Spiritual Thoughts

L ook to the future, because that is where you'll spend the rest of your life. ~ George Burns K now that wisdom is like honey to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. ~ Proverbs 24:14

Friday Tale - Serve Now Please I hoped that with the brave and strong my portioned task might lie; to toil among the busy throng with purpose pure and high; but God has fixed another part, and He has fixed it well: I said so with my breaking heart when first this trouble fell. These weary hours will not be lost these days of misery, these nights of darkness, tempest-tost, can I but turn to Thee; with secret labor to sustain in patience every blow, to gather fortitude from pain, and holiness from woe. If Thou would be with me through the night, humbler I should be, wiser, more strengthened for the fight, more apt to lean on Thee. Should death be standing at the gate, I’ll not fear, I’ll keep my vow. But Lord! Whatever be my fate, Oh, let me serve Thee now. ~ Anne Bronte (modified) T he Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, BUT the Lord delivers him

I f you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished? ~ C. S. Lewis S o we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

G etting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. ~ C. S. Lewis L ook to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ Hebrews 12:2

D on't worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try. ~ Jack Canfield   W alk as children of light, and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ~ Ephesians 5:8, 10

C orrection does much, BUT encouragement does more. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe D o not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. ~ 1 Timothy 5:1-2

W hat draws people to be friends  is that they see the same Truth.  They share it. ~ C. S. Lewis F or I rejoiced greatly when the brothers  came and testified to your Truth, as indeed you are walking in The Truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in The Truth. ~ 2 Timothy 2:24

I n the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit. ~ Anne Frank T he Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind and gentle to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil. ~ 2 Timothy 2:24

R aise your word, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder. ~ Rumi M ake your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding, call out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding. ... ~ Proverbs 2:2-3

T he Truth is humbling, terrifying, and often exhilarating. It blows the doors off the hinges and fills the world with fresh air. ~ Augusten Burroughs S o Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him,  "If you abide in   my word,  you are truly my disciples, and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." ~ John 8:31-32

If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it. ~ Marcus Aurelius     H ear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth. ~ Proverbs 8:6-7

Friday Tale: Find Happiness A group of 50 delegates were attending a seminar on personal development when the speaker said it was time to do a group activity. He started by giving each of the delegates a white balloon and everyone was asked to write his or her name on it using a black marking pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room. The 50 delegates were let into that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written within 3 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with each other, pushing around others and there was utter chaos. At the end of 3 minutes no one could find their own balloon. THEN each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon. The speaker then spoke with the 50 delegates . . . 'The exact same thing is happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happines

B e just as concerned with your character as your reputation. ~ John Wooden   D o not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals". ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33

B eing defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent. ~ Marilyn vos Savant     A nd let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ~ Galatians 6:9

I t is not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ~ Roy Disney     F ollow the pattern of the sound words you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ~ 2 Timothy 1:13

H appiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting some on yourself. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson B ut may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation say continually, "Great is the Lord!". ~ Psalm 40:16

Friday Tale - the Tongue "T he boneless tongue so small and weak can crush and kill," declared the Greek. "The tongue destroys a greater horde," The Turk asserts, "than does the sword." The Persian proverb wisely saith "A lengthy tongue, an early death." Or sometimes takes this form instead, "Don't let your tongue cut off your head." "The tongue can speak a word, whose speed," Says the Chinese, "Outstrips the steed." While Arab sages this impart,  "The tongue's great storehouse is the heart." From the Hebrew with the maxim sprung, "Though feet should slip, ne'er let the tongue." The sacred writer crowns the whole, "Who keeps his tongue, doth keep his soul." Prov.22:5   ~ From: Gems of Truth in Simple Settings T he tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the tongu