Wednesday's Positive Thread

gloriajean — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 05:59:12 GMT

Through God we have the power to triumph over even the most hopeless
of tragedies. Lord, You have said, "Ask and You shall receive", so I ask
that You will prepare me day by day to triumph in my dark hours.

Scripture for the day:

"I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your
progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your
boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. Only, live your
life
in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come
and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are
standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for
the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your
opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your
salvation." ~Philippians 1:25-28

Meditation for the day:

Spiritual progress is the law of our being. We can try to see around
us more and more of beauty and truth, knowledge and power. Today we
can try to be stronger, braver, more loving as a result of what we did
yesterday. This law of spiritual progress gives meaning and purpose
to our lives. We can always expect better things ahead. We can
accomplish much good through the strength of God's spirit in us. We
need not be discouraged. The world is sure to get better, in spite of
setbacks of war, hate, and greed. We can be part of the cure of the
world's ills, rather than part of the disease.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may keep progressing the better life. I pray that I may
be a part of the forces for good in the world.

Hello my friends! Today I've been working at the computer with my list -
cleaning out what I don't need anymore etc. very time consuming! It's been
a blessing to do though. Got a call from Sister LaDonna, nice visit -
another blessing. Linus' day off - he got a lot done today! An ordinary
day of blessings which I thank our Lord for!
Praying for all of you for your needs and thank you for your prayers for us.

STILL BLUE

It had been four days since it happened. The man lay in a hospital bed in a
room filled with machines pumping life into him. His eyes were closed. His
mouth was closed. His body was still. Family members traveled in and out of
his room, trying to be brave for each other and trying to keep up hope, but
most were already grieving for their terrible loss. And then she came. She
was his only child. It took her four days to get there by car. And for four
days she prayed that God´s will be to bring her father peace. He was, after
all, completely in God´s hands. There was nothing any person could do for
her father now. She knew she would accept God´s will, one way or the other,
and so she simply prayed for God´s grace and mercy. When she finally reached
the hospital, she went directly to his room and to his side. She whispered
to him not to worry about anything. She assured him that God would bring him
peace. Everything would be all right. The nurse reminded her that her father
was hard of hearing and that she should probably speak louder. But, the
daughter refused the suggestion. She knew in her heart that God would let
her father hear her.

She was at his side for only a few minutes when another nurse got her
attention and told her that a phone call had come in for her in the waiting
room down the hall. She smiled at her father softly, stroked his forehead
and quietly left the room. With the phone call from her husband taken care
of, she walked quickly back to her father´s room. Before she reached the
door she looked up to see the nurse and her uncle smiling broadly and near
tears. She walked into the room and the nurse, who just minutes ago
suggested that she talk louder to her father, said "whatever it is that you
said to him, keep saying it." Apparently, as soon as she had left the room
to take the phone call, her father opened his eyes and turned his head
toward the door looking for her.

Now, here she was, looking at her father who was looking back at her.
Through tears of her own, she recalled thinking to herself "his eyes are
still blue." She wasn´t sure why this was her very first thought. It seemed
such an odd thing to think at the time. Perhaps she expected the beautiful
blue color of her father´s eyes to be gone after the trauma that he had been
through. But then it came to her that the brilliant blue light from her
father´s eyes was the peace that she had prayed for. Her father was not
scared. He was not in pain. He was content. He had received God´s grace.
And, he was going to live. Ten days later, her father was completely off
life support and on his way to recovery.

Her father lived for many years after this ordeal and although the remainder
of his life was mentally and physically impaired, the light in his eyes gave
testimony to all who saw him that God is still in the miracle-making
business. Unfortunately, when the Lord came to take her father home, she was
not by his side to say goodbye. But, deep down in her heart, she knows her
prayer for peace was answered and that her father´s eyes had seen the glory
of God. They would, therefore, ALWAYS be blue.

Michelle Osborn

JEFFIE AND GRANDPA
Author Unknown
Jul 20, 2009

Jeffie was in his playpen and he was crying. Tears were rolling down
his little cheeks, his face was red as it could be. He was crying, and
he looked pitiful in his little baseball T-shirt and a diaper.

Then Jeffie's Grandpa entered the room; Jeffie's little face lit up
when he saw his Grandpa! He immediately reached out his little arms in
supplication and said "Out Pa Pa out."

What is a Grandpa to do? How can someone resist that?

So Grandpa went over to the playpen, he bent over. He reached down to
lift his little buddy from captivity and distress . . .

Just then "Law and Order" walked into the room.

Momma said "Jeffie, you stay right there! I'm punishing you because
you have been naughty! Dad, leave Jeffie alone!"

What is a Grandpa to do?

Grandpa backs off and is thinking, "I can't just pick up a book and
read it with Jeffie here. He would think I was uncaring and distant. I
can't leave the room because he would feel like I have abandoned
him."

What is a Grandpa to do?

But you know what? Love always finds a way. Since Grandpa couldn't
take Jeffie out of the playpen, Grandpa climbed in with Jeffie!

Grandpa said "If you are in the playpen buddy, I'm in the playpen too.
What are you in for? What is your sentence?"

Having Grandpa join him in his "prison cell" brought Jeffie great
comfort and joy. In the midst of his captivity, Jeffie no longer felt
so alone.

What Jeffie's Grandpa did is also a picture of what Jesus Christ did
for us when He came to Earth as a baby.

God the Father yearned to reach down into our "playpen of captivity"
and pull us out. He could not . . . because of our disobedience . . .
because of our sin. What did God do?

God climbed into our "playpen" with us!

When Jesus Christ entered into our "playpen of captivity," He took the
sin and disobedience that should have been ours alone, releasing us
from our captivity . . . allowing us the opportunity to experience the
fullness of life God has for us!

The message is simple, clear and personal: God with us . . . He loves
you so much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that
whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have Eternal Life. For
God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to
save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of
God's one and only Son." John 3:16-18

PRAYER FOR THE STRENGTH TO FORGIVE

"Faultless Lord, enduring death for me,
You have consummated the debt of my sins:
Your sacrifice of forgiveness was absolute!
Grant me the strength to also forgive others,
To excuse their transgressions against me.
So I may truly reflect this spiritual fruit,
Obliterate any persistent feelings of malice.
Let each trespass end as a closing chapter,
My continuing on the road of righteousness.
Forgive my sins as I aspire to forgive others.
You are truly archetypical of forgiveness.
You are a most forgiving Lord!

Trust Him

Trust Him
when dark doubts assail you,
Trust Him
when your faith is small,
Trust Him,
when to trust Him . . .
is the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him,
He is ever faithful,
Trust Him
for His will is best,
Trust Him
for the Heart of Jesus,
is the only place of rest.

Author Unknown

A DATE WITH THE OTHER WOMAN
Author Unknown
August 14, 2012

After 21 years of marriage, I discovered a new way of keeping alive the
spark of love. A little while ago I started to go out with another woman. It
was really my wife's idea.

"I know you love her," she said one day, taking me by surprise.

"But I love YOU!" I protested.

"I know, but you also love her."

The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a
widow for 19 years. The demands of my work and my three children had made it
possible to visit her only occasionally. That night, I called to invite her
to go out for dinner and a movie.

"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who
suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad
news.

"I thought it would be pleasant to pass some time with you," I responded.
"Just the two of us."

She thought about it for a moment, then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday, after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous.
When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous
about our date. She waited in the doorway with her coat on. She had curled
her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last
wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were
impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear
about our meeting."

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy.
My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large
print. Halfway through the entree, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting
there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.

"Then it's time you relaxed and let me return the favor," I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary
- just catching up on recent events of each other's lives. We talked so much
that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but
only if you let me invite you." I agreed and kissed her good night.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home.

"Very nice. Much nicer than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so
suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her.

Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt
from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid
this bill in advance. I was almost sure that I couldn't be there, but,
never-the-less, I paid for two plates --one for you and the other for you
wife. You will never know what that night meant to me. I love you."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying, "I LOVE YOU" in time,
and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is
more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve,
because these things cannot always be put off to "some other time."

SLOW ME DOWN, LORD

Slow me down, Lord.
Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.
Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time.
Give me, amidst the confusion of my day,
the calmness of everlasting hills.
Break the tensions of my nerves with the soothing music
of the singing streams that live in my memory.
Help me know the magical restoring power of sleep.
Teach me the art of taking minute vacations of slowing down,
to look at a flower,
to chat with an old friend or make a new one,
to pat a stray dog,
to watch a spider build a web,
to smile at a child, or to read from a good book.
Remind me each day that the race is not always to the swift,
that there is more to life than increasing its speed.
Let me look upward at the towering oak and know that it
grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Amen.

My Morning Prayer

I come before You, Lord, In the newness of this day
To ask Your grace upon me, Your love to guide my way.
May I face this day with strength, A gift from You above,
And may I show to others The mercies of your love.
May I don my Christian faith Best to wear at its best,
So when temptations come to taunt I'm ready for their test.
Then when at last it's evening And I come again in prayer
May I not forget to thank You For this tender, loving care.

By Mary Leonard

Thanks, happy, for your post - do come often! Everyone else thanks for your posts!

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Wednesday's Positive Thread