And then I stopped to buy some sweets.
The lad who sold them had such charm.
I talked with him. He said to me, “It’s nice
to talk with folks like you. You see,” he said,
“I’m blind.” Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes. The world is mine!

Then 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 sunset’s glow;
with ears to hear what I would know –
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I’m blessed indeed. The world is mine!

Always remember to forget
the things that made you sad,
But never forget to remember
the things that made you glad

Always remember to forget
the friend’s that proved untrue,
But never forget to remember
those that have stuck by you

Always remember to forget
the troubles that passed away
But never forget to remember
the blessings that come each day.

Lord, God above
You who are love
You make me feel like singing praise

Lord, God of all
Please hear my call
Help me to learn Your loving ways

Though each day
From You I stray
This I am confessing
Yet if forgiveness I seek
To You I speak
And receive it with Your blessing

Lord, King of Kings
On high, on Angel’s wings
You chose death that I might live

Most Holy One
Until my days are done
I thank You for the love You give.

The Master was searching for a vessel to use;
On the shelf there were many – which one would He choose?
Take me, cried the gold one, I’m shiny and bright,
I’m of great value and I do things just right.
My beauty and luster will outshine the rest
And for someone like You, Master, gold would be the best!

The Master passed on with no word at all;
He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall;
I’ll serve You, dear Master, I’ll pour out Your wine
And I’ll be at Your table whenever You dine,
My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
And my silver will always compliment You.

Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,
It was widemouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.
Here! Here! cried the vessel, I know I will do,
Place me on Your table for all men to view.

Look at me, called the goblet of crystal so clear,
My transparency shows my contents so dear,
Though fragile am I, I will serve You with pride,
And I’m sure I’ll be happy in Your house to abide.

The Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.
You may use me, dear Master, the wooden bowl said,
But I’d rather You used me for fruit, not for bread!

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay.
Empty and broken it helplessly lay.
No hope had the vessel that the Master might choose,
To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.

Ah! This is the vessel I’ve been hoping to find,
I will mend and use it and make it all Mine.
I need not the vessel with pride of its self;
Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;
Nor the one who is big mouthed and shallow and loud;
Nor one who displays his contents so proud;
Not the one who thinks he can do all things just right;
But this plain earthy vessel filled with My power and might.

Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay.
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.
Spoke to it kindly. There’s work you must do,
Just pour out to others as I pour into you.

By Beulah V. Cornwall

When tomorrow starts without me
And I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things
We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you loved me
As much as I loved you,
And each time that you think of me
I know you’ll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name
And took me by the hand.

And said my place was ready
In heaven far above,
And that I’d have to leave behind
All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away
A tear fell from my eye,
For all my life I’d always thought
I wouldn’t want to die.

I had so much to live for
So much left — yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible
That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared
And all the fun we had.

If I could relive yesterday
Just even for a while,
I’d say good-bye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized
That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories
Would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did
My heart was filled with sorrow.

But then I walked through heaven’s gates!
I felt so much at home,
When God looked down and smiled at me
From his great golden throne.

He said, “This is eternity
And all I’ve promised you,
Today your life on earth is past
But here life starts anew.”

“I promise no tomorrow
But today will always last,
And since each day’s the same way
There’s no longing for the past.”

“You have been so faithful
So trusting and so true,
Though there were times you did some things
You knew you shouldn’t do.”

“But you have been forgiven
And now at last you’re free,
So won’t you come and take my hand
And share my life with me.”

So when tomorrow starts without me
Don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I’m right there in your heart.

Author Unknown

You entered my life in a casual way,
And saw at a glance what I needed;
There were others who passed me or met me each day,
But never a one of them heeded.
Perhaps you were thinking of other folks more,
Or chance simply seemed to decree it;
I know there were many such chances before,
But the others – well, they didn’t see it.

You said just the thing that I wished you would say,
And you made me believe that you meant it;
I held up my head in the old gallant way,
And resolved you should never repent it.
There are times when encouragement means such a lot,
And a word is enough to convey it;
There were others who could have, as easy as not-
But, just the same, they didn’t say it.

There may have been someone who could have done more
To help me along, though I doubt it;
What I needed was cheering, and always before
They had let me plod onward without it.
You helped to refashion the dream of my heart,
And made me turn eagerly to it;
There were others who might have (I question that part)-
But, after all, they didn’t do it!

–G.S. Dawson

A FRIEND

What is a Friend? I’ll tell you.
It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself.
Your could can go naked with him.
He seems to ask you to put on nothing, only to be what you really are.
When you are with him, you do not have to be on your guard.
You can say what you think, so long as it is genuinely you.
He understands those contradictions in your nature that cause others to misjudge you.
With him you breathe freely-you can avow your little vanities and envies and absurdities
and in opening them up to him they are dissolved on the white ocean of his loyalty.
He understands. – You can weep with him, laugh with him, pray with him-through and
underneath it all he sees, knows and loves you.
A Friend, I repeat, is one with whom YOU DARE TO BE YOURSELF.

–Unknown

A FRIEND’S GREETING

I’d like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me;
I’d like to be the help that you’ve been always glad to be;
I’d like to mean as much to you each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend of mine, to me along the way.

I’d like to do the big things and the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray from out your skies and leave them only blue;
I’d like to give you back the joy that you have given me,
Yet that were wishing you a need I hope will never be;
I’d like to make you feel as rich as I, who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to lean upon.

I’m wishing at this Christmas time that I could be repay
A portion of the gladness that you’ve strewn along my way;
And could I have one wish this year, this only would it be:
I’d like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.

–E.A. Guest

God,
Give me strength and wisdom
to live this day as I ought.

Give me strength…
to overcome every temptation which may come to me,
to do well every task which is assigned to me,
to shoulder every responsibility which is laid upon my shoulders.

Give me wisdom…
to know when to speak and when to keep silent,
to know when to act and when to refrain from action,
to know when to speak my mind and when to hold my peace.

So bring me to the end of this day
in goodness,
in happiness
and in peace. Amen.

My life has been balanced
with pleasures and trials,
I’ve had many teardrops
and thousands of smiles.
I’ve soared to the moon
and I’ve plunged to the sand,
My life has been balanced
by God’s loving hand.
I’ve had many friendships
I’ve had a few foes,
In the life of a Christian
that’s the way that it goes.
Should I just accept
only good from God’s hands?
No, I must endure
whatever He plans.
But I can be sure
and you can be, too,
All things work for best
as God deals with you.

~Betty Purser Patten~

Can’t remember if I told you all, but:

I have moved out from 1 Beggars Alley, located at 2 Poverty Lane at
the corner of Bleak and Buster Circle. As of today, I have a brand new
home.

My new address is: Living Well on 3 Abundance Drive, located at the
corner of Blessings Street and Prosperity Peak. No longer! will I
allow my self to travel on Begging Peter to pay off Paul route,
located at a dead end intersection called I Don’t Have, it connects
with Borrowers Junction.

I no longer hang out at Failure’s Place, near Excuses Avenue, next to
Procrastination Point. I’ve moved on to an Upscale community called
Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to
succeed.

Look at me. Each day that I’m awake, I am thankful to be a product of
my new environment. All my clothes are tailor made. I’m dressed in
life’s finest. Let me introduce you to all of them: Divine Favour,
Conceive, Believe, Act on Faith, Be Persistent, and Always be Prepared
to Achieve.

Life is good because God is good! Care to change your address? There
are many vacancies!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

I AM WELL BLESSED AND SO ARE YOU!!!!!

‘DON’T TELL GOD HOW BIG YOUR STORM IS, TELL YOUR STORM HOW BIG OUR GOD IS’

o Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight;
Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.

o Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don’t despair.
There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

o Should you have a bad day at work;
Think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.

o Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;
Think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend;
Think of the woman in some third world country,working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for $15.00 to feed her family.

o Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that talk.

o Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;
Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

o Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities;
Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!