Spiritual Thoughts

Friday Tale ~ The Oak Tree A mighty wind blew night and day. It stole the oak tree’s leaves away, Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark Until the oak was tired and stark. But still the oak tree held its ground While other trees fell all around. The weary wind gave up and spoke “How can you still be standing Oak?” The oak tree said, “I know that you Can break each branch of mine in two, Carry every leaf away, Shake my limbs, and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth, Growing stronger since my birth. You’ll never touch them, for you see They are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn’t sure Of just much I could endure. But now I’ve found, with thanks to you, I’m stronger than I ever knew. ~ John Ryder That the Father would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened.... in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love.... to know the love of Christ ~ Ephesians 5:10-...

Words should be weighed and not counted. ~ Yiddish proverb The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, BUT the mouth of the upright will deliver them. A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words. ~ Proverbs 12:6, 14

The difficulty, my friends, is not in avoiding death, BUT in avoiding unrighteousness, for that runs faster than death. ~ Socrates Try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, BUT instead expose them. ~ Ephesians 5:10-11

If you don't climb the mountain, you can't see the view. ~ Bits & Pieces Many people shall come and say: "come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, so that He may teach us His ways and so that we may walk in His paths." ~ Isaiah 2:3

No medicine is more valuable, none more efficacious, none better suited to the cure of all our temporal ills than a friend to whom we may turn for consolation in time of trouble, and with whom we may share our happiness in time of joy. ~ Ailred of Rivaulx For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend, so that he does not forsake the respect of the Almighty. ~ Job 6:14

Thought for the Day 8/7/2026 Friday Tale - God Will Not Ask Me God is not going to ask me how much I made. He will ask me how much I gave. God will not ask me about the size of my house. He will ask me did I invite Him in. God will not ask me about the elegance of the neighborhood. He will ask me how I treated my neighbor. God will not ask me what kind of car I drove. He will ask me did I give those with no car a ride. God will not ask me about the beauty of my wife. He will ask me did I treat her with love. God will not ask me about the style of my clothes. He will ask me did I help clothe others. God will not ask me the size of my bank account. He will ask me how much is in my heavenly account. God will not ask me how many children I fathered. He will ask me if I was a good father to my children. God will not ask me did I achieve fame. He will ask me about my reputation. God will not ask me if I traveled the world. He will ask me did I improve the world. God will not ask me about the...

Thought for the Day 8/6/2026 Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. ~ Oprah Winfrey As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, having been firmly rooted and now built up in Him..... overflowing with gratitude. ~ Colossians 3:6-7

Thought for the Day 8/5/2026 We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right. ~ Marianne Williamson Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ~ Colossians 3:1-2

  A wise man will make haste to forgive, because he knows the true value of time, and will not suffer it to pass away in unnecessary pain. ~ Samuel Johnson S o teach us to number our days, so that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. ~ Psalm 90:12

  S omtimes your joy is the source of your smile, BUT sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy . ~ Thich Nhat Hanh A joyful heart is good medicine. ~ Proverbs 17:22

  Friday Tale - Love's Response H e stood there in his soggy, smelly diaper -  a helpless creature  reaching up to his father.   I marveled that anyone could love this  runny-nosed, candy-smeared,  tear-streaked being  enough to lift him up,  kiss him, and care for his needs.   I heard Your whisper, Lord.  And I remembered  how I came to You --  heartbroken and dirty  from playing in the world.   Thank You, Father,  for picking me up  and loving me  through my unloveliness. . ~ Kitty Chappell L et me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. ~ Psalm 143:8

  L ack of opportunity is often nothing more than lack of purpose or direction . ~ Bits & Pieces L et us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people. ~ Galatians 6:9-10

  T he only thing of value we can give kids is what we are, not what we have . ~ Leo Buscaglia A ssemble the people, the men and the women and children and the foreigner who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. ~ Deuteronomy 31:12

  B eauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart . ~ Khalil Gibran F or you were formerly darknesss BUT now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light for the fruit of the Light  consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. ~ Ephesians 5:8-9

  P erseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another . ~ Walter Elliott T herefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus.    ~ Hebrews 12:1

  Friday Tale ~ Choices M ichael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or . . . you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or . . . I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept t...

  T here are really only two ways to approach life - as a victim or as a gallant fighter.  You must decide if you want to act or react, deal your own cards, or play with a stacked deck. And if you don't decide which way to play with life, it always plays with you . ~ Merle Shain F inally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the false accuser.    ~ Ephesians 6:10-11

  N o sense in being pessimistic. It wouldn't work anyway. ~ from Bits & Pieces H ave the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all ~ yes, looking to the promises of God, he wavered not through unbelief, BUT waxed strong by faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.    ~ Romans 4:16, 20-21

  H e who is content with little has everything. Why not learn to enjoy the little things - there are so many of them. ~ from Bits & Pieces B ut Godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.    ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-8

   O nly those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. ~ T. S. Eliot B ut the Lord said to him, "Go for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel . [speaking of Paul]    ~ Acts 9:15