make them nothing more
than stepping stones
to all of my tomorrows
Help me to understand
what I need to learn
rather than what I want
Assist me in rediscovering
my hopes and dreams
and the reasons for them
Illuminate my pathways
so that I will know
which one to choose
While I also realize that when
I make another mistake
I'll learn from it
and try again

dennis j hopkins
mrseven@netropolis.net

What lies behind us and what lies before us
are small matters compared to what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

As it is promised by the wind,
As it is tendered in the heart,
As it is written across the sky...
Love makes all things possible.
Love is hope's shining star.

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

"I already love in your beauty,
but I am only beginning to love in you
that which is eternal and ever precious ~
your heart, your soul.
Beauty one can get to know and fall in love with in one hour
and cease to love it as speedily;
but the soul one must learn to know."

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it."

Psalm 119:105 gives this positive statement:
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

The Jar

I saw what looked like a plain crystal vase filled with white
and yellow flowers. It was sitting on a table in the sun. I said,
"What's that, Lord." He said, "It's you."
I asked Him to give me understanding. Here's what He said...

"Look closely." I did. It wasn't a crystal vase at all.
In fact, it wasn't even a vase. It looked like a large mayonnaise
or pickle jar with the label taken off. Not too fancy...
but it still looked pretty, and all, with the flowers in it.
So, Lord, I'm not fancy...but I am useful...right?

"No...Let me open your eyes more."
I began to weep as I realized in an instant
what He was saying.
You'll see...

Once I was filled with "stuff." But the Lord in His mercy
has been cleaning me out...and He has washed all
the "stuff" out of me. Once that was finished. I belonged to Him.
So the labels that I wore...put on me by myself
and others who used me and the 'stuff' that was in my jar...
well, those labels just didn't apply anymore.
So...He soaked me in the warmth of His presence
and off came not only the labels but the gunny,
sticky stuff that held them on me.
Now, that would have been good enough for me...
but not for My Father!
He filled me full of the water of His Holy Spirit and His Word.
Now I couldn't be used to hold 'stuff' anymore.
I am filled full of Him.
I would have been ecstatic even then...
but how great is the love the Father lavishes on us!
There's more! He put flowers in me!
Jesus is the Lover of my Soul, my Beloved...
and the romance of His love intoxicates me!
"Flowers! I love flowers, thank you, Lord!"
He said, "Look closer, still, sweetheart."
They weren't flowers...not yet...they were buds!
Tiny white and yellow buds...the promise of more to come.
"Behold the winter is past and flowers of spring have come,"
He whispered to me. I cried while I smiled knowing that
He had placed in me the white buds of purity:
my pledge, my gift to Him...I am His spotless bride.
The yellow buds speak of the promise of His blessings...
fulfillment of the desires of my heart ... these are His gifts to me.
When I shared this in prayer with my friend,
I heard the Lord tell me to tell her to "DO IT"..
Get an old jar...soak it in warm water...get the label off...
wash all the stuff out and get the sticky, gunny glue off, too.
Fill it full of water, put flowers in it...sit it on a table in the SUN.
The process may take time. Let God speak to you.

In Love with Jesus

Gentleness has amazing strength.
Where some would dominate,
others are sweet and compassionate and this gives us hope.
A gentle person is cool, clear water on a hot day--
a refreshing change from hostile attitudes.
How many times we have met
someone we wanted to admire but couldn't.
They would not trust us to see beyond their protective walls.
Caring and friendship was sorely needed but bitterly ignored.
To understand these things makes us gentle.
It gives us the touch we need with every age.
Young and old yearn to hear a voice that tells them
they are so important, so loved,
that nothing could make us turn from them.
A gentle word is warm sunshine to every heart,
a touch that is never forgotten.

Truly, it is a pleasant sky above our heads this day.
There is not a cloud to darken it.
I hear nothing but pleasant words.

By: Joyce Sequichie Hifler

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.
Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.
Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.
Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my
face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my
hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

Why

Why.. command the waves to halt..
in their endless march to the shore
Instead.. find serenity in the constant..
soothing rhythm of their parting

Why.. tell the moon to break its journey..
across the darkened sky
Instead.. be fascinated by the shadows..
cast by the moon's silvery light

Why.. ask the brook to cease..
its tumbling rush for the distant sea
Instead.. surrender to the joyful sounds..
created by the bubbling chatter

Why.. call upon the river to relinquish
its will to ramble over the land
Instead.. marvel at the power and grandeur..
in the river's might breadth

Why.. direct the winds to save its breath..
and pause to rest its unbounded whirling
Instead.. know the soft caress and gentle kiss..
of the cooling breeze upon your skin

Why.. implore the rain to dry its tears..
and end the shower of sorrow it releases
Instead.. rejoice in the profusion of wild flowers..
nourished by the weeping clouds passing by

Why.. question the sun for rising with the dawn..
setting with the twilight or playing peek-a-boo with the clouds
Instead.. feel the warmth of golden rays..
knowing it will ascend once more... laughing with the chase

Why.. study the stars to know their source..
and map their nightly scheme
Instead.. make a wish upon the brightest star..
and take delight in their promenade

Why.. Wonder at all you see before you..
and the things you cannot understand
scattered throughout this vast and far reaching land
Instead.. Be grateful and thankful for the splendor
of all your eyes behold knowing it was made possible..
by His hand

As I watch My children on earth, I look upon them with love, the love of their Father.
I want to share with them My love and bring them to dwell with Me in My house of eternal joy.
All it takes for this to happen is an acceptance of My love by My children.
Once they accept My love, then they will come to know what true life is.

The Elders say that everything has a purpose and
everything has a will.
We should never interfere with purpose or the will of anything.
Every plant, creature, animal, insect, human
being has a purpose to be here on the Earth.
Each has a special medicine to contribute
for the good of all things.
Each person also has good medicine, a special talent,
a special gift. These medicines are to help others or
to help make us healthy. What is your special medicine?

Creator,
today, help me
discover and
use my
medicine to
serve a greater
good.

By: Don Coyhis

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

"I Was As A Wounded Bird"

Helpless and hurt and filled with guilt
My heart turned to God
I knew not how even to pray except
To plea unto him for help and release
Of the pain and secrets I kept within

My heart was so heavy my soul barren
And dry and I could not go on unless
Repentance poured from my very soul

I asked God to help me and for awhile
I bathed in the sunshine of his love
And mercy and forgiveness

Sin crept back in through the doors
I opened when the world outside
Caused me to be curious again
Is there life out there
Can I be happier than I am

I followed my desires and thought
Of ways I could begin this life anew
I made plans silently and counted the days
Yet I never made that move because
You Lord, Gently nudged me back to reality

Like a wounded bird found by a small child
You scooped me up and protected me
You taught me how to become new
Oh Father thank you for protecting
Me from my own self my own fears
Of ever being lonely

I still stray in thought
But I thank you Lord for being so
Merciful and loving and for
Knowing me better than anyone
For you know my desire is to serve thee
All of my days

Lord teach me daily to walk with thee
And that in doing so, though I sometimes
Fear being alone-that I can walk
Freely, knowing you will never leave my side

I Ask In Prayer

One night, it seems so long ago, I asked, "God, when am I done?"
I remember what You told me then, "I'll let you know My son."
On bended knee I come again; I'm tired and I'm weak.
I need to reach and touch Your Hand, Your guidance now I seek.

I feel this cross You've given me is more than I can bear.
I know that I can't put it down; we each must do our share.
I know that You have placed me here; I have a task to do.
And I have tried my best, dear Lord, to do what pleases You.

At times my faith just weakens, and I try to understand.
Just how much more I have to do to reach that 'Promised Land'.
But then again, I hear Your voice, the answer is quite clear.
"Time is never mentioned here, there's no minutes nor a year."

So time is just a mystery, to God it has no length.
You take what is a weakness, and you turn it into strength.
Although my cross is heavy, I know I have no choice.
I'll carry on and not complain; in Heaven, I'll rejoice.

For God so loved His children, that His Son died for us all.
So life's cross we all must carry, till He gives us each a call.

An Indian Prayer

My grandfather is the fire
My grandmother is the wind
The Earth is my mother
The Great Spirit is my father

The World stopped at my birth and laid itself at my feet

And I shall swallow the Earth whole when I die,
and the Earth and I will be one

Hail The Great Spirit, my father without Him no one could exist
because there would be no will to live

Hail The Earth, my mother without which no food could be grown
and so cause the will to live to starve

Hail the wind, my grandmother for she brings loving,
life giving rain nourishing us as she nourishes our crops

Hail the fire, my grandfather for the light, the warmth, the comfort
he brings without which we be animals, not men

Hail my parent and grandparents without which not I nor you
nor anyone else could have existed

Life gives life which gives unto itself a promise of new life

Hail the Great Spirit, The Earth, the wind, the fire praise my
parents loudly for they are your parents, too

Oh, Great Spirit, giver of my life, please accept this humble
offering of prayer this offering of praise this honest reverence
of my love for You.

by H. Kent Craig

The Wounds We Carry

My uncle Paul had one till the day he died. If he took his shirt off in
the heat of the day, I'd gawk at his side. Uncle Paul served in World
War II, and a piece of shrapnel took a chunk out of his side. The skin
healed around the wound, and he got used to it, but the wound was still
there. He lived, and laughed, and worked and loved -- and the wound was
always still there. On cold days, it would sometimes ache.

Several days ago, a picture from the conflict in Iraq showed a table
filled with Purple Hearts, special medals awarded to soldiers wounded
in the line of duty. My Uncle Paul had wounds to carry, soldiers from
all wars have them, and you and I have them, too.

Physical wounds present special challenges. We want them to heal as
well as they can, and we want to function with them as fully as
possible. You may not have any deep, life-changing physical wounds. So
far in life, you may have physically come through relatively unscathed.

At the same time, each and every one of us carry wounds that are just
as real, just as life-changing, and just as challenging. These wounds
may be unseen, undetected by others, but they are very real wounds.
These are the wounds of the spirit and of the heart.

The Bible has some vital things to say about our wounds.

First, we must realize some wounds can actually serve for our spiritual
healing. Proverbs 27:6 tells us that the wounds from a friend can be
trusted. Sometimes it takes our closest friends to tell us the hardest
truth. While the truth hurts, afterwards those wounds heal us, and help
make us whole.

Second, we must realize that some of our worst wounds were taken for
us. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that Christ was wounded for our transgressions.
He gave his life for us. He bore our wounds. We are healed by his
complete, perfect, love and sacrifice.

Third, as Christians we are challenged to be thoughtful and loving in
our actions. 1 Corinthians 8:12 warns us against wounding the
conscience of another, because to do so is to sin against Christ!

Fourth, we are to follow the example of the Good
Samaritan in Luke 10 and be a neighbor to those who are wounded. We are
called to help bandage the spirit and heart-wounds of others.

Have you received some wounds you'll carry the rest of your life? Of
course you have. We can't fix everything. We can't erase every wound.
In fact, we don't need to. Christ took our wounds upon himself, and
gives us strength to carry the wounds we must carry.

So let's be honest. Have you wounded someone else? Of course you have,
and so have I. Have we tried to make it right? Have we been sensitive
and tried to dress the wounds and pray for healing? Even after we have
done all we can do, some wounds will be the wounds we carry. Some of
those we carry will be ones we've received, and some of them will be
wounds we've given.

Finally, let's remember we serve a wounded Savior. He was wounded for
our transgressions and by His wounds we are healed. God has a greater
life and glory in mind for each one of us. And the wounds we carry
somehow fit us for that life -- not only in Heaven, but here and now.
Like my Uncle Paul, let's live and laugh and work and love, and let the
wound still be there. Carry on!

Words Of Wisdom / Quotes

Walk on a rainbow trail, walk on a trail of song, and all about you
will be beauty. There is a way out of every dark mist, over a
rainbow trail.

What is life?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night.
It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and
loses itself in the sunset.

Crowfoot, Blackfoot

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

Just For Today I Want To Be At Peace

Just for Today I want to be at Peace.
I want to feel that long needed,
soothing inner peace inside my soul,
inside my bones.

Just for Today I want to be at Peace,
even if it means giving up a few things:
Even if it means giving up those little private conversations
I have with myself about other people's driving behavior.
Even if it means letting go of a ripe opportunity to judge
their selfish driving habits,
and even if it means passing up the opportunity to remind myself
of how just my values are compared to theirs.

Just For Today I want to be at Peace.
I guess, even if it means letting go of other opportunities
throughout this day to privately judge others for their selfishness,
their stupidity, their thoughtlessness.
I guess, even if it means passing up a few opportunities to
privately speculate and judge the state of the world,
and how much better off it would be if people would just do
what I know is best for everyone.

I think that I really want to be at Peace today.
Even if it means that I must let go of being right,
even when I am right.
Even if it means that I have to let go of following
out my private conversations in my head about how right I am,
how logical, how rational.
Even if it means that I must let go of my inner debates
or my self-esteem, my correctness, my self-consciousness,
what others think of me, how I might be appearing to others.
Even if it means that I won't have the luxury of dwelling in my
self-consciousness, self-pity, or anger.

I really like the way Peace feels.
And just for today, I want to feel some peace.

Tomorrow is another day,
with plenty of opportunity to renew my judgment
of other's selfishness and thoughtlessness,
my criticisms of the world's ways,
my rightness about the inequality in the world,
my obsessive private conversations about my ego
and what other's think of me.

Just because I miss a few opportunities for that today,
there will still be plenty of opportunity for that tomorrow.
I can afford to be at Peace today,
because I can always pick up those other habits tomorrow.
There will always be other chances to worry, to judge,
be angry, self righteous, intolerant.
I don't need to be afraid of giving up my judgment,
criticisms, and anxieties
Just For One Little Day now do I?

Just For Today, I want to be at Peace.
Even if it means that I'll need to give up some opportunities
to show people how much I know about everything,
and even if I have to give up a day spent watching for chances
to impress others, and make sure they know how much I know.

I may have to let go of an opportunity to correct
someone's misinformation, to give them the right facts,
or set the record straight. I heard someone once say,
"For peace of mind resign as general manager of the Universe."

I may have to let go of some worry,
or self concern about wearing the right clothes,
having the right smile,
making sure that I don't do anything politically incorrect,
knowing everything,
and having studied everything
with more integrity than anyone else possibly could have,
else they would have arrived at the same conclusions that I did.
I'll have to give up opportunities to be important,
or make sure others know how important I am.
I'll have to tell my ego to take a hike when it demands that
I bow down and spend every waking hour of my day
re-framing everything into how perfect I am,
how wonderful I am, how anything I am.
I'll have to let go of anything that doesn't feel peaceful.
Just For Today.

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

The Christians with Chronic
Illness/Pain Site Ring

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