The Praises of God
Lord God:
you alone are holy,
you who work wonders!
You are strong, you are great,
you are the Most High,
you are the almighty King,
you, holy Father, King of heaven and earth.
Lord God: you are Three and you are One,
you are goodness, all goodness,
you are the highest Good,
Lord God, living and true.
You are love and charity, you are wisdom,
you are humility, you are patience,
you are beauty, you are sweetness,
you are safety, you are rest, you are joy,
you are our hope
and our delight,
you are justice, you are moderation
you are all our wealth
and riches overflowing.
You are beauty, you are gentleness,
you are our shelter, our guard
and our defender,
you are strength, you are refreshment,
you are our hope.
you are our faith.
you are our love,
you are our complete consolation,
you are our life everlasting,
great and wonderful Lord,
all powerful God, merciful Savior!
Amen.
The Medium Can Change the Message
Years ago an elderly illiterate carpenter
received some mail and he was very upset about
it. A letter was a very unusual thing in his life
and he was worried about what might be in it. So
he hurried over to the butcher shop and the
rough-voice muscle man behind the counter read it
aloud.
"This is a letter from your son," he shouted,
"and it says: 'Dear Dad, I am sick and haven't a
single cent. Send me some money quick. Your son."
Influenced by the hard tones of the reader, the
carpenter became red with rage and exploded, "Who
does that kid think he is, telling me what to do?
I won't give him a cent."
In a fit of anger, the carpenter walked back
home. But along the way he met his friend the
soft-spoken tailor. He stopped him and confided,
"I want you to see this letter my boy sent me."
The tailor took the letter and read it aloud in
his usual calm and cultured way. Suddenly the
message sounded different to the carpenter. It
came across as appealing and plaintive. It left
the carpenter deeply saddened. "Poor Bill," he
said with worry in his voice. "He's in bad shape.
I'd better send him some cash - fast."
So off he went to wire some money to his son. The
message can often depend on the medium! How true!
Turn Around
You've wandered far from me my child,
In search of what you'd be.
But I've always followed close behind,
Turn around and look at me.
For all your struggle and your pain,
Just what have you achieved?
A life of worldly goods decayed,
Where nothing is believed?
I know it's hard to look at me,
Much like Adam in your sin;
But I call all children to my throne,
Not caring where you've been.
No, you weren't created perfect child,
And mistakes - you've made a few;
But my Son has borne them on the cross,
Do you doubt my word is true?
As He is mine eternally,
Through Him you are the same;
There is no need for fear or doubt,
No further need for shame.
Just cast your cares upon me,
And confess your sins complete;
That I may be our Father now,
And lift you to your feet.
Or is your pain so precious,
And the tears you've cried so sweet,
That you'd deny His wounded side,
The holes in His hands and feet?
By His blood you are made spotless,
By His body you're made free;
And My Love is waiting here My Child
Turn around now - reach for Me!
Author Unknown
HOW LIFE IS MEASURED
Author Unknown
I had a very special teacher in high school many years ago whose
husband unexpectedly and suddenly died of a heart attack.
About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a
classroom of students.
As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom
windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on
the edge of her desk and sat down there. With a gentle look of
reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Before class is over, I
would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to
class, but which I feel is very important."
"Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and
give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience
will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is a way of
telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."......
Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to
make me a promise. From now on, on your way to school, or on your way
home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be
something you see, it could be a scent -- perhaps of freshly baked
bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the
breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the
morning light catches the autumn leaf as it falls gently to the
ground.
Please look for these things, and cherish them. For, although it may
sound trite to some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little
things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for
granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any
time...it can all be taken
away." The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and
filed out of the room silently.
That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than
had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think of that
teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I
try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.
Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today.
When you go home, Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop
off on the way home tonight to get a double-dip ice cream cone.
"For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often
regret, but the things we didn't do."
“Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
moments that take our breath away."
February 26
I am leading you, step by step, through your life. Hold My hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day. Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy—even precarious. That is how it should be. Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things. When you try to figure out the future, you are grasping at things that are Mine. This, like all forms of worry, is an act of rebellion: doubting My promises to care for you.
Whenever you find yourself worrying about the future, repent and return to Me. I will show you the next step forward, and the one after that, and the one after that. Relax and enjoy the journey in My Presence, trusting Me to open up the way before you as you go.
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
—Deuteronomy 29:29
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
—Psalm 32:8 – Jesus Calling
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