Just sharing.

[beensetfree]

Hey, Don’t be Rash!

If you ask me, the main problem in this country today is that people are too rash. Nobody gives anything any deliberation; they just—as the saying goes—“go for it”.

How many errors that we make could be prevented if we all learned early in life to stop and think before acting? Cigarettes are harmful to health, but when young people take that first puff, they are going for immediacy, for looking cool and fitting in. Being over 40 and lugging around your oxygen tent is not in their realm of comprehension, but don’t we wish it was. It’s that first puff that gets you.

If a person who impulsively decides to commit a crime were to research the maximum possible cash he would be able to garner from the act and compare it with the sentence he is all too certain to receive when he’s caught, wouldn’t he think it was more prudent to go beg on a street corner before ever committing a crime?

How about buying things you can’t afford. I’ve spent my whole life buying things less expensive than my income indicated I could afford. I’m not kidding here, I’d truly rather have my small mortgage-free cottage than a big new house I owe money for. Ditto for cars. I like new ones.

I always buy new ones but I have never bought a Lincoln or a Mercedes. My husband and I have one Kia purchased new a year ago and a Smart car in its fourth year. Believe me you can have more fun with less; you just have to give every proposed purchase a little honest deliberation. If you buy a car because you want it but you can’t afford it, you may repent when they haul it away.

And speaking of repenting—remember the old saying about marriage: Marry in haste repent at leisure. Yep, a life-changing situation like getting married definitely deserves plenty of thought and deliberation and you can’t do that in “haste”.

All I can say to those who “rush in where angels fear to tread” is, “People, stop and think! Many of you are ruining your lives one thoughtless action at a time.” I’ve heard of people saying, “Just do it.” To that I answer, “First, just think about it!”

 

[beensetfree]

Yes, it can get worse!


They say it’s darkest before the dawn
And it’s now so black I can’t see,
So when is the sun due to come up
And bring back some brightness to me?

There’s nothing, dear friend, that’s more foolish
That saying things can’t get much worse,
For a thought like that is exactly the thing
That comes with its own built-in curse.

You should never anticipate roses
Because you are walking through thorns.
You may not discern the devil
Who’s nearby, but disguising his horns;

So always be wary and careful
Especially when things go down hill;
And don’t think that things can’t get worse
Or I assure you they certainly will.

 

[beensetfree]

Approaching


Our first response in approaching
another people,
another culture,
another religion,
is to take off our shoes
for the place we are approaching is holy.

Else we may find ourselves treading on another’s dream.

More serious still,
we may forget…
that God was here
before our arrival

 

[beensetfree]

Flowers on the Bus


We were a very motley crowd of people who took the bus every day that summer 33 years ago. During the early morning ride from the suburb, we sat drowsily with our collars up to our ears, a cheerless and taciturn bunch.

One of the passengers was a small gray man who took the bus to the center for senior citizens every morning. He walked with a stoop and a sad look on his face when he, with some difficulty, boarded the bus and sat down alone behind the driver. No one ever paid very much attention to him.

Then one July morning he said good morning to the driver and smiled short-sightedly down through the bus before he sat down. The driver nodded guardedly. The rest of us were silent.

The next day, the old man boarded the bus energetically, smiled and said in a loud voice: “And a very good morning to you all!” Some of us looked up, amazed, and murmured “Good morning,” in reply.

The following weeks we were more alert. Our friend was now dressed in a nice old suit and a wide out-of-date tie. The thin hair had been carefully combed. He said good morning to us every day and we gradually began to nod and talk to each other.

One morning he had a bunch of wild flowers in his hand. They were already dangling a little because of the heat. The driver turned around smilingly and asked: “Have you got yourself a girlfriend, Charlie?” We never got to know if his name really was “Charlie”, but he nodded shyly and said yes.

The other passengers whistled and clapped at him. Charlie bowed and waved the flowers before he sat down on his seat.

Every morning after that Charlie always brought a flower. Some of the regular passengers began bringing him flowers for his bouquet, gently nudged him and said shyly: “Here.” Everyone smiled. The men started to jest about it, talk to each other, and share the newspaper.

The summer went by, and autumn was closing in, when one morning Charlie wasn’t waiting at his usual stop. When he wasn’t there the next day and the day after that, we started wondering if he was sick or — hopefully — on holiday somewhere.

When we came nearer to the center for senior citizens, one of the passengers asked the driver to wait. We all held our breaths when she went to the door.

Yes, the staff said, they knew who we were talking about. The elderly gentleman was fine, but he hadn’t been coming to the center that week. One of his very close friends had died at the weekend. They expected him back on Monday. How silent we were the rest of the way to work.

The next Monday Charlie was waiting at the stop, stooping a bit more, a little bit more gray, and without a tie. He seemed to have shrinked again. Inside the bus was a silence akin to that in a church. Even though no one had talked about it, all those of us, who he had made such an impression on that summer, sat with our eyes filled with tears and a bunch of wild flowers in our hands.

 

[beensetfree]

Trees (only God can make a tree)


I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A next of robins in her hair.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

 

[beensetfree]

Jewels from Heaven



I took a walk down a woodland trail,
without really expecting anything new.
A rustling in the leaves made me pause,
and wonder what was hidden from view.
I kneeled down and spotted a tiny, white flower,
so perfectly formed to bloom for just an hour.
Thank you, Lord, for showing it to me alone,
such a secret I would never have known.

God sends jewels from heaven,
when I stop long enough to see.
Rare and precious treasures,
to show how much He loves me.

Once, I ran to the edge of some trees,
with a heavy burden in my heart.
The scent of a warm, summer rain,
wafted by on a gentle breeze.
A brilliant, red cardinal came to call,
and sang a cheerful song just for me;
and to think, I could have missed it all.

God send jewels from heaven,
when I stop long enough to see.
Rare and precious treasures,
to show how much He loves me.

I stepped outside late one night,
for just a moment of peace and quiet.
The wind softly whispered to me.
The black, velvet sky held a crescent moon,
and a million silver stars gave their light.
I threw up my hands and praised you, Lord,
for this glimpse of beauty I might have ignored.

God send jewels from heaven,
when I stop long enough to see.
Rare and precious treasures,
to show how much He loves me.

 

[beensetfree]

Get Off The Scale!


You are beautiful. Your beauty, just like your capacity for life, happiness, and success, is immeasurable. Day after day, countless people across the globe get on a scale in search of validation of beauty and social acceptance.

Get off the scale! I have yet to see a scale that can tell you how enchanting your eyes are. I have yet to see a scale that can show you how wonderful your hair looks when the sun shines its glorious rays on it. I have yet to see a scale that can thank you for your compassion, sense of humor, and contagious smile. Get off the scale because I have yet to see one that can admire you for your perseverance when challenged in life.

It’s true, the scale can only give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. That’s it. It cannot measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love. Don’t give the scale more power than it has earned. Take note of the number, then get off the scale and live your life. You are beautiful!

 

[beensetfree]

Stop for a Moment

With human minds we emotionally bind ourselves to things we cannot see.
Hopelessly setting a course that will deprive us of the strings of peace that were given to you and me.

We often pass up rainbows, a spring shower, a sunset, or even just a smile.
Yet in the name of prosperity and growth we’ll go the extra mile.

God gave us the ability to experience the delicate sides of this earth.
But often we don’t allow ourselves to fully appreciate what it’s worth.

Have you ever whistled with a songbird, been touched by a breeze, or smelt the seasons in the air?
Or did you just consider them daily problems and not ever really care?

Have you ever had a falling leaf placed gently at your feet?
Carried by a loving wind just for you to meet.

Did you let it say good morning friend, or kick it to the side?
Thinking that you’re late for work or you’ll never catch your ride.

During a crowded traffic jam have you ever looked up high?
To see how God directs the clouds as they go flying through the sky.

What was your thought today as you tumbled out of bed?
“Thank you Lord for this day” or “Man do I feel dead”.

You see it’s up to us to find these things as we’re traveling down life’s road.
Because God sends these gifts to cross our paths and relieve or heavy load

 

[beensetfree]

To those of you in its path, I hope you enjoy the solar eclipse today! Here's a short blog post about the eclipse, math, and praising the Creator. - Katherine



Steak - Story“This steak is amazing!”

Jessica exclaimed, heartily digging into her steak.

“You think so? I was thinking that it’s not nearly as delicious as that Chinese place we went last night.”

Jessica shook her head at her sister’s comment. It didn’t seem that Sue could be contented by anything. When they were at the Chinese restaurant down the street, all Sue could talk about was how she wanted a steak.

“Perhaps next time we should try something totally different—maybe Indian food,” Jessica suggested.

Sue’s eyes lit up. “That sounds great! Let’s do it.”

Only when eating the Indian food, Sue found it too spicy. So next they tried a Greek restaurant…only to discover it was too bland for Sue.

Next stop: a Mexican restaurant famous for their tasty dishes. Only while eating Mexican, all Sue could think of was how much better Italian would be.

Jessica hesitatingly agreed to go to an Italian restaurant the next time her sister asked her out to eat. But when Sue began complaining about all the tomatoes and cheese and about how what they really needed was a good, all-American steak, Jessica threw up her hands in despair.

“You know, Sue, food can’t make you content,” Jessica pointed out. “Maybe you’re expecting it to do more than it was designed to do.”

Do we look for contentment in things that can’t bring it? Or have we learned the secret of being content wherever we are?

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:11-13 (KJV)

 

[beensetfree]

Sunrise………


Sunrise beautiful, sunrise bright,
Oh! What a beautiful, glorious sight.
In the morning when I arise,
I see the colourful sunrise.

Sunrise beautiful, sunrise bright.
I could dream of it every night.
I look to the East to see what God made,
What colours before me He has laid.

Sunrise beautiful, sunrise bright,
Thank God for this morning light.
I gaze up in awe,
At what I just saw.

Sunrise beautiful, sunrise bright,
Created by God with power and might.
Each sunrise is one of a kind,
It’s always on my mind.

Sunrise beautiful, sunrise bright,
Rising above the starry night.
Lighting up the sky,
As the day draws nigh.

 

[beensetfree]

Forgive Me When I Whine



Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her-she seemed so gay, and how, I wished I were so fair; When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle; she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet-the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm; he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm; I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find”; he turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue; he stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do; I stopped a moment, then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?” He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears, the world is mine. With feet to take me where I’d go; with eyes to see the sunsets glow, with ears to hear what I would know. I am blessed indeed. The world is mine; oh, God, forgive me when I whine

 

[beensetfree]

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

 

[beensetfree]

Young Parents’ Prayer


They’re only little once.

Grant me the wisdom to guide them down the path that their feet should take.
For I know that they can never turn back and walk those paths with me again.

Give me the wisdom to guide their feet so that someday they’ll be able to walk alone.

They’re only little once.
Give me the time I need to enjoy them.
For I know that after they’re grown,
I’ll never have another chance to tell stories and pretend at those tea parties.
I’ll never have another chance to watch them in a school play or church sing,
or to see them catch that first fish or hit that first home run ball.

Give me the time in life’s busy schedule to have fun with my children.

They’re only little once.
Let me be a loving parent.
Let me correct and not punish,
explain and not merely scold.
Let me know when to correct, and how often,
and when it’s best to just look the other way.

Help me be patient and give me a gentle hand to mold them into better people.

They’re only little once.

Let me be a good teacher and an even better example.
Give me the right words and deeds to teach them.
Grant me the key to unlock their spirits and set them truly free.
For they’re only little one time,
only innocent and trusting and pliable for a space of time,
one minute in an eternity.

Let me do my best for them while I have the chance.

 

[beensetfree]

The Salt of your Life

Matthew 5-13

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. “

If we are to be brothers and sisters in Christ with good spirits, we all need to have a little “salt” in our lives to provide us with the savour we need for being his instruments on earth. There are many little things that add a sudden burst of pleasure to your day. These are the “salt” of your life. Here are ten, but I bet you can think of a lot more.

Finding a coin—even a penny-on the sidewalk.
Receiving a compliment on your outfit
Receiving a smile from a child.
Seeing an old friend unexpectedly
Finding just what you planned to buy at a lower price than you expected.
Receiving a picture hand drawn by a youngster.
Meeting an old person who still has a zest for life
Overhearing some long-married person speak of their spouse with love and respect.
Realizing a dream after a long, long wait.
Realizing once again that God does love you and has NOT forgotten you.

 

[beensetfree]

As I start another day,

I am blessed in every way.

You are a haven in which I dwell,

Because of you I’m safe and well.

All the problems men had made

By your hand were made to fade.

If not for you, where would I be?

Thank you Lord for blessing me.

In the name of Christ Jesus. Amen

 

[beensetfree]

You are blessed with so many things,
You probably can’t count them all,
But it really doesn’t matter,
Whether they’re big or small.

Just be grateful for all of them,
And thank God for each and every one,
Because he was the one that made it happen,
Our begotten son.

 

[beensetfree]

The Healing


As I write this, it’s springtime and I’m thinking about new beginnings. A long time ago, I experienced a new beginning myself.

It was over forty years ago that I was on the “outs” with most of my friends and everyone in my family because, at the time, I was making a lot of bad decisions in my life. Please realize here, that although I just referred to “bad decisions,” I really wasn’t making decisions at all. Instead, I was just going with the flow of some bad influences and forgetting that I am a child of God.

I know without a doubt that I was in a mess because I had succumbed to evil. My family, however, preferring to think the best of me, thought I had gone crazy. When the family doctor agreed with them, I was placed—quite unwillingly—in a state mental institution.

I had all my faculties on the day I was placed in the newcomer’s ward but an hour later, when a psychologist, took me to a smaller room to evaluate me, I totally lost it. According to reports I heard later, I kept saying “The people, the people,” over and over. I remember saying it only once.

The shock I faced was indeed the people. That newcomers’ ward was actually a first level point of entry from which no one ever emerged unless their status improved. There was every type of mental illness present—as well as mental retardation on several levels. There were alcoholics and drug addicts. There was every age present from teenager to very elderly. Add that to the stark bare wood floor, simple benches for seating and peeling paint and I was simply overwhelmed.

I stayed in that place for six weeks and was never moved until I was released. It was what I did daily for those six weeks that changed my life. Mostly I prayed.

Not only did I pray for my life to be better, I recited the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm over and over when other words wouldn’t come.



Because I was not really “bonkers,” I was able to see the needs of the people in the ward. When I wasn’t praying, I did what I could to help the others, including one poor retarded old soul who had soiled herself and needed a bath. With the permission of the staff, I took her in the bathing room and washed her, then dressed her in a clean shift. Her mental stage was probably that of an average two-year old. She could walk and talk and eat and that was about it; but that day, she went from patient to patient, stopping and pointing to her clean dress and gabbling with a smile on her badly distorted face. All the patients told her how pretty she was.

Those six weeks were a sad, hard time in my life but God gives blessings in all that takes place. I can now truthfully say that I prayed for six weeks and my prayers have been answered ever since. I have had a wonderful, happy and constantly improving life and no longer willingly succumb to sin. I truly experienced a new beginning. Sometimes I think that everyone who is addicted to sinful activity should be forced to take a prayer sabbatical. There was nothing done to help me at that hospital. It was God who healed me

 

[beensetfree]

Christian Blessings: A to Z


Realizing that we often fail to appreciate our blessings, I decided to go through the alphabet and identify some blessings available to everyone.

A—Adam
God made Adam in His image. Adam was the first human and from him we were all descended.

B—Beauty
There is beauty surrounding us in nature in everything from the tiniest grain of sand to the vast expanse of the sky.

C—Comfort
The Lord is always there with comfort for those who call upon His name.

D—Destiny
Regardless of your situation in life you can partake in God’s manifest destiny for mankind—eternity in His presence.

E—Earth
The planet on which God places us came pre-stocked with everything needed to sustain human life.

F—Faith
We can all have faith in our Father and that faith can sustain us through good times and bad.

G—Genes
Those marvelous building blocks were used by God to create us in His image.

H—Hope
There is never a situation in life that is so dark that a glimmer of hope is not present.

I—Intimacy
All humans can have an intimate personal relationship with God. We need have no intermediary between Him and us.

J—Jesus
God sent his only begotten son to offer salvation and everlasting life to us all.

K—Kindred
By virtue of our humanity, we share a kinship with every other human on earth and through Jesus Christ we can all become Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

L—Love
We are loved by almighty God and each of us has the capacity to love and be loved by others.

M—Memory
Memory is a great gift God built into all humans that allows us to learn and remember and build upon our past every day of our lives.

N—News
The “Good News” of the New Testament is available to all as a guide to living life according to God’s Holy will so that one day we can be with Him for all eternity.

O—One
There is One true God who has made Himself known to us and cares about our well-being.

P—Prayer
Prayer is communication with our Father in heaven—a direct “telephone” line to Him that requires no service contract.

Q—Quench
We are able to come to Jesus who can quench our thirst forever. (John 4-14—But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.)

R—Richness
Whether we are rich and poor in material things, we all have an equal opportunity for Richness of spirit.

S—Salvation.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Salvation is available to all.

T—Trust
We have one blessing upon which we can always depend, our trust in the Lord.

U—Understanding
Though other people may not understand us, God always does.

V—Victory
If we obey His commandments we are all promised victory through Jesus.

W—Wash
No matter what we may have done, we can all be washed spotless in the blood of Christ.

X
An “X” is sometimes used to “mark the spot”. God has an X upon every one of us, knowing even the very hairs on our heads. He knows exactly where we are and He is with us always.

Y—Yield
As we sow, so shall we yield. This gives us a sure and certain knowledge of how the way we live affects our future.

Z
This letter, the last of the alphabet, assures us that God, the alpha and the omega—the beginning and the end—will be there to meet us when earthly life is over

 

[beensetfree]

Expressing Gratitude


“The beauty and eloquence of an expression of gratitude is reflected in a newspaper story of some years ago:

“The District of Columbia police auctioned off about 100 unclaimed bicycles Friday. ‘One dollar,’ said an 11-year-old boy as the bidding opened on the first bike. The bidding, however, went much higher. ‘One dollar,’ the boy repeated hopefully each time another bike came up.

“The auctioneer, who had been auctioning stolen or lost bikes for 43 years, noticed that the boy’s hopes seemed to soar higher whenever a racer-type bicycle was put up.

“Then there was just one racer left. The bidding went to eight dollars.
‘Sold to that boy over there for nine dollars!’ said the auctioneer. He took eight dollars from his own pocket and asked the boy for his dollar. The youngster turned it over in pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters—took his bike, and started to leave. But he went only a few feet. Carefully parking his new possession, he went back, gratefully threw his arms around the auctioneer’s neck, and cried.

“When was the last time we felt gratitude as deeply as did this boy? The deeds others perform in our behalf might not be as poignant, but certainly there are kind acts that warrant our expressions of gratitude.”

 

[beensetfree]

Encouraging Words


“Could I speak to the manager?”
My friend’s sudden query to our waitress startled me. Our dinner at a popular pizza restaurant had seemed uneventful, and I wondered what Eileen was up to.

The manager appeared at our table a few minutes later. “What can I do for you?” she asked hesitantly, as if she were expecting yet another reprimand from an angry customer.

“I just want to you to know that our waitress tonight has been really exceptional,” Eileen began. Then she described several things our server had done that impressed her.

The manager was obviously relieved – and delighted. So was the waitress, who was standing nearby. The four of us laughed and chatted for a few minutes. Eileen had made the day of two hard-working women… and left an indelible impression on me of the power of positive words.

When we think about our words, it’s easy to focus on the ones we’d like to retrieve. Fortunately, however, there are certain phrases that are almost always the right thing to say – words that communicate love and encouragement. Here are a few:

“You do that really well.”
“May I pray for you right now?”
“How are you, really?”
“What you said helped me.”
“I was wrong.”
“Thanks for leading/serving.”
“Have I offended you?”
“I appreciate the way you ________.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Tell me about your day, job, kids….”
“Please forgive me.”
“I still love you.”
“God is big enough to ________.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“You’re really growing.”
“Please come over for dinner.”
“I missed you.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“I prayed for you today.”
“That must have been very difficult.”
“I’ll be glad to!”

In short, if there are words you’d like to hear, it’s a good bet they would encourage others, too.