Brownie Crumbs
Mrs. Baughman was my 6th grade Sunday School teacher. One morning, she brought a pan of brownies to our class.
As the goodies sat over by her chair, she gave each child a slip of paper marked with a household expense: house payment, utility bill, phone bill, entertainment, etc.
My slip had a car payment. Before long, Mrs. Baughman picked up the tray of brownies and began naming the expenses written on the papers. As we gave her our expenses, she redeemed each one for a brownie.
"Car payment" she announced. I jumped up to get my brownie from the pan. Finally the last brownie had disappeared.
But one boy named Donald still held his unredeemed slip. "God!" called Mrs. Baughman. Donald came forward hoping the teacher had one more brownie hidden some where.
With a knife Mrs. Baughman scraped the crumbs from the bottom of the pan into Donald's napkin. He got a pretty raw deal, I thought - just crumbs.
"The brownies represent your money", the teacher explained to us. "If you don't give God his share right away, He probably won't get anything except maybe the crumbs."
I never forgot that illustration. The day my friend, Donald got only the brownie crumbs, even as a child I learned that God should have the first right to everything I have.
In the years since Mrs. Baughman class I have struggled with giving and priorities. But whenever I recall that Sunday School Lesson, I know who should and must always come first in my life!
Pass this inspiration to all your family and friends...- Author Unknown
Things Don't Just Happen
Things don't just happen to us who love God;
They're planned by His own dear hand.
Then molded and shaped, and timed by His clock.
Things don't just happen; they're planned.
We don't just guess on the issues of life,
We Christians just rest in our Lord.
We are directed by His sovereign will
In the light of His holy word.
We who love Jesus are walking by faith,
Not seeing one step that's ahead,
Not doubting one moment what our lot might be,
But looking to Jesus instead.
We praise our dear Savior for loving us so,
For planning each care of our life,
Then giving us faith to trust Him for all,
The blessings as well as the strife.
Things don't just happen to us who love God,
To us who have taken our stand.
No matter the lot, the course, or the price,
Things don't just happen; they're planned.
Esther L. Fields
Prayer For Relieving Stress And Anxiety
Lord, there has been too much change in my life recently, and I feel overwhelmed. Because I try to be a responsible person, I sometimes forget that it is unwise for me to allow my sense of duty to override my common sense.
Lord, help me to allow myself more time to rest, relax, and pray. Guide me toward something spiritual to read every day and a quiet time afterwards to reflect on what I have read and how it pertains to my life. I truly want to simplify my life and live more as Christ did. Help me remember that there is no loss or problem I must face alone. You are always near, with Your love and compassion to comfort me.
My Fears
MY FEARS
I feared being alone...until I learned to like
myself.
I feared people's opinions...until I learned
that people would have opinions about me anyway.
I feared failure.....until I realized that
they are only the stepping stones to success.
I feared rejection ....until I learned
to have faith in myself.
I feared pain...until I learned
that it is necessary for growth.
I feared the truth....until I saw the ugliness
in lies.
I feared life...until I experienced
that it depends solely on my attitude.
I feared death....until I realized
that it is only a beginning.
I feared hate...until I saw
that it was nothing more than ignorance.
I feared love....until I realized that
I do need the other person to love me back
I feared ridicule....until I learned
how to laugh at myself.
I feared success ... until I learned
that it is okay to be the best I can.
I feared growing old....until I realized
that I gained the beauty of wisdom every day.
I feared the dark...until I saw
the beauty of the stars and moonlight.
I feared the past....until I realized
that it can only hurt me if I allow it to do so.
I feared the future....until I realized
that it is only this moment that matters.
I feared change.....until I saw
that even the most beautiful butterfly had to undergo
a metamorphosis before it could fly.
GOD LIVES IN THE POST OFFICE
Author Unknown
Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died,
my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much
she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that
when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I
thought we could so she dictated these words:
Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with
you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have
her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to
swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her. You will know
that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith
________
We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith
and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then
Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because
she said it would
take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That
afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few
days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her
that I thought He had.
Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front
porch addressed, 'To Meredith , ' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith
opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'
Taped to the
inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened
envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and
this note:
________
Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it
stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need
our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture
in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to
remember Abbey by.
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping
you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I
picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I'm easy to find, I am wherever there is love.
Love,
God
August 29 - Jesus Calling
Demonstrate your trust in Me by sitting quietly in My Presence. Put aside all that is waiting to be done, and refuse to worry about anything. This sacred time together strengthens you and prepares you to face whatever the day will bring. By waiting with Me before you begin the day’s activities, you proclaim the reality of My living Presence. This act of faith—waiting before working—is noted in the spirit world, where your demonstration of trust weakens principalities and powers of darkness.
The most effective way to resist evil is to draw near Me. When you need to take action, I will guide you clearly through My Spirit and My Word. The world is so complex and overstimulating that you can easily lose your sense of direction. Doing countless unnecessary activities will dissipate your energy. When you spend time with Me, I restore your sense of direction. As you look to Me for guidance, I enable you to do less but accomplish more.
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear… Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
—Luke 12:22–25
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
—Ephesians 6:12
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
—Proverbs 16:3
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