Spiritual Thoughts

  Friday Tale ~ Bring Chips A  little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with a bag of potato chips and a six-pack of root beer and started his journey.  When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old man. He was sitting in the park, just staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the old man looked hungry, so he offered him some chips. He gratefully accepted it and smiled at him.  His smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer. Again, he smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.  As twilight approached, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave; but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old man, and gave him a hug. He gave him...

I still miss those I loved who are no longer with me BUT I find I am graeful for having loved them. The gratitude is conquering the loss. ~ Rita Mae Brown Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, the Father. ~ Ephesians 5:20

  C ultivate the habit of being  grateful  for every good thing that comes to you, and to  give thanks  continuously. And because all things have contributed to your growth, you should include all things in your  gratitude . ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson I n everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

  L ook at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first time or the last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory. ~ Betty Smith B e  strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;  joyously giving thanks to the Father,  who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light . ~ Colossians 1:11-12

  G ratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance,  chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and  creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie Let  the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful . ~ Colossians 3:15

Friday Tale - Joy from Heartbreak   C onsumed by my loss, I didn't notice the hardness of the pew where I sat. I was at the funeral of my dearest friend - my mother. She finally had lost her long battle with cancer. The hurt was so intense; I found it hard to breathe at times. Always supportive, Mother clapped loudest at my school plays, held a box of tissues while listening to my first heartbreak, comforted me at my father's death, encouraged me in college, and prayed for me my entire life. When mother's illness was diagnosed, my sister had a new baby and my brother had recently married his childhood sweetheart, so it fell on me, the 27-year-old middle female child without entanglements, to take care of her. I counted it an honor. “What now, Lord?” I asked sitting in church. My life stretched out before me as an empty abyss. My brother sat stoically with his face toward the cross while clutching his wife's hand. My sister sat slumped against her husband's shoulder,...

  S ometimes our light goes out  BUT  is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light. ~ Albert Schweitzer For you were formerly darkness,  BUT  now   you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light . ~ Ephesians 5:8

  W hen you feel the need to hurry, remember that everything in life   is a CHOICE. ~ Jonathan L. Huie As for you, be calm and cool and steady, accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship,    do the work of a preacher of the gospel, fully perform all the duties of your ministry. ~ 2 Timothy 4:5 (Amplfied)

D o you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? Didn't you wast a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn't most of them turn out all right after all? ~ Dale Carnegie T herefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,  so that  He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him,  because He cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7

  A lways give without rembembering and always receive without forgetting. ~ Brian Tracy O ne who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed. ~ Psalm 19:17

  Friday Tale ~ Do I Have Enough? I  was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping in a toy store and decided to look at Barbie dolls for my nieces. A nicely dressed little girl was excitedly looking through the Barbie dolls as well, a roll of money clamped tightly in her little hand.   When she came upon a Barbie she liked, she would turn and ask her father If she had enough money to buy it. He usually would say, "Yes," but she would keep looking and kept going through their ritual of "Do I have enough?"   As she was looking, a little boy wandered in across the aisle and started sorting through the Pokemon toys. He was dressed neatly, but in clothes that were obviously rather worn, and wearing a jacket that was probably a couple of sizes too small. He, too, had money in his hand, but it looked like it was no more than five dollars or so, at the most. He was with his father as well, and kept picking up the Pokemon video toys. Each time he picked one up and looked at...

  M y problem is I say what  I am thinking before I think  what I am saying. ~ Laurence J. Peter H e who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his life from troubles. ~ Proverbs 21:23