Spiritual Thoughts

  Friday Tale ~ When the Chips are Down N ot too long ago I had "one of those days." I was feeling pressure from a writing deadline. I had company arriving in a couple days and the toilet was clogged. I went to the bank, and the trainee teller processing my deposit had to start over three times. I swung by the supermarket to pick up a few things and the lines were serpentine. By the time I got home, I was frazzled and sweaty and in a hurry to get something on the table for dinner. Deciding on Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, I grabbed a can opener, cranked open the can, then remembered I had forgotten to buy milk at the store. Nix the soup idea. Setting the can aside, I went to plan B, which was leftover baked beans. I grabbed a Tupperware from the fridge, popped the seal, took a look, and groaned. My husband isn't a picky eater, but even HE won't eat baked beans that look like caterpillars. Really frustrated now, I decided on a menu that promised to be as fool...

  W e will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~ Edit Lovejoy Pierce 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 straight your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

  F.E.A.R.  has two meanings: "Forget Everything And Run" or "Face Everything and Rise." The choice is yours. ~ Zig Ziglar I n God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? ~ Psalm 56:10-11

  Friday Tale - Live Your Life Like: {1}    Once all villagers decided to pray for rain. On the day of prayer all the people gathered,   BUT only one boy came with an umbrella.  That's FAITH.   {2}     When you throw babies in the air,          they laugh because they know you will catch them.  That's TRUST.   {3}    Every night we go to bed without any assurance of being alive the next morning, but still we set the alarms to wake up.  That's HOPE.   {4}    We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.  That's CONFIDENCE.   {5}    We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children.  That's LOVE.   {6}    On an old man’s shirt was written a sentence:          '...

Y ou cannot change the past, BUT you can ruin the present by worrying about the future.  ~ Anonymous   I n God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? ~ Psalm 56:4 (quoted in Hebrews13:6)

  D o not give up Hope.  No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. Be patient and it will happen!  ~ Unknown   N ow May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in Hope. ~ Romans 15:13

I am learning to trust the journey even when I do not understand it .  ~ Mila   I know, LORD, that your judgments are right, and that you have tested me in faithfulness. ~ Psalm 119:75

  D o what you can, and do it well. Accept the rest with equanimity, and trust in God. No one can ever do more than that .  ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   W hatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. ~ Colossians 3:23-24

H ealing does not mean going back to the way things were before, BUT rather allowing what is now to move us closer to God. ~ Ram Dass   T rust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones. ~ Proverbs 3:5, 8

M y unknown future is in the hands of the all-knowing and all powerful God. ~ Unknown   T he LORD is for me, I will not fear. What can man do to me? It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people. ~ Psalm 118:6, 8

D o what you can and do it well. Accept the rest with calmness, and trust in God. No one can ever do more than that. ~ Jonathan L. Huie   W henever I am afraid, I trust in You. ~ Psalm 58:3

L oyalty is a decision, a resolution of the soul. ~ Pascal Mercier   W hoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. ~ Luke 16:10

  I nstructions for living a life: Pay Attention. Be Astonished. Tell about it. Have Faith. Be Hopeful. ~ Mary Oliver (amended)   H e who gives attention to the Word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. ~ Proverbs 16:20 

  Y ou have to decide if you are going to wilt like a daisy or if you are just going to go forward and live the life you have been granted. ~ Kevin Costner   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

T rust in the Light. Observe that when a light is brought to a dark place, the darkness disappears. Open yourself to the Light! Hold back nothing, Trust in the Light. ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie   T he LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strong hold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? ~ Psalm 27:1

A nyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either. ~ Albert Einstein   H is master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been trustworthy with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters' happiness!' ~ Matthew 25:23

D o what you can and do it well.  Accept the rest with calmness, and trust in God. No one can ever do more than than. ~ Theodore Roosevelt   O my God, in You I trust, do not let me be ashamed, do not let my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed. ~ Psalm 25:2-3

  Friday Tale - Rules From God   1. Wake Up !! Decide to have a good day. Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it . ~ Psalms 118:24   2. Dress Up !! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.   The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; BUT the Lord looks at the heart . ~ I Samuel 16:7 3. Shut Up!! Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. He who guards his lips guards his soul . ~ Proverbs 13:3   4. Stand Up!!... For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good. .. ~ Galatians 6:9-10   5. Look Up !!... To the Lord. Set your hearts ...

T he greatest blessing and joy of prayer is not necessarily receiving an answer, BUT rather in being and becoming the type of person God can trust with the answer. ~ Unknown T he LORD protects His people, and they can come to Him in times of trouble. the LORD helps them and saves them from the wicked BECAUSE they run to Him. ~ Psalm 37:39-40

  F riday Tale - Unfold the Rose   A  young, new believer in Christ was walking with an older, more seasoned believer in the garden one day. Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was asking the older believer for some advice. The older believer walked up to a rose bush and handed the young believer a rosebud, and told him to open it without tearing any of the petals. The young believer looked in disbelief at the older believer and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry. But, because of his great respect for the older believer, he proceeded to try and unfold the rosebud while keeping every petal intact. It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do. Noticing the young believer's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it, the older believer began to recite the following poem:   It is only a tiny rosebud...