Spiritual Thoughts

  I t's not about being the best right  away. It's about being better than  you were yesterday, one day at a time. ~ Anonymous G od gave us gifts for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:12

  S ometimes life touches one person with a bouquet and another with a thorn bush, BUT the first may find a wasp in the flowers, and the second may discover roses among the thorns. ~ Unknown   T hey strengthened the disciples, encouraging them to continue in he faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God." ~ Acts 14:22

  I f you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. ~ J. K. Rowling   D o not let your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus, the Messiah, be tainted with favoritism. ~ James 2:1

  A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extra-ordinary results. ~ Wade Boggs   D evote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. ~ Colossians 4:2

  Friday Tale - The Master Carpenter   Two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch.   Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding, and it grew into a major difference. Finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox.   "I'm looking for a few days’ work", he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"   "Yes", said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it's my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us....

  I t is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. ~ Aristotle Onassis   T he people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. ~ Isaiah 9:2

  O ver every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley. ~ Theodore Roethke   T rust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

  B y compassion we make others' misery our own, and so, by relieving them, we relieve ourselves also. ~ Thomas Browne   BUT a Samaritan who was on a journey, came upon the beaten man, and when he saw him, he  felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ~ Luke 10:33-34

  I n reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves. ~ Harry S. Truman   H e who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. ~ Proverbs 16:32

Friday Tale - Little Things   A s you might remember, 9/11 - some survived .... because... * As you might remember, the head of a company he took his son to kindergarten first. * Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts. *One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time. * One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident. * One of them missed his bus. * One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change. * One's car wouldn't start. * One couldn't get a taxi.   The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work, BUT before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today. Now when I am Stuck in traffic, Miss an elevator, Turn back to answer a ringing telephone... All the little things that annoy me. I think to myself, This is exactly where God ...

  W hen you give yourself, you receive more than you give. ~ Antoine De Saint-Exupery   W e give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, constantly remembering your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

  W e make our living by what we get. We make our life by what we give. ~ Benjamin E. Mays T he King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even to the least of them, you did it to Me." ~ Matthew 25:40

  Y ou only have what you give. It's by spending yourself that you become rich. ~ Isabel Allende B UT when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ~ Matthew 6:3-4

  G iving is true having. ~ C. H. Spurgeon   D o not return evil for evil, or  insult for insult,  BUT give a  blessing instead; for you were  called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. ~ 1 Peter 3:9

  Friday Tale - A Lesson in Heart   A lesson in “heart” is from my little 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she had competed in “field day” – that’s where they have lots of races and other competitive events.     Because of her leg support, my mind raced as I tried to think of words of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her about not letting this get her down – things I have heard many famous coaches tell the players when they were faced with defeat – but before I could get a word out, she looked up and said, “Daddy, I won two of the races!”     I couldn’t believe it! And then Sarah said, “I had an advantage.” Ahh, I knew it. I thought she must have been given a head start…some kind of physical advantage. But again, before I could say anything, she said, “Daddy, I didn’t get a head start…m...

  V ision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others. ~ Jonathan Swift   T herefore we do not lost heart, BUT thought our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. We look not at the things which are seen, BUT at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporary, BUT the things which are not seen are eternal. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

  A n optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion, but still enjoys the scenery. ~ Walter Winchell   C onsider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ~ James 1:2-3

J ust because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision. ~ Stevie Wonder   N ow faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen. ~ Hebrews 11:1

  N ot seeing results? Feel like giving up? Consider this: the last thing to grow on a fruit tree ..... is the fruit. ~ Author Unknown   F or still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. ~ Habakkuk 2:3 (ESV)

  Friday Tale -  Seeing What Life Brings.   Y ou've heard it said that what you see is what you get. But what I’ve discovered is that it’s not what you see, but what you think you see , that determines what you get.      In the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” Dr. Paul Ruskin demonstrated how our perception of reality (not actually what is going on, but how we perceive it) determines how we feel about it. While teaching a class on the psychological aspects of aging, he read the following case to his students:      “The patient neither speaks nor comprehends the spoken word. Sometimes she babbles incoherently for hours on end. She is disoriented about person, place, and time. She does, however, respond to her name. I have worked with her for the past six months, but she still shows complete disregard for her physical appearance and makes no effort to assist her own care. She must be fed, bathed, and cl...

  M ay the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand. ~ Irish Blessing   T he LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on your, and be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace. ~ Numbers 6:24-26 

I get up every morning and it's going to be a great day. You never know when it's over, so I refuse to have a bad day. ~ Paul Henderson   N ear is the great day of the LORD, near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! ~ Zephaniah 1:14