Spiritual Thoughts

H ow far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world. ~ William Shakespeare   L et your light shine before me in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:16

M ay a thread of comfort be woven through your difficult days. ~ Mary Anne Radmacher   O may Your lovingkindness comfort me, according to Your word to Your servant. May Your compassion come to me that I may live, for Your law is my delight. ~ Psalm 119:76-77

  Friday Tale - Bank Account   A 92 year old well-poised, slim and smiling man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, is being moved to a nursing home today.   His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.   "I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."   "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it'...

  F aith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark. ~ Rabindranath Tagore   J esus said to him, " ' If you can?' All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out, "I do believe; help my unbelief." ~ Mark 9:23-24

I choose to live a live of gratitude and joy, inspiring others to follow my example. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   L et the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called, and be thankful. ~ Colossians 3:17  

  B e sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. ~ Abraham Lincoln L et us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ~ Hebrews 10:23

  I t is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. ~ Robert H. Goddard W hy are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? HOPE in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. ~ Psalm 42:5

Friday Tale - The Smiling Game   It has been said that a smile is the lighting system of the face, the cooling system of the head and the heating system of the heart. But a smile is also a powerful weapon against toxic attitudes of all kinds.      Lisa Gurnsey, of Portland, Oregon, wrote to me about a man whose smile quite literally changed her life: "I was having a horrible day -- hating my job, tired of the weather, tired of trying to keep up on bills, and just completely stressed out. I stopped at the post office in the morning and, as I was entering, an older business man commented to me that it was going to be a good day and life shouldn't be as bad as I make it look. I glared at him and simply said, 'I wish it was Friday.’ "I felt better about my day when I left the post office...that man's smile and comment, although irritating at first, made me think. "The second time I ran into the man I went out of my way to say 'Happy Friday' to hi...

  W hen you feel the need to hurry, remember that everything in life is a CHOICE. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   W ho is the one who fears the LORD? The LORD will instruct him in the way he should choose. ~ Psalm 25:12

  C alm provides clarity. Pause to consider the gifts you have been given, the difference you have made, and the direction in which you are headed. ~ Anonymous T he steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. ~ Isaiah 26:3

  A person's got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter what his job. ~ John Wayne   O nly God can save me, and I calmly wait for Him. ~ Psalm 62:1

O ne of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go  slow to go fast . I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day, BUT if we do each thing calmly and carefully we will get it done quicker and with much less stress. ~ Viggo Mortensen   A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body. ~ Proverbs 14:30 [Amplified]   

  Friday Tale - The Journey is too Short   A n elderly woman got on a bus and sat down. At the next stop, a strong, grumpy young woman climbed up and sat down beside the old woman, hitting her with her numerous bags.     When she saw that the elderly woman remained silent, the young woman asked her why she had not complained when she hit her with her bags?     The elderly woman replied with a Smile: "There is no need to be rude or discuss something so insignificant, as my trip next to you is so short , because I am going to get off at the next stop."      This answer deserves to be written in gold letters: "There is no need to discuss something so insignificant, because our journey together is too short."     Each of us must understand that our time in this world is so short, that darkening it with useless arguments, jealousy, not forgiving others, discontentment and bad attitudes ...

Y our RESPONSE to any situation is your own RESPONSibility. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   T he refining pot is for silver and the furnace is for gold [to separate the impurities of the metal], and each is tested by the praise given to him [and his response to it, whether humble or proud]. ~ Proverbs 27:21 [Amplified]

F riendship is a shelter for the strongest storms in life. ~ Unknown   T he friendship of the LORD is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His promise. ~ Psalm 25:14

  F lowers sometimes have to make it through a lot of dirt before they find the sun. ~ Unknown   T he wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. They shall see the glory of the LORD; the majesty of our God. ~ Isaiah 35:1-12

  H ope is not a fragile wish or a dream that fades with time - it's an anchor of the soul, held secure by the unchangeable promises of God. ~ Unknown   W e who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. ~ Hebrews 6:18-19

  Friday Tale - Just Shake the Dirt off your Back   One morning a cactus farmer down in Baja California noticed his faithful old donkey had wandered off. It was very unusual for the donkey not to show up for breakfast. So, after feeding the chickens, the farmer went out to see what had happened to his old friend. As he went out across the field, he thought he heard the donkey braying. However, it sounded as though it was coming from very, very far away.     The farmer went to the source of the sound, and fell to his knees in dismay. His beloved old donkey had fallen through some rotten boards down into a long-abandoned well shaft.     The donkey cried out to him desperately. But it seemed clear there would be no way to get him out of the deep well shaft.     Finally, the farmer sadly decided that the old donkey was truly beyond saving. In addition, certainly the well shaft needed to be filled, for the safety ...

  F aith is not belief. Belief is passive. Faith is active. ~ Edith Hamilton   E ven so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. ~ James 2:17

  F aith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right. ~ Max Lucado   F or I proclaim the name of the LORD; Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. ~ Deuteronomy 32:3-4

  E very tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. ~ Henry Ward Beecher   J esus said,  "All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." ~ Mark 9:23-24

F aith is taking the  first step even when you do not see  the whole staircase. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.   BUT the righteous shall   live by his faith. ~ Habakkuk 2:4