Is Your Hut Burning?
(author unknown)
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted,  he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect  him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.  "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.  Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.  "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground ---- it just may be a smoke
signal that summons grace of God.

God's Positive Answers
(author unknown)


For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves,
God has a positive answer for it:
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians
12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

I Love To Live

Today, dear Lord, I'm 80 and there's much I haven't done. 
I hope, dear Lord, you let me live until I'm 81.
But then, if I haven't finished all I want do do,
Would you please let me stay awhile, until I'm 82?
So many places I want to go, so very much to see,
Do you think that You could manage to make it 83?
The world is changing very fast, there is so much in store,
I'd like it very much to live until I'm 84.
And if by then I were still alive, I'd like to stay 'til 85!
More plans will be up in the air, so I'd really like to stick
And see what happens to the world when I turn 86.
I know, dear Lord, it's much to ask, (and it must be nice in heaven)
But I'd really like to stay, until I'm 87.
I know by then I won't be fast, and sometimes will be late,
But it would be pleasant to be around in 88.
I will have seen so many things, and had a wonderful time,
So I'm sure that I'll be willing to leave at the age of 89...maybe.
Just one more thing I'd like to say, dear Lord, I thank you kindly
But if it's okay with You, I'd love to live past 90.

Author Unknown

Thoughts For The Week - Thankfulness

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you... I Thess 5:16-18

I must thank God for the fleas; ticks, warts, debts and everything else...for in everything - not just the good things - we should give thanks!

How God Grows Us Up

"...Things that happen to people are not always punitive but prunitive"
Malcolm Grainger
(From Diane Duck's book - The Value of Suffering)

MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO A CHILD DOESN'T REQUIRE MUCH

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs.
Thompson. She stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, and
told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a
bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put
Teddy's off until last.   However,when she reviewed his file, she was in
for a surprise.  Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his
classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life
at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon
affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in
beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's.  His present which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson
took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter
when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the
perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to."

After the children left she cried for at least an hour.  On that very day, she quit teaching
reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.

Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive.  The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became her
favorite.

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the
best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at
times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.

He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that
after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had.  But now his name was a little longer-the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father
had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.

Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.  And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the
one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs.
Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and
showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Touch and Warm someone's heart today.

author unknown

Biblical Directions For Life and Work

Prayer For The Working Woman

Lord Jesus, as I enter this work place, I bring your presence with me.  I speak Your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into the atmosphere of this office.  I acknowledge Your accomplished within these walls.  Lord Jesus, I thank you for the gifts you have deposited in me.  I do not take them lightly but commit to using them responsibly and well.  Give me a fresh supply of truth and beauty on which to draw as I do my job.  Anoint my creativity, my ideas, my energy, so that even my smallest task may bring You honor.

Lord, when I am confused, guide me.  When I am weary, energize me.  Lord, when I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.  May the work that I do and the way I do it, bring hope, life, and courage to all that I come in contact with today.  And Oh Lord, even in this day's most stressful moments, may I rest in You.  In the mighty Name that is above all Names, in the Matchless Name of my Lord and Savior Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Please pass along to other Christian women that you know out in the work force.  God Bless.

Author Unknown - Shared by Dr. Gloria Jo Floyd

My First Christmas In Heaven
by Ben

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you
the joy their voices bring
For it is beyond description
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me
I see the pain inside your heart
But I am not so far away
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me dear ones
You know I hold you dear
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year

I sent you each a special gift
from my heavenly home above
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all love is a gift more precious
than pure gold
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other
as my Father said to do
For I can't count the blessing or love
he has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
wipe away that tear
Remember, I am spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

(This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor that he had battled for four years.  He died on December 4, 1997.  He gave this to his mom before he died.  His name was Ben.)

PERFECTION
Author Unknown

In Brooklyn, New York, Chush is a school that caters to learning-disabled children. Some children remain in Chush for their entire school career, while others can be main-streamed into conventional
Jewish schools. At a Chush fund-raising dinner, the father of a Chush child delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.

After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he cried out, "Where is the perfection in my son Shaya? Everything God does is done with perfection. But my child cannot understand things as other children do.  My child cannot remember facts and figures as other children do. Where is God's perfection?" The audience was shocked by the question, pained by the father's anguish and stilled by the piercing query.

I believe," the father answered, "that when God brings a child like this into the world, the perfection that He seeks is in the way people react to this child."

He then told the following story about his son Shaya:

One afternoon Shaya and his father walked past a park where some boys Shaya knew were playing baseball. Shaya asked, "Do you think they will let me play?" Shaya's father knew that his son was not at all athletic and that most boys would not want him on their team. But Shaya's father
understood that if his son were chosen to play it would give him a comfortable sense of belonging. Shaya's father approached one of the boys in the field and asked if Shaya could play.

The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, "We are losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning." Shaya's father was ecstatic as Shaya smiled broadly. Shaya was told to put on a glove and go out to play short centre field.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shaya's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shaya's team scored again and now with two outs and the bases loaded with the potential winning run on base, Shaya was scheduled to be up. Would
the team actually let Shaya bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shaya was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because Shaya didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, let alone hit with it. However, as Shaya stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shaya should at least be able to make contact.

The first pitch came in and Shaya swung clumsily and missed. One of Shaya's teammates came up to Shaya and together they held the bat and faced the pitcher waiting for the next pitch. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shaya. As the pitch came in, Shaya and his teammate swung the bat and together they hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shaya would have been out and that would have ended the game.

Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman.

Everyone started yelling, "Shaya, run to first. Run to first!" Never in his life had Shaya run to first. He scampered down the baseline wide eyed and startled. By the time he reached first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman that would tag out Shaya, who was still running.

But, the right fielder understood what the pitcher's intentions were, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman's head. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second." Shaya ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shaya reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base and shouted, "Run to third." As Shaya rounded third, the boys from both teams ran behind him screaming, "   Shaya run home!" Shaya ran home, stepped on home plate and all 18
boys lifted him on their shoulders and made him the hero, as he had just hit a "grandslam" and won the game for his team.

"That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, "those 18 boys reached their level of God's perfection."

Reaching Out - Author Unkown

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighborhood. I remember well the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box.

I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother used to talk to it. Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person - her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.

"Information Please" could supply anybody's number and the correct time.

My first personal experience with this genie-in-the-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbor. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a
hammer. The pain was terrible, but there didn't seem to be any reason in crying because there
was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway.

The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the foot stool in the parlor and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlor and held it to my ear. "Information Please," I said
into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into
my ear.

"Information"

"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone. The tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.

"Isn't your mother home?" came the question.

"Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.

"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked.

"No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts."

"Can you open your icebox?" she asked. I said I could.

"Then chip off a little piece of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.

After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked her for help with my geography and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet chipmunk,
that I had caught in the park just the day before, would eat fruit and nuts.

Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary died. I called "Information Please" and told her the sad story.  She listened, then said the usual things grown ups say to soothe a child. But I was unconsoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"

She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul, always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."

Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone. "Information Please." "Information," said the now familiar voice.
"How do you spell fix?" I asked.

All this took place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. When I was nine years old, we moved across the country to Boston. I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in
that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the tall, shiny new
phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me. Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the
serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and
kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle I had about half-an-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived
there now. Then, without thinking what I was doing, I dialed my hometown operator and
said, "Information, please."

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well.

Information."

I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"

There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really still you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time."

"I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your calls meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.

"Please do," she said. "Just ask for Sally."

Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered,
"Information."

I asked for Sally. "Are you a friend?" she said.

"Yes, a very old friend," I answered.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally had been working part time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute. Did you say your name was Paul?"

"Yes."

"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called.  Let me read it to you. The note said, "Tell him I still say there are other worlds to sing in. He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

A Wonderful Story About Love
Author Unknown

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way,
she did what she could to help her 3 year old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling. They found out that the new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his little sister in Mommy's tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her. The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek
United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor. Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle,
Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition.

With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St.Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatric specialist regretfully had to tell the
parents, "There is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst."

Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot.  They had fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby - but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.

Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister.

"I want to sing to her," he kept saying. Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over.

Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in the Intensive Care. Karen made up her mind, though. She would take Michael whether they liked it or not! If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive.

She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU.

He looked like a walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed "Get that kid out of here now! NO children are allowed!" The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm
line."He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!"

Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old Michael sang: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray."

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. Her pulse rate began to calm down and become steady. "Keep on singing, Michael," encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes. "You never know, dear, how much I love you.  Please don't take my sunshine away."

As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr. "Keep on singing, sweetheart!!"

"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my hands..." Michael's little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

"Keep on singing, Michael." Tears had now conquered the face of the head nurse and Karen glowed. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away...."

The next, day...the very next day...the little girl was well enough to go home! "Women's Day Magazine" called it "The Miracle of a Brother's Song." The medical staff just called it a miracle Karen called it a miracle of God's love!

Never give up on the people you love. Love is so Incredibly powerful.

New School Prayer
Author Unknown

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule.
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple or orange or green,
That's no offense, it's the freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise,
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the State.
We're allowed to cuss & dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues & cheeks.
They've outlawed guns; but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the unwed daddy, our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.
We can get our condoms, & birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires & totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No Word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot,
My soul please take.

Prayer and Praise Warriors

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"Words To Live By"

1. Anger is a condition in which the tongue works faster than the mind.

2. You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future.

3. Love ......and you shall be loved.

4. God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.

5. All people smile in the same language.

6. A hug is a great gift..one size fits all. It can be given for any occasion and it's easy to exchange.

7. Everyone needs to be loved...especially when they do not deserve it.

8. The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.

9. Laughter is God's sunshine.

10. Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.

11. It's important for parents to live the same things they teach.

12. Thank God for what you have, TRUST GOD for what you need.

13. If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today  
      to be thankful for.

14. Happy memories never wear out.... relive them as often as you want.

15. Home is the place where we grumble the most, but are often treated the best.

16. Man looks at outward appearance but the Lord looks within.

17. The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow.

18. Take time to laugh for it is the music of the soul.

19. If anyone speaks badly of you, live so none will believe it.

20. Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.

21. Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together.

22. The best thing parents can do for their children is to love each other.

23. Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts.

24. To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it.

25. We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.

26. Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished.

27. Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others.

28. You are richer today if you have laughed, given or forgiven.

29. For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can
      never get back.

30. Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, and where you are.

31. THE BEST GIFTS TO GIVE
       To your friend - loyalty;
       To your enemy - forgiveness;
       To your boss - service;
       To a child - a good example;
       To your parents - gratitude and devotion;
       To your mate - love and faithfulness;
       To all men and women - charity; and
       To your God - your life.

Author Unknown

The Tablecloth Across The Miles
so named by Dr. G. Jo Floyd
Submitted by: Pastor Bob Reid

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first  ministry, to reopen a church in urban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities. When they saw
their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything
done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve. They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on Dec. 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On DEC 19 a terrible tempest-a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church.  His heart sunk when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 6 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary
just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the
floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in.

One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted table cloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall.  He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a
pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle.

Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she asked, "where did you get that tablecloth?" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were
crotched into it there.  They were. These were the initials of the woman, and she had made this
tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.

The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria.
When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next
week.  She was captured, sent to prison and never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving. The man asked him where
he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made
years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike?

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a concentration camp. He never saw
his wife or his home again for all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped
the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw
the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

Submitted by: Pastor Bob Reid

God’s Eternal Ink

I dreamed I was in heaven
Where an angel kept God’s book.
He was writing so intently
I just had to take a look.
It was not, at first, his writing
That was marked eternal ink.
This ink was most amazing,
Dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment
It became as clear as water.
The angel kept writing,
But as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing
With that strange eternal ink.
The angel took no notice,
But kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it
Till all its space was gone.
I thought he wrote to no avail,
His efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages
That he’d never read again.
And as I watched and wondered that
This awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black
As it dried upon the line.
The angel wrote and I thought I saw
A look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show
For all his earnest action.
A line or two dried dark and stayed
As black as black can be,
But strangely the next parahgraph
Became invisible to see.
The book was getting fuller,
The angel’s records true,
But most of it was blank, with
Just a few words coming through.
I knew there was some reason,
But as hard as I could think,
I couldn’t grasp the significance
Of that eternal ink.
The mystery burned within me,
And I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me
Of his amazing task.
And what I heard was frightful
As the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me,
And this is what he said…
I know you stand and wonder
At what my writing’s worth
But God has told me to record
The lives of those on earth.
The book that I am filling
Is an accurate account?
Of every word and action
And to what they do amount.
And since you have been watching
I must tell you what is true;
The details of my journal
Are the strict accounts of YOU.
The Lord asked me to watch you
As each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church,
I saw you as you prayed.
But I was told to document
Your life through all the week.
I wrote when you were proud and bold,
I wrote when you were meek.
I recorded all your attitudes
Whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write
The things that make God said.
So now I’ll tell the wonder
Of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery
Should make you stop and think.
This ink that God created
To help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of
Things that are eternal.
So much of life is wasted
On things that matter not
So instead of my erasing,
Smudging ink and ugly blot.
I just keep writing faithfully and
Let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide
What’s useless and what’s best.
And God ordained that as I write
Of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing
Will just disappear away.
When books are opened someday,
As sure as heaven is true;
The Lord’s eternal ink will tell
What mattered most to you.
If you just lived to please yourself
The pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward
For you when you get there.
In fact, you’ll be embarrassed,
You will hang your head in shame
Because you did not give yourself
In love to Jesus’ Name.
Yet maybe there will be a few
Recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times you truly cared,
Sincerely loved and prayed.
But you will always wonder
As you enter heaven’s door
How much more glad you would have been
If only you’d done more.
For I record as God sees,
I don’t stop to even think
Because the truth is written
With God’s eternal ink.
When I heard the angel’s story
I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I still was dreaming
I hadn’t really died.
And I said: O angel tell the Lord
That soon as I awake
I’ll live my life for Jesus-
I’ll do all for His dear sake.
I’ll give in full surrender;
I’ll do all He wants me to;
I’ll turn my back on self and sin
And whatever isn’t true.
And though the way seems long and rough
I promise to endure.
I’m determined to pursue the things
That are holy, clean and pure.
With Jesus as my helper,
I will win lost souls to Thee,
For I know that they will live with Christ
For all eternity.
And that’s what really matters
When my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord
And hear Him say, well done.
For is it really worth it
As my life lies at the brink
And I realize that God keeps books
With his eternal ink.
Should all my life be focused
On things that turn to dust?
Form this point on I’ll serve the Lord;
I can, I will, I must!
I will NOT send blank pages
Up to God’s majestic throne
For where that record’s going now
Is my eternal home.
I’m giving all to Jesus
I now have seen the link
For I was an angel write my life
With God’s eternal ink.

~author unknown~

GOD'S HOLDING PATTERN
Author Unknown

Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful circumstance in our life to "swallow us up. This season in our spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us. God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no interference's, an no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit, think, meditate, and pray. When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen. 

A Few Of God's Holding Patterns:

1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed, but God has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern.

2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a holding pattern.

3. When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and they have not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.

4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.

5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a holding pattern.

When we are deep in the belly of difficult situation, there are no interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit, think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no mountains that are high enough, valleys that are low enough, rivers that are wide enough, rooms that are dark enough, or places that are hidden enough from Him. We must remember to praise Him while we're waiting and remember three things:

1. The pattern has a purpose.
2. The pattern has a plan.
3. The pattern has a process.

So, stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I love you."

Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know you love me and will turn anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but victories, and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult the path. Amen.

Prayer For The Working Man and Woman

Lord, as I enter this work place, I bring your presence with me.  I speak your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into the atmosphere of this office.   I acknowledge Your Lordship over all that will be spoken, thought, decided, and accomplished within these walls.  Lord, I thank you for the gifts you hav deposited in me.  I do not take them lightly but commiet to susing them responsibly and well.   Give me a fresh supply of truth and beauty on which to draw as I do my joib.   Anoint my creativity, my ideas, my energy, so that even my smallest task may bring your honor.

Lord, when I am confused, guide me.  When I am weary, energize ne.   Lord when I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.  May the work that I do and the way I do it, bring hope, life and courage to all that I come in contact with today.  And, Oh. Lord, even in this day's most stressful moments, may I rest in You.  In the mighty Name that is above all Names, in the Matchless Name of my Lord and Savior, I pray, Amen

Please pass along to other working mand and women that you know out in the work force.  God Bless. 

Author Unknown

The Majesty of Our God

Can anyone truly look at a sunset ans day that there is no God?
Or gaze into the heavens on a starry night and now know that we have been blessed by the Presence of an Almighty Creator.
And then there are thos billowing cloud formations we lay staring at as a child...
Could this be an act of chance?
Or listen to the melodious tune of a babbling brook as it sings on its merry journey.
God's handiwork is all around us and His signature is on each of His masterpieces
And the greatest masterpiece He ever created was YOU and ME!
Because He created us in His image.
To say that we have tarnished that image is certainly an understatement.
But just like all His other Masterpieces we are not complete until He signs His work.
God puts His signature on YOU and ME the day that WE receive Jesus Christ as
OUR personal Savior and Lord.

The Prodigal Son

I May Never See Tomorrow

I may never see tomorrow; there's no written guarantee
And things that happened yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moments.  I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely for it soon will pass away,
and be lost forever, as part of yesterday.
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet
Be a frient unto the friendless, make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today may never be undone.
And friendships that I fail to win may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray,
and I thank God with a humble heart for giving me this Day.

Author Unknown

Home Special Request

Don't grieve for me for now I'm free I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh- to love. to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that place at the close of day. has left a void.
Then fill it with remembered joy.  A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Ah yes, these things. I too will miss,
Be not burdened with times of sorrow you the sunshine of tomorrow,
My life's been full. I savored much. 
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch
Perhaps my time seems all to brief,
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift your heart and share with me.  God wanted me now,
He set me free
God saw he was getting tired and a cure was not to be,
So he put his arms around him and whispered
"Come with me."
With tearful eyes we watched him suffer
and saw him fade away
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating.
Hardwording hands to rest;
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

LETTER FROM HEAVEN

To my dearest family. some things I'd like to say.
But first of all. to let you know. that I arrived okay.
I'm writing this from heaven. Here I dwell with God above.
Here. there's no more tears of sadness,
Here is just eternal love.

Please do not be unhappy, just because I'm out of sight.
Remember that I am with you every morning, noon and night.
That day I had to leave you when my life on earth was through.
God picked me up and hugged me and He said.
"I welcome you.  It's good to have you back again. you were missed while you were gone.
As for your dearest family, They'll be here later on.

There's so much that we to do, to help our mortal man."
God gave me a list of things. that he wished for me to do-
And foremost on the fist. was to watch and care for you,
And when you lie in bed at night the day's chores put to flight.
God and I are closest to vou .... in the middle of the night.
When vou think of my life on earth. and all those loving years
Because vou are only human, they are bound to bring you tears.

But do not be afraid to cry; it does relieve the pain,
Remember there would be no flowers. unless there was some rain.
I wish that I could tell you all that God has planned. 
If I were to tell you, you wouldn't understand.
But one thing is for certain though my life on earth is o'er,
I'm closer to you now- than I ever was before.

There are many rocky roads ahead of you and many hills to climb
But together we can do it by taking one day at a time.
It was always my philosophy and I'd like it for you too;
That as you give unto the world, the world will give to you.
If you can help somebody who's in sorrow and pain;
Then vou can say to God at night ''My day was not in vain "

And now, I am contented.... that my life was worthwhile.
Knowing as I passed along the way I made somebody smile,
So if you meet somebody who is sad and feeling low:
Just lend a hand to pick him up. as on your way you go,

When you're walking down the street and you've got Me on your mind.
I'm walking in your footsteps only half a step behind
And when it's time for you to go .... from that body to be you're coming here to Me.free.
Re member, you're not going...you're coming here to Me

Let's Be Wise Builders

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.  The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth,. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.  "We must do something about Grandfather," said the son.    "I've had enough of the spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor."

So, the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There Grandfather ate alone, while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.   Since, Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye, as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions, when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor, He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?"

Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for Papa and Mama to eat their food in when I grow up."' The four year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though, no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening, the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days, he ate every meal with the family.  And, for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process the messages they absorb. If they see us patiently provide a happy home atmosphere for family members, they will imitate that attitude for the rest of their lives. The wise parent realizes that every day the building blocks are being laid for the child's future.

Someone Cares

When the day has come and gone and you're sitting there all alone.

Feeling angry, depressed and rejected, wondering if your life can ever be corrected.

Needing someone to call your very own, someone who's love and devotion is clearly shown.

Someone to sit and talk to, who will understand your dreams, your wishes, and the things you would like to plan.

Someone to laugh and have fun with, Someone to help you enjoy life just a little bit.

Life does have it's way of dealing low blows, Leaving you confused, unhappy and wandering which way to go.

When all your efforts to find or recapture happiness have been at their best.  Then only God can do the rest

By Dorothy Martin

Food for Thought....

I had on new clothes,
New sneaks on my feet.
I was there for class on time,
Went to the back and took my seat.
Yeah, I'm moving up,
I'm already grown.
Soon I'll be graduating,
And out on my own.
I talked to some of my friends,
We were all having fun.
Said some things I shouldn't have said,
Did stuff I shouldn't have done.
I knew I was different.
I felt God touch my heart,
I knew I should set a standard,
But then I'd be set apart.
Walking to the bus,
I was not looking for strength.
I heard the car tires screeching,
But now it's too late.
I'm standing in this room,
And I can see the heavenly gate.
Oh no! I never prayed.
I thought I had time to get it straight.
An angel walked to me,
He had a book in his hand.
I knew it was the Book of Life,
When would this dream end?
I told him my name,
And he began to look.
Then he looked at me sadly and said,
Your name is not in this book.
Angel, this is a dream,
No, I can't be dead!
He closed the book and turned away,
He whispered - You cannot proceed ahead.
No...no this can't be real,
Angel, you can't turn me away.
Let me talk to God,
Maybe he'll let me stay.
He led me to the gate,
Jesus came to me.
He did not let me in but said,
Beloved what is your need?
Jesus, I cried, please,
Don't cast me away from you.
Tears ran down his face as he said,
You knew what you needed to do.
Lord, please I'm young,
I never thought I would die.
I thought I'd have plenty of time,
Death caught me by surprise.
Lord, I went to church,
Please Jesus, I believe.
He said you would not accept me,
My love you would not receive.
Lord, there were too many hypocrites,
They weren't being true.
He took a step back and asked,
What does that have to do with you?
Lord, my family claimed to be saved,
They weren't real. You know.
He said, I died for you,
Now I have to go.
I fell to my knees crying to Him,
Lord, I planned to be real tomorrow.
I couldn't, make Him understand,
I had never-felt such sorrow.
Then it hit me hard, I said,
Lord, where will I go?
He looked into my eyes and said,
My child you already know.
Please Jesus, I begged,
The place is so hot.
It seemed to trouble and grieve him,
He whispered, DEPART FROM ME, I KNOW YOU NOT.
Lord, you're supposed to be love,
How can you send me to damnation?
He replied, With your mouth you said you loved me,
But each day you rejected my salvation.
With that in an instant,
Day turned into night.
I never knew such torture could be,
Now too late, I know the Bible is right.
If I can tell you anything,
Hell has no age.
It is a place of torture,
Separated from God and full of rage.
You know, I thought it was funny-a joke,
But this one thing is true.
If you never accept Jesus Christ,
HELL IS WAITING FOR YOU!
So please, ask Him into your heart.
Please show this to everyone you care about.
(((which should be everybody)))
   PEACE & BLESSING

Author Unknown

Teacher on Evolution
One day a 6-year-old girl was sitting in a classroom.
The teacher was going to explain evolution to thechildren.
The teacher asked a little boy:
Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later)
Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God
because he isn't there. He doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy
some questions. The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy:
Tommy, do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss (getting tired of the questions by this time).
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught
today in school,she must not have one!

"FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT" II
CORINTHIANS 5:7

To Know Jesus and to Make Him Known
Author Unknown

The Christian walk begins with faith in God, who we cannot see.
The journey will end with a very visible,
face-to-face encounter with the risen Savior.
That "sight" will bring us to our knees.
(Philippians 2: 4-11)

The invisible attributes of our lives are numerous. We use
microscopes and telescopes to search those things that are
"invisible" to the un-aidedeye.

Things of God also require a special tool:
"Faith". It is not "blind" faith.
The "invisible" God shows himself in many ways. We learn from
preachers and teachers how to "see" through eyes of faith.
They teach us that there is a rich history of God's Power
that can be "seen" by those who really search.
We learn that what seemed at first to be
"invisible", can be seen in a
special way by those who DARE TO BELIEVE.

Our belief is not in just "anything" but in a specific name:
JESUS.

He is known through a specific book:
THE BIBLE.

Scientists learn about the world through books passed to them by
"greatnames" in the field of science.

Christians are trained in Faith by studying
the "great names and events" of the Bible.

The Name above All Names is and always will be: JESUS. Our Faith
Vision willbegin and end with our "looking" at Him.

This reminds me of a statement that helps us stay "focused" as
believers and the church. Our purpose is:
To Know Jesus and to Make Him Known

Marbles...
Author Unknown

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that
comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work.
Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand
and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of
those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it.

I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard
an older sounding chap with a golden voice.  You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in
the broadcasting business himself. He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to
someone named "Tom".

I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like
you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from
home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy
hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital."

He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good
perspective on my own priorities."  And that's when he began to explain his
theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about
seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live
about seventy-five years."

"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the
number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom,
I'm getting to the important part."

"It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he
went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. I got to thinking
that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy."

"So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three
toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. took them home and put them inside of a large, clear
plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have
taken one marble out and thrown it away."

"I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in
life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your
priorities straight."

"Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife
out for breakfast.

This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until
next Saturday then I have been given a little extra time. And the one thing we can all use is a
little more time."

"It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to
meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop when he finished.  Even the show's moderator didn't have anything
to say for a few moments. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned
to do some work that morning, then go to the gym.  Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife
up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast."

"What brought this on?" she asked with a smile.  "Oh, nothing special, it's just been a long time
since we spent a Saturday together with the kids.  Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out?
I need to buy some marbles."

36 Stress Reducers for Christians
Author Unknown

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No, to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often
   too many.)

7. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

8. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

9. Take one day at a time.

10. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you to do and let go of the anxiety.

11. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut.) This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough exercise.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write thoughts and inspirations down.

22. Everyday, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until its time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus!"

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but yourself not at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the   universe.

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
    
    ** GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU **

Angel In My Pocket
Author Unknown

I am a tiny angel
I'm smaller than your thumb;

I live in people's pockets
That's where I have my fun.

I don't suppose you've seen me,
I'm too tiny to detect;

Though I'm with you all the time,
I doubt we've ever met.

Before I was an Angel...
I was a fairy in a flower.

God, Himself, hand-picked me,
And gave me Angel power.

Now God has many Angels that He trains in Angel pools;
We become H9s eyes, ears, and hands,
We become His special tools.

And because God is so busy,
With way too much to do;
He said that my assignment
Is to keep close watch on you.

When He tucked me in your pocket
He blessed you with Angel care;
Then told me to never leave you,
And I vowed always to be there.

Look Closer
Phyllis McCormack

What do you see nurse, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you look at me,
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit with far away eyes,
Who dribbles her food, and makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice: "I do wish you'd try."
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe,
Who, quite unresisting, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill.
Is that what you're thinking, is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am, as I sit here so still,
As I move at your bidding, as I eat at your will,
I'm a small child of ten, with a father and mother,
And brothers and sisters, who love one another,
A girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that son a lover she'll meet;
A bride soon a twenty my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep;
At twenty-five now I have young of my own,
Who need me to build a secure, happy home;
A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast,
Bound together with ties that should last;
At forty, my young sons have grown up and gone;
But my man stays beside me to see I don't mourn;
AT fifty once more babies play 'round my knee;
Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all busy, wit young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love I have known.
I'm an old woman now, and nature is cruel,
'Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass, a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living all over again.
I think of the years, all too few and gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
But a crabby old woman, look closer, see me.

Read This.  Let It Really Sink In. 
Then Choose How Your Start Your Day.
Author Unknown

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate.  He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.  When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

He was a natural motivator.  If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.   Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him.  "I don't get it!  You can't be a positive person all of the time.   How do you do it?"  Michael replied.  "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, You have two choices today.  You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.  I choose to be in a good mood.  Each time something bad happens.  I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it.  I choose to learn from it.  Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life.  I choose the positive side of life."

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy."  I protested.   "Yes it is."  Michael said.  "Life is all about choices.   When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.  You choose how you react to situations.  You choose how people affect your mood.  You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.  The bottom line - It's your choice how you live life."

I reflected on what Michael said.  Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business.  We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.  After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.

I saw Michael about six months after the accident.  When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins.  Wanna see my scars?"  I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.  "The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be-born daughter."  Michael replied.   "Then, as I lay on the ground.  I remembered that I had two choices.   I could choose to live or I could choose to die.  I chose to live."   "Weren't you scared?  Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.   Michael continued, "...the paramedics were great.  They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.  In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man.'  I knew I need to take action."  "What did you do?" I asked.  "Well there was a bug burly nurse shouting questions at me." said Michael.  "She asked if I was allergic to anything.   "Yes, I replied."  The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.  I took a deep breath and yelled. "Gravity."   Over their laughter, I told them.  "I am choosing to live.  Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

Michael lived thanks to the skill of this doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.  I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.  Attitude, after all, is everything.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:34

After all, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

A Friend
Author Unknown

A Friend...

(A)ccepts you as you are
(B)elieves in "you"
(C)alls you just to say "HI"
(D)oesn't give up on you
(E)nvisions the whole of you
(F)orgives your mistakes
(G)ives unconditionally
(H)elps you
(I)nvites you over
(J)ust "be" with you
(K)eeps you close at heart
(L)oves you for who are are
(M)akes a difference in your life
(N)ever judges
(O)ffers support
(P)icks you up
(Q)uiets your tears
(R)aises your spirits
(S)ays nice things about you
(T)ells you the truth when you need to hear it
(U)nderstands you
(W)alks beside you
(X)-amines your head injuries
(Y)ells when you won't listen and
(Z)aps you back to reality

Friends
Author Unknown

Friends are forever,
Friends are for real.
Friends are for expressing,
All the emotions we try to hide, but feel.

Friends are the flowers,
which line the river's edge.
They are for sharing, and for caring,
and for the shields they place around us, like a hedge.

Friends are for leaning on,
They are for helping, and comforting, too.
It would take forever,
to describe all that they are,
and true ones, are scattered and few.

I am truly blessed in every way,
and I thank the Lord on every day,
because I have such a good Friend in YOU!

"I Am Afraid"

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit, and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is
there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I shall pass through with no fear,
but gladness."

-Unknown

The Birdies

On July 22nd I was enroute to Washington, DC for a business trip. It was all so very ordinary, until we landed in Denver for a plane change. As I collected my belongings from the overhead bin, an announcement was made for Mr. Lloyd Glenn to see the United Customer Service Representative immediately. I thought nothing of it until I reached the door to leave the plane, and I heard a gentleman asking every male
if they were Mr. Glenn. At this point I knew something was wrong and my heart sunk. When I got off the plane a solemn-faced young man came toward me and said,
"Mr. Glenn, there is an emergency at your home. I do not know what the emergency is, or who is involved, but I will take you to the phone so you can call the hospital." My heart was now pounding, but the will to be calm took over. Woodenly, I followed this
stranger to the distant telephone where I called the number he gave me for the Mission Hospital.  My call was put through to the trauma center where I learned that my
three-year-old son had been trapped underneath the automatic garage door for several minutes, and that when my wife had found him he was dead.  CPR had been performed by a neighbor, who is a doctor, and the paramedics had continued the treatment as Brian was transported to the hospital. By the time of my call, Brian was revived
and they believed he would live, but they did not know how much damage had been done to his brain, nor to his heart. They explained that the door had completely closed on his little sternum right over his heart.  He had been severely crushed. After speaking with the medical staff, my wife sounded worried but not hysterical, and I took comfort in her calmness.

The return flight seemed to last forever, but finally I arrived at the hospital six hours after the garage door had come down. When I walked into the intensive care unit, nothing could have prepared me to see my little son laying so still on a great big bed with tubes and monitors everywhere.  He was on a respirator. I glanced at my wife who stood and tried to give me a reassuring smile. It all seemed like a terrible dream. I was filled-in with the details and given a guarded prognosis. Brian was going to live, and the preliminary tests indicated that his heart was OK, two miracles in and of themselves. But only time would tell if his brain received any damage. Throughout the seemingly endless hours, my wife was calm. She felt that Brian would eventually be all right. I hung on to her words and faith like a lifeline. All that night and the next day Brian remained unconscious. It seemed like forever since I had left for my business trip the day before. Finally at two o'clock that afternoon, our son regained consciousness and sat up uttering the most beautiful words I have ever heard spoken. He said, "Daddy hold me" and he reached for me with his little arms. (TEAR BREAK...smile) By the next day he was pronounced as having no neurological or physical deficits, and the story of his miraculous survival spread throughout the hospital.  You cannot imagine our gratitude and joy. As we took Brian home, we felt a unique reverence for the life and love of our Heavenly Father that comes to those who brush death so closely.

In the days that followed there was a special spirit about our home. Our two older children were much closer to their little brother.  My wife and I were much closer to each other, and all of us were very close as a whole family. Life took on a less stressful pace.
Perspective seemed to be more focused, and balance much easier to gain and maintain. We felt deeply blessed. Our gratitude was truly profound. The story is not over (smile)!  

Almost a month later to the day of the accident, Brian awoke from his afternoon nap and said, "Sit down mommy. I have something to tell you."  At this time in his life, Brian usually spoke in small phrases, so to say a large sentence surprised my
wife. She sat down with him on his bed, and he began his sacred and remarkable story. Do you remember when I got stuck under the garage door? Well, it was so heavy and it hurt really bad.  I called to you, but you couldn't hear me. I started to cry, but then it
hurt too bad. And then the 'birdies' came." "The birdies?" my wife asked puzzled. "Yes," he replied. "The birdies made a whooshing sound and flew into the garage. They took care of me." "They did?" "Yes," he said. "one of the birdies came and got you.  She came to tell you I got stuck under the door." A sweet reverent feeling filled the room. The spirit was so strong and yet lighter than air. My wife realized that a three-year-old
had no concept of death and spirits, so he was referring to the beings who came to him from beyond as "birdies" because they were up in the air like birds that fly. "What did
the birdies look like?" she asked.. Brian answered, "They were so beautiful.   They were dressed in white, all white. Some of them had green and white.  But some of them had on just white." "Did they say anything?" "Yes," he answered. "They told me the baby would be all right." Brian answered. "The baby laying on the garage floor." He went on, "You came out and opened the garage door and ran to the baby. You told the baby to stay and not leave." My wife nearly collapsed upon hearing this, for she had indeed
gone and knelt beside Brian's body and seeing his crushed chest whispered, "Don't leave us Brian, please stay if you can."  As she listened to Brian telling her the words she had spoken, she realized that the spirit had left his body and was looking down from above on this little lifeless form. "Then what happened?" she asked.. "We went on a trip." He said, "Far, far away." He grew agitated trying to say the things he didn't
seem to have the words for. My wife tried to calm and comfort him, and let him know it would be okay. He struggled with wanting to tell something that obviously was very
important to him, but finding the words was difficult. "We flew so fast up in the air. They're so pretty Mommy," he added. "And there are lots and lots of birdies." My wife was stunned. Into her mind the sweet comforting spirit enveloped her more soundly,
but with an urgency she had never before known.

Brian went on to tell her that the "birdies" had told him that he had to come back and tell everyone about the "birdies." He said they brought him back to the house and that a big fire truck, and an ambulance were there. A man was bringing the baby out on a white bed and he tried to tell the man that the baby would be okay, but the man couldn't hear him. He said the birdies told him he had to go with the ambulance, but they would be near him.  He said they were so pretty and so peaceful, and he didn't want to come back. Then the bright light came. He said that the light was so bright and so warm, and he loved the bright light so much.  Someone was in the bright light and put their arms around him, and told him, "I love you but you have to go back. you have to play baseball, and tell everyone about the birdies.  "Then the person in the bright light kissed him and waved bye-bye. Then woosh, the big sound came and they went into the clouds. The story went on for an hour. He taught us that "birdies" were always with us, but we don't see them because we look with our eyes and we don't hear them because we listen with our ears. But they are always there, you can only see them in here (he put his hand over his heart). They whisper the things to help us to do what is right because they love us so much.  Brian continued, stating, "I have a plan, Mommy. You have a plan.  Daddy has a plan. Everyone has a plan. We must all live our plan and keep our promises. The birdies help us to do that cause   they love us so much."

In the weeks that followed, he often came to us and told all, or part of it, again and again. Always the story remained the same. The details were never changed or out of order.   A few times he added further bits of information and clarified the message he had already delivered.  It never ceased to amaze us how he could tell such detail and speak beyond his ability when he talked about his birdies.   Everywhere he went, he told strangers about the "birdies." Surprisingly, no one ever looked at him strangely when he did this.  Rather, they always got a softened look on their face and smiled.

Needless to say, we have not been the same ever since that day, and I pray we never will be. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some people become friends and stay a while, leaving beautiful footprints on our hearts. We are never quite the same because we have made a good friend. Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Live and savor every moment.

Lloyd Glenn
From Dr. Gloria "Jo" Floyd - this story was forwarded to me. I glean from it that Lloyd Glenn wrote it.
It will be a blessing to all who read it.

God Knows Where You Are

Luke 12:6.7: "Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Do you believe that God not only loves you, but knows where you are and at you're doing every minute of the day? I certainly do after an amazing experience I had several years ago.

By Ken Gaub


At the time I was driving on 1-75 near Dayton, Ohio, with my wife and children. We turned off the highway for a rest and refreshment stop. My wife Barbara and children went into the restaurant.  I suddenly felt the need to stretch my legs, so waved them off ahead saying I'd join them later.  I bought a soft drink, and as I walked toward a
Dairy Queen, feelings of self pity enshrouded my mind. I loved the Lord and my ministry, but I felt drained, burdened. My cup was empty. Suddenly the impatient ringing of a
telephone nearby jarred me out of my doldrums. It was coming from a phone booth at a service station on the corner. Wasn't anyone going to answer the phone? Noise from the traffic flowing through the busy intersection must have drowned out the sound because the service station attendant continued looking after his customers, oblivious to the
incessant ringing.

"Why doesn't somebody answer that phone?" I muttered. I began reasoning.
It may be important. What if it's an emergency?  Curiosity overcame my indifference. I stepped inside the booth and picked up the phone.  "Hello," I said casually and took a big sip of my drink. The operator said:"  Long distance call for Ken Gaub." My eyes widened, and I almost choked on a chunk of ice. Swallowing hard, I said, "You're
crazy!" Then realizing I shouldn't speak to an operator like that, I added, "This can't be! I
was walking down the road, not bothering anyone, and the phone was ringing..."
"Is Ken Gaub there?" the operator interrupted. "I have a long distance call
for him." It took a moment to gain control of my babbling, but I finally replied, "Yes, he is here."  Searching for a possible explanation, I wondered if I could possibly be on
Candid Camera! Still shaken, perplexed, I asked, "How in the world did you reach me here? I was walking down the road, the pay phone started ringing, and I just answered it on chance. You can't mean me." "Well," the operator asked, "is Mr Gaub there or isn't he?" "Yes, I am Ken Gaub," I said, finally convinced by the tone of her voice that the call was real.

Then I heard another voice say, "Yes, that's him,operator. That's Ken Gaub." I listened dumbfounded to a strange voice identify herself. "I'm Millie from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You don't know me, Mr Gaub, but I'm desperate. Please help me."

"What can I do for you?" She began weeping. Finally she regained control and continued. "I was about to commit suicide, had just finished writing a note, when I began to pray and tell God I really didn't want to do this.

Then I suddenly remembered seeing you on television and thought if I could just talk to you, you could help me.  I knew that was impossible because I didn't know how to reach you, I didn't know anyone who could help me find you. Then some numbers came to my mind, and I scribbled them down." At this point she began weeping again, and I
prayed silently for wisdom to help her. She continued, "I looked at the numbers and thought, couldn't it be wonderful if I had a miracle from God, and He has given me Ken's phone number? I decided to try calling it. I can't believe I'm talking to you. Are you in your
office in California?"

I replied, "Lady, I don't have an office in California. My office is in Yakima, Washington." A little surprised, she asked, "Oh really, then where are you?"

"Don't you know?" I responded. "You made the call." She explained, "But I don't even know what area I'm calling. I just dialed the number that I had on this paper." "Maam, you won't believe this, but I'm in a phone booth in Dayton Ohio!" "Really?" she exclaimed. "Well, what are you doing there?"

I kidded her gently, "Well, I'm answering the phone.  It was ringing as I walked by, so I answered it." Knowing this encounter could only have been arranged by God, I began to counsel the woman. As she told me of her despair and frustration, the presence of the Holy Spirit flooded the phone booth giving me words of wisdom beyond my ability.
In a matter of moments, she prayed the sinner's prayer and met the One who would lead her out of her situation into a new life. I walked away form that telephone booth withan
electrifying sense of our heavenly Father's concern for each of His children. What were the astronomical odds of this happening. With all the millions of phones and innumerable combinations of numbers, only an all-knowing God could have caused that woman to call THAT number, in THAT phone booth, at THAT moment in time

Forgetting my drink and nearly bursting with exhilaration, I headed back to my family, wondering if they would believe my story. Maybe I better not tell this I thought, but I couldn't contain it.  "Barb, you won't believe this! God knows where I am!"

God also knows where you are. Place yourself in His hands, concentrate on knowing His will for your life, and He will never forsake or forget you.

When The Lord Made Nurses
Author Unknown

When the Lord made Nurses, He was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one." And the Lord said, "Have you read the specs on *this order?

A nurse has to be able to help an injured person