Hello my friends! Today my husband did more painting in the garage and outside door in the back, he's got a lot done already!! I picked more raspberries again today - surprised how many every day! Being we'll be gone tomorrow for the family reunion, I had some soup left, and I put our left-overs in it and it turned out delicious! We call it end of the refrigerator soup. Our front burner of our Frigidaire range quit working, it's ten years old, we have this Excel Energy insurance where we pay $28.00 a month for with our bill, and the stove got fixed free for us today!! All blessings from God and how He watches out for us. So far with this Excel Energy ins. we got our AC Fixed, wires burned out, and our dryer needed a new heater, all free for us!! So counting our blessings daily sure requires a lot of counting ad He is so generous with his blessings!! May God bless you all with many, many blessings!!!
Never tell yourself that it is "I" who has done all of this for me.
Lord, I pray and give thanks because it is You who has given me
the abilities and talents that I have to do all that I do.
Scripture for the day:
"And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of
these is love." ~1 Corinthians 13:13
Meditation for the day:
Love is the power that transforms our lives. We can try to love our
families and friends and then try to love everybody that we possibly
can, even the "sinners and publicans"--everybody. Love for God is an even
greater thing. It is the result of gratitude to God and it is the
acknowledgement of the blessings that God has sent us. Love for God
acknowledges God's gifts and leaves the way open for God to shower yet
more blessings on our thankful hearts. We can say: "Thank you, God," until
it becomes a habit.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that I may try to love God and all people. I pray that I may
continually thank God for all the blessings I receive.
Straight Ahead
At sometime during World War II, a passenger ship set sail from Great
Britain headed for port in New York City. The Captain of the ship being
afraid of enemy vessels, sought the advise and guidance of the British
Admiral.
The Admiral calmly assured the captain that no matter what happens, he
should be sure to sail his ship straight ahead. "Do not take any detours --
sail the ship straight ahead -- continue on-ward, heading straight towards
the intended mark" he said.
After several days of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean which was undeniably
filled with submarines and enemy vessels of all kinds, the Captain spotted
an enemy destroyer off his forward bow.
Nervously he grasped the handset and called for assistance.
The calm voice replied, "Keep on straight, Do not detour, just sail the ship
straight ahead. Everything will be just fine. Just keep on going - straight
ahead."
After a couple more days the ship pulled safely into the great harbor of New
York city.
Shortly after docking the great British battleship "Man-of-War" pulled into
port behind the passenger vessel. The Captain realized that while he did not
see the British battleship, she was there, standing bye. Standing ready to
come to his defense should it prove necessary.
So it is in our lives. God is standing by. We may not always see Him there,
but He is. Waiting. Bidding us onward toward the mark...
Keep your ship on course. Keep on going - straight ahead...
- Author Unknown
The Sculptor
I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the
clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today.
I am important. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.
Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or...
I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.
Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or...
I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases
wisely and guide me away from waste.
Today I can grumble about my health or...
I can rejoice that I am alive.
Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me when I
was growing up or...
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.
Today I can cry because roses have thorns or...
I can celebrate that thorns have roses.
Today I can mourn my lack of friends or...
I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.
Today I can whine because I have to go to work or...
I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.
Today I can complain because I have to go to school or...
I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.
Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or...
I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my
mind, body, and soul.
Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping.
What today will be like is up to me.
I get to choose what kind of day I will have!
Author Unknown
Prayer for Accepting Our Humanity
I am a person like no one else in the world.
I am the people I have met.
I am the experiences I have had.
I am the mistakes I have made and
the wisdom I have gained from them.
I am the lessons I have learned and
the ones I have given.
I am the good times in my life
and the bad ones too.
I am the emotions I have felt and
the thoughts I have thought.
God, I am the life I have lived.
Although it's not a perfect one, understand that I'm
doing the best I can with what You have given me.
Because all that I have to work with..... it's me.
Tom Moore, in Dreams Alive
ANGEL TALK
Author Unknown
Just inside the Pearly Gates
Underneath a gorgeous sky
Two angels hovered near a cloud
(They don't sit like you and I!)
"I just don't understand it,"
Said angel number one,
"I've watched and studied everything
Those foolish souls have done."
The second angel gave a shrug,
"Why do you even care?
It's no concern of ours at all
What they choose to do down there."
"Maybe not," the first one said,
"But still I'd like to know
With all the blessings they've received
What makes them quarrel so?"
The second angel stretched his wings
Then smoothed a ruffled feather,
"It's just about a hopeless cause
For men to live together."
"The Master's working very hard
Has been for generations. ....
And still they fight among themselves
causing death and devastation. "
The older angel softly sighed,
"You can't change things, little one,
The Master's tried everything
He even sacrificed His Son!!"
The young angel nodded slowly,
"That's what seems so bad!
He suffered, bled and died for them!
He gave them all he had!"
"Oh, He still has more to give,"
The other looked both sad and wise,
"For I've seen Jesus when souls are lost,
And I've held Him while He cries."
"For to Him each one is precious
With a value beyond measure.....
He wants them all up here with Him
To share in Heaven's treasure."
"And sometimes, someone down on Earth
Will kneel in fervent prayer
Crying out, 'Please help me, God!
Show me that You're there!'"
"And when that happens you will hear
All the bells of Heaven ring!
As the Master's love pours down like rain
And the Heart of Jesus sings!"
The Alphabet Prayer
Author Unknown
Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged with man.
Now the story goes, a little shepherd boy was watching his sheep one Sunday
morning and he heard the bells of the church ringing. And watching the
people walk along the pasture where he was, he happened to think to himself,
"I would like to communicate with God! But, what can I say to God?"
He had never learned a prayer. So, on bended knee, he began to recite the
alphabet. Repeating this prayer several times, a man passing by, heard the
boy's voice and peaked through the bushes. He saw the young boy kneeling
with folded hands, eyes closed, repeating the alphabet.
He interrupted the boy. "What are you doing, my little one?" he asked. The
boy replied, "I was praying sir." The man seemed surprised and said, "But
why are you reciting the alphabet?" The boy explained, "I don't know any
prayers, sir. But I want God to take care of me, and to help me care for my
sheep. And so I thought, if I said all I knew, He could put the letters
together into words, and He would know all that I want and should say!"
The man smiled and said, "Bless your heart, God will!" And he went on to
church knowing full well that he had heard the finest sermon he could
possibly hear that day.
Maybe if we thought like little children and let God put together the
letters, what we should want, and what we should say, things would probably
work out a lot better than we planned!!!
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