1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost.

ISN’T  IT GREAT TO  KNOW WHO  IS STILL  IN  CONTROL?

(Amen!)

I dreamed I died one night.
Could not even wake up in fright.
Smelling sulfur and brimstone there.
No one had clothes on, not even underwear.
Went to heaven on a light beam.
It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen.
Looking at faces in such surprise.
These were people I had despised.
We all laughed together then cried.
I loved them so finally what I became was wise.

This past Tuesday I took the day off from work to take Michael to the doctor and take care of some other personal business of my own.  While waiting for Michael’s appointment to arrive I decided to mow the lawn.  When Tom and I moved into our house a little over a year and a half ago I noticed immediately that there were no flowers on the property just a lot of shrubs, bushes and trees.  After mowing the back lawn I naturally mowed the front lawn and then proceeded to take the mower to the back yard again to put it away.  As I approached my back yard I noticed a single beautiful white lilly plant growing along the back fence.  I knew immediately it was a sign.  I put the mower away and ran upstairs to my computer.  I googled “white lillies” and there it was.  White lillies are a sign of hope and life.  Wow, God is good.

So I send to you today white lillies.

Carol Barrett

“Dad”, Lucas said as he settled into his seat at the dinner table, with a serious look about him, “can we talk?”

I felt a twinge of anxiety. Things have been challenging lately; we were forced to move him to a new preschool due to his old one closing, and we’ve been dealing with an increased need for attention, manifesting itself in the form of tantrums and whining. It’s hard to be four when you have a baby sister and a whole new school. Earlier in the day, he had run off and had received a stern lecture about Evil Strangers Who Snatch Little Boys Who Don’t Stick With Their Parents. Gave him a good scare…maybe too good? Yep, he’s reaching that age when worry starts to set in, when kids become aware of the bad and sad in the world. I looked into his eyes, and saw a timeless question written there, and felt the urge to give him a big hug and tell him that everything was going to be ok.

“Sure”, I said.

He paused to gather his thoughts. “Dad, do bears play football?”

From http://www.dadcentric.com/2008/06/gravitas.html

Robin Ferguson

What created what is.

What lies without …
What lies in the serenity of a morning
hike through the forest, along side a
mountain stream, slowly and steadily
cascading a bed of mountain stone.
What is mighty and majestic as
the roar and tumble of the ocean’s
tide at storm.
What is as gentle as the touch of the gardener,
tending the rose.

What is …

Gentle, Calm, Mighty,
and Majestic from the depths of my soul
to the world around me…

God is All-Surrounding.

Magnificent, Unfathomable, Astonishing…
His vastness is beyond comprehension…
His mercy unceasing …
His love…undying.

Robin M. Ferguson

Robin Ferguson

The mind has a thousand eyes,
        And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
        When love is done.
                - Francis William Bourdillon

If I were a poet,
I would write a sonnet.
It would say “I love you.”
Your name would be upon it.
If I were a farmer,
I’d give you a bunny.
If I had a beehive,
You would get free honey.
Fa la la (many times)

If I were a baker,
You could have a cruller
If I were a painter,
Choose your favorite color.
If I had some diamonds,
I’d give you a few,
Anything to show you
How much I love you.
Fa la la, etc.

Did you guess my secret?
I am not a poet.
Couldn’t write a sonnet,
And I think you know it.
I am not a farmer,
Can’t give you a bunny.
I don’t have a beehive,
Sorry ’bout the honey.
Fa la la, etc.

I am not a baker,
Don’t know bread from batter.
And I am not a painter,
And it doesn’t matter.
I don’t need a present,
All I have to do
Is look at you to show you
How much I love you.
Fa la la, etc.

Please check out the trailer for this movie. I think it will open many people’s eyes to the persecutions that are now being brought to bear on reasonable scientists asking legitamate questions. We must get the word out about this movie so that we can once again have a voice in the debate on these issues.

See the Trailer at www.youtube.com/getexpelled
Visit the website at www.GetExpelled.com

You have been there since day one,
Helping me see what’s right and wrong.
You guide me with your love so strong,
Careing and shareing is what you have done.
You taught me to love,
You taught me to fight.
Always kissing me goodnoght.
I love you with out any regret.
I know I can turn to you.
You know what to say.
You know how to make me smile,
You don’t really een have to try.
You never let me worry,
Because I know your on my side.
You let me do what I want,
Yet I still have limits.
I know you say things for the best,
Thats why I love you so much.
I thank you with all my heart,
I never want us to grow apart.
Through all these years,
I know we’ll stick together,
Because you’re my mom,
And you care.

Used with Permission

Going to Dad and Nelda’s is a heart warming experience. The drive is short
but it takes you oput of one world into another. The closer I get to their world a
different kind of peace overcomes me, just to know that I will be greeted by loved
ones with open arms and hearts full brimming over with a joy and gladness I can find
no where else.

In Dad and Nelda’s world I only have to step out onto the porch to hear the day awaken. The birds welcome the morning rejoicing in their song as the squirrels busily scamper about shopping for their breakfast.

As I sit listening to nature bring in the day, I feel a warm feeling come over me like I have never felt before. I think it to be this place- but it seems stronger than that. Maybe it’s the love I hear echoing through the trees - but again no, maybe the cointentment I see in Dad and Nelda’s eyes, but alas I’m mistaken.

Could it be the spirit of new beginnings as the woodpecker pounds away at his potentially
new home, or the freshness of each pedal on the flowers as they open up to reach to
the sun for their morning devotions?

What is this warm feeling that has come over me? Is it the angelic brush of the wind as the humming birds flutter by partaking of the gift of nectar that has so generously been
provided? Or maybe it’s the gentle waves lapping at the shore rocking in calmness
to sooth the busy thoughts and ease the frazzled nerves?

Once more I ask, what is this wonderful warm feeling? I look down and see….

Oh! I see…. It’s the hot coffee running down my leg!

Used with Permission

God I come to you,
Because I’m confused,

I hear people talk about being saved,
I’m not sure I am, and that makes me blue,

The things I do during the day,
I always do wrong, but I always pray,

I live my life and go on through the day,
Not knowing if I live the Christian way.

I think I’m saved but not reassured
But I know I love you and that’s for sure

I know I need you,
I know I want you,
I know you love me,
I know I love you,
But I don’t know if I’m being true,

Is there a place for me somewhere up there?
Even though I live in despair?

Even when I live in sin do you really still care?
Even if I never look at my neighbor and speak your name
Because of how I live, I feel ashamed.

Teach me your ways oh Lord,
I want to live in your will,

I don’t know where to begin or
Even how it will end.

I feel like a lost child who doesn’t know
right from wrong.

So I just live my life every day,
Eat, work, sleep and then I pray,

But is that all I have to do?
Am I really pleasing you?

As I see other people living and praising you,
Doing for others and showing them you,

I get so scared because I don’t know what to do,
How to live like that, How to live for you.

I clasp my heart
My eyes run dry
Now there’s nothing left to cry

The pain is killing me so much now
I never got to say good-bye

I didn’t always want you
I didn’t show my love
But now you’re gone, I want you
To bury me in love

The glorious days you lived on earth
God will be ever so proud
And now I know you’ll be with him -
You stood out from the crowd

Goodbye Grandmom, I’ll miss you
But keep watch over me
And I, your little angel
Forever in debt will be

For Mary Greenlee - I love you forever!

Used with Permission

I’m not a gifted writer nor am I very old in my Christian years, but I have
recently become a witness to the existence of guardian angels and I really feel the
need to share it.
Back in March 2003, I was driving my younger sister and I home from our weekly dance
class. It was about 10pm and we were taking our usual mundane route home on the JFK
highway, exiting Omaha into Bellevue, Nebraska. Instead of driving along the left
hand lane (or passing lane) as we professedly do, we decided to cruise along the
right lane. My sister had the radio turned down low to a mellow sounding song and
the smoothness of the road caused us both to zone out a bit. As far as I could tell,
there were no other cars in sight which I thought was a little strange, but the
thought didn’t extend more than that. Suddenly, I thought I saw this very large
object go WHOOSH past my window coming from the opposite direction. It appeared to
be the front end of semi truck. The sound startled me a bit and I began to wonder
why another vehicle would be on the wrong side of the road. I glanced over to the
other side of the highway where there was a large grassy median dividing the two
sides. I dismissed the silly notion and thought that I was losing my mind from
sleepiness. About a moment later, I found myself suddenly swerving and dodging many
other cars that had come to a halt or were trying to pull off the road. I remember
driving over a lot of dirt that had been in the outline of very large tire tracks
and seeing smaller cars like mine collided in the median. Our hearts throbbing, we
immediately started thanking God for spearing our lives. If that noise hadn’t jerked
me out my daze, my sister and I could have added to the collision. Also, it was a
miracle that I had decided to drive in the other lane that night, otherwise we would
have crashed head on with that truck and I don’t believe a metro would have survived
it. So praise Jesus and the guardian angel he sent to protect us. I’m a definite
believer!

Used with Permission

You’ve been by my side, all through my life
You’ve been there for the good times, but especially the times of strife
I cursed you and cried many days as a child
I didn’t understand, you were there all the while
Why did it take so long for me to finally see
If I only knew you were there with your healing hand above me
I can see it now in the way i came through
but so many others are buried or lost in the guilt and shame of it too
You are the only true healer, the one who cleans up the mess
Help them dear Jesus, show them that in your arms………
they can rest

Used with Permission

You close my eyes
And ask me then
Why am I doing this again?
Not understanding anything you
Insist it will be clear to me.
Maybe not this minute or this hour
Or before the sun shines upon the
flowers,
But it will be clear to us, it will
be clear to us.

You lift my eyes above my head
To show me exactly what you’ve
said
That below the earth lays but one
seed
But black is the moment that so
tightly binds me
Not understanding anthing you
Insist it will be clear to me.
Maybe not this minute or this hour
Or before the sun shines upon the
flowers,
But it will be clear to us, it will
be clear to us.

Upon my head rain does pound
As murmurs from lips unbound;
Express my heed to see
If I will rise up from the seed
And my heart and mind will
both be pleased
While my strength and body has
been pushed beyond extreme.
Yet it will be clear to us.

As I get old, I’ll not regret
the things that I have done,
for beauty rests within the moon
not only in the sun.
Through youthful eyes so much to see,
excitement lay ahead.
Now with time a distant look
bespectacled, more read.

Now I know what does endure,
no length or breadth exists,
it takes the heart full time allowed
to see how youth persists.

As time goes by,
a knowing smile,
though creaky to the bone,
a paradox as old I get,
This spirit has found youthful home.

Therese in Canada

It was the night before Christmas and all thru the land
people were traveling to their home land.

The Inns were full of travelers you know
And a young couple was searching for someplace to go.

She was heavy with child and found permission to rest
in a small stable, not considered the best.

It had a manger and hay, not much more,
Just a few animals and a dirt floor.

In the same country abiding in the field
Shepherds were tending their sheep as they will.

The stars up above were shining up high,
One in particular was lighting the sky.

All of a sudden there appeared in the sky
An angel of God with a message from high.

The angel announced don’t be afraid I bring you good tidings
For all people today.

A Saviour is born to you this day
Which is Christ the Lord, he had to say.

In the city of David wrapped in old clothes lying in manger is the
sign you should know.

And all of a sudden there was singing in the air
a multitude of angels singing with care.

Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And when they were gone, the shepherds agreed
that they would travel to Bethleham immediately.

When they arrived they found the sign.
Mary, Joseph and the babe.
He was lying in the manger, just as the angel proclaimed.

They told the parents that they were told
of this Holy child that she now holds.

Mary was thinking of the things that they said
then they returned and bowed their heads

They praised and prayed
and glorified him and for all the things the angel had said

Eight days later when it was time
The small child JESUS was named.

Remember the star that lighted the sky
that special night, the angels came by .

From even that time, from really afar,
there had been three kings following that star.

It had taken much time to follow the star but they
rejoiced with great joy when they saw what they saw.

A mother named Mary with a child that they saw
they fell to the floor and worshipped with awe.

They brought him gifts of Myrrh, frankincense and gold
very pricey items I am told.

Over two thousand years have passed since then
When Jesus was a child born not of sin.

He came and he lived and died for us
God almighty really loves us.

He will be back very soon indeed
To gather his bride for a wedding feast.

Christmas will continue forever indeed
So give your gifts in His memory.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night
may you’re life be filled with His joy and His light.

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I’m just another cook.

If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.

Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.

Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

Visit her website at www.tajci.net to hear more.

Please pass this video on to your friends at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoQHOVityDQ

Sure, you like new ideas in principle, but let’s get real. Suppose everyone in corporate America started spewing forth ideas on how to make things better. Before long, you would be drowning in a sea of suggestions, made by employees who aren’t nearly as smart as you—otherwise, they’d have your job (and don’t think for a minute that they don’t want it; in fact, that’s why they’re making all these silly suggestions in the first place).

What to do? Here are 20 ways to kill ideas before they kill you.

1. You’re probably wondering why I brainstormed this list, since brainstorming is the antithesis of everything this list stands for. You may also be wondering:
· Why 20 ways to kill ideas; why not just one or two?
· Why kill ideas; isn’t that a tad violent?
· Why kill ideas; why not a list of 20 ways to kill something really pesky, such as rodents?
Good for you. You’ve already mastered the first way to kill ideas: Ask the person with the idea a lot of questions…preferably stupid ones.
(I know I didn’t answer your questions yet, but that’s what happens when you start brainstorming.)

2. Here’s another thing that happens when you start brainstorming: People talk without really saying anything and you end up with a list that isn’t really a list.

3. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that the original meaning of “brainstorm” in 1894 was, according to Webster’s, “a violent fit of insanity.” On the other hand, the word also meant “a bright idea.”
That’s the problem with creative techniques such as brainstorming—one person’s bright idea is another person’s violent fit of insanity.)
If someone says, “Let’s brainstorm!” he or she should be fired on the spot.

4. Or shot.

5. Don’t take this seriously. Don’t take any idea seriously. When someone presents an idea, you should laugh your head off. Just make it clear that you’re not laughing at what the person said; you’re laughing at the person.

6. Could we get back to item #4 for a second? Okay, you can’t really shoot someone literally, but the item still has possibilities. Since ideas tend to flourish in a relaxed, safe environment, do whatever you can to keep people rattled.

7. For example, begin your meetings with a few casual threats. Say, “Joe, you better start producing around here or you’re history, fella.” Make sure Joe is your top performer before you single him out.

8. Also, you can “shoot people down” at every opportunity. If somebody gets out of line and actually makes a viable suggestion, ask, “Are you kidding, or is this another one of your violent fits of insanity?”

9. Then there are the classic idea-killers: “We’ve tried that before,” “That would never work here,” or the simple yet elegant, “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.”

10. You can even use brainstorming to kill ideas. For example, you might say, “Sally, let’s come up with 35 things I hate about your idea, and 20 more things I dislike about you.”

11. I temporarily ran out of things to say.

12. That reminds me—use silence. When someone offers an idea, pretend that you didn’t hear it.

13. We’re entering the nonverbal realm now. Use your face and gestures to communicate your general disgust with whatever ding-a- ling idea has been proposed. Think of yourself as a pantomime artist and …

14. Roll your eyes, lower your eyes, or simply close them and sleep.

15. Pull your glasses off and throw them down on the table with a look of contempt.

16. Don’t forget to use your mouth—there’s a lot that can be done here nonverbally. For openers, try sighing, yawning or spitting.

17. Push our chair back from the table, possibly into the hall.

18. Hit your forehead. Hit someone else’s forehead.

19. Put your hands up to signal “stop.”

20. Whoops, it is time to stop. Maybe the best idea of all would be to outlaw techniques such as brainstorming. As you can see from this list, it’s really a useless way to get anything done.

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand box at nursery school.

These are the things I learned. Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are food for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why. We are like that.

And then remember that book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK! Everything you need to know is there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology, and politics and the sane living.

Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about 3 o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put thing back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

– Ralph  Sockman

Dale Carnegie

Abraham Lincoln

The forward sent me to a Snopes.com, a site dedicated to finding the truth about rumors.  The present the rumor:

Claim:   The 2007 film The Golden Compass is based on a series of books with anti-religious themes.

Status:   True.

And they support their claim with many examples.  Once again, I have seen many such sites that provide false information, so I examined the claims about the books the movie is based on, and I went to Wikipedia to read the outline of the books and see if a less biased source agreed with the claims being made.  To me, the books’ outline made a strong case to support the claims made against this movie. 

The Golden Compass is the anti-Narnia since it is designed use a captivating fantasy story to gently lead young people to the conclusion that there is no God (other than the ones humans have made up) and all churches and religions oppress humanity.  The Golden Compass movie is toned down significantly from the book to play well to an unsuspecting audience.  The hope is that there will be a surge to purchase the full trilogy of books for Christmas presents by parents who saw the movie with their children and thought that it was a nice fantasy.  However, the books (and thus the movie) are dangerous in the way that they lull their readers away from faith.  And, the books culminate in the main characters killing God (who is clearly shown not to be the creator, but just a powerful angel who everyone worships as the creator.)

The Catholic League has issued a boycott of this movie, and I am sure that many other religious groups will as well as we approach the release next month.  Please do your research before seeing this movie or buying these books for your children.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Find Kneeling Santa’s Here

-Becky Cash

They dragged “shmily” with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. They smeared it in the dew on the windows overlooking the patio where my grandma always fed us warm, homemade pudding w/ blue food coloring. “Shmily” was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. At one point, my grandmother even unrolled an entire roll of toilet paper to leave “shmily” on the very last sheet.

There was no end to the places “shmily” would pop up. Little notes with “shmily” scribbled hurriedly were found on dashboards, and car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were stuffed inside shoes and left under pillows. “Shmily” was written in the dust upon the mantel and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents’ house as the furniture.

It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents’ game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love one that is pure and enduring. However, I never doubted my grandparents’ relationship. They had love down pat. It was more than their flirtatious little games; it was a way of life. Their relationship was based on a devotion and passionate affection which not everyone is lucky experience.

Grandma and Grandpa held hands every chance they could. They stole kisses as they bumped into each other in their tiny kitchen. They finished each other’s sentences and shared the daily crossword puzzle and word jumble. My grandma whispered to me about how cute my grandpa was, how handsome an old he had grown to be. She claimed that she really knew “how to pick ‘em.” Before every meal they bowed their heads and gave thanks, marveling at their blessings: a wonderful family, good fortune, and each other.

But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents’ life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside.

Now the cancer was again attacking her body. With the help of a cane and my grandfather’s steady hand, they went to church every morning. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. For a while, Grandpa would go to church alone, praying to God to watch over his wife. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.

“Shmily.” It was scrawled in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother’s funeral bouquet. As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, my aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members came forward and gathered around Grandma one last time. Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother’s casket and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came, a deep and throaty lullaby.

Shaking with my own sorrow, I will never forget that moment. For I knew that, although I couldn’t begin to fathom the depth of their love, I had been privileged to witness its unmatched beauty.

S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You.

By Laura Jeanne Allen

For I pray the day come soon.
The day I discover you.
The day when all searching is over, and I know you are “the one”.
How I long for this day.
Wanting it, to keep me from the tears at night.
Save me the pain inside, of loving anyone but you.
Stop me from wanting it.
Keep me from the desires of the world.

In my prayers, will you remain.
Praying for you, whoever you may be.
And will continue to, until the day you are found.
Asking the God of my soul to watch over you all the days of your life.
Praying your heart be dedicated to Jesus Christ,
so through you, I will richly be
strengthened in the faith I live my life for.
In you, I pray God will remain always.

The search will go on.
The day has yet to come.
My soul waits for you, longing for you.
Never giving up, I have faith.
I believe.
I will find you.
God will send you to me.
So the search will go on, until you, my love, is finally discovered

By Jackie Colosi

Used with Permission

by David Cowan

Used with Permission

“Why do you say that?” asked the customer.

“Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn’t exist.  Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.”

The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.  The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.

Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber, “You know what? Barbers do not exist.”

“How can you say that?” asked the surprised barber.  “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!”

“No!” the customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside.”

“Ah, but barbers DO exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”

“Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! That’s what happens when people do not go to Him and don’t look to Him for help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.”

Thanks to FR EUGENE LOBO SJ at God In All Things 

I’m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I’d like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. “Why would the Lord want to visit me? I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer.” With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. “Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.”

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. “Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.” She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of french bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk…leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.”Hey lady, can you help us, lady?” Ruth had been so absorbed in herdinner plans, she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

Look lady, I ain’t got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s getting cold and we’re getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us, lady, we’d really appreciate it.” Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and, frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to. “Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.”

“Yeah, well, OK lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.”

The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley. As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart. “Sir, wait!” The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them. “Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.” She handed the man her grocery bag. “Thank you lady. Thank you very much!” “Yes, thank you!” It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

“You know, I’ve got another coat at home. Here, why don’t you take this one.” Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street…without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. “Thank you lady! Thank you very much!” Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn’t have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. “That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.” She took the envelope out of the box and opened it.

Dear Ruth,

It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,
Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

Here is your chance to see the new “The Ten Commandments” movie with a friend.  This movie contains stunning scenery and a the most faithful biblical account of the story of the exodus that has ever been in theaters.  The story does much to convey a real sense of the suffering that happened in Egypt under the plagues, the sense of loss after the passover, and terrible attitude of the Israelites after they went into the desert.  I was especially impressed the the sense of awe and wonder whenever Moses comes into the presence of God in the movie.

What you will find missing from this movie is the silly Hollywood style banter that you usually find in animated movies.  Much of the dialog flows straight from the scriptures leaving little room for practical jokes and side comments you will find in other movies.  What we are left with is a film  that properly portrays the feeling and emotion of the exodus through stunning and beautiful visual effects.  You can find more info on this movie including trailers and behind the scenes footage at http://www.epicstoriesofthebible.com

By now, I am sure you want to find out about the giveaway.  Here are the details.

How do you get your free tickets to The Ten Commandments movie?

(We have changed the terms of the contest to make it easier for more people to enter.)

• Send an email to giveaway@inspirationalarchive.com
• You must include your name and address in the email so that we can send you the tickets right away if you win.
• Entries will only be accepted from US and Canadian addresses.
• Winners will be chosen at random from all entries. 
• You may make one entry per person or email address.
• Entries must be received by Midnight Thursday, October 18th, 2007.
• We are giving away 10 sets of tickets.

Why are we doing the contest this way? We want to get the word out as much as possible about this awesome movie with real biblical grounding.  There are 12 movies planned in this series, and the success of this first movie will help to improve the future movies in the series.  Plus, we want to send Hollywood a clear message that we want to see more moral movies and more truly biblical stories come to the big screen.  Please let all your friends know about our contest and about the movie.  Also, if enough people enter this contest, then we will be able to do more contests like this in the future, so pass the word on.

Also, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed so that you will be able to see the winners announced at the end of the week, and be sure to go see this movie this weekend, even if you don’t win.

Subscribe to the feed

Written by: PoppyK1@aol.com

Poppy’s poems are copyrighted by Fleeting Moments Publishing and may not be reproduced without permission. All copies of poems MUST include these credits.

Replied the gentleman, “Well, I guess I just never met the right woman … I guess I’ve been looking for the perfect girl.”

“Oh, come on now,” said the friend, “Surely you have met at least one girl that you wanted to marry.”

“Yes, there was one girl .. once. I guess she was the one perfect girl .. the only perfect girl I really ever met. She was just the right everything .. I really mean that she was the perfect girl for me.”

“Well, why didn’t you marry her,” asked the friend.

“She was looking for the perfect man,” he said.

From this day until that night,
I pray that I might not.

I will wait for thee,
till’ the day of bended knee.

Your face I have not seen,
but thou heart already belongeth to me.

I no longer wish to be free,
but to be with thee until eternity.

To clasp thy face in my warm embrace.

How I long for thy kiss to envelope me-
to whisk me away,
far away from the cries of yester days.

I see him in my dreams.
A heart as pure as can be,
A broken frame- set apart from the commom mold.
His God and his faith are his stronghold.
A man after my own heart,
for that I am told.

One day God shall bring him to me,
And for that day I will patiently wait.

For He sees what I do not,
And He knows what I do not.

For God is my Healer,
My Protector,
and my Supplier.

The Creator and my Matchmaker.

by Heather Griffin

Used with Permission

Said the Master, “Love other things together.”

A LOVE STORY

One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God’s creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord’s presence with me.

He asked me, “Do you love me?”

I answered, “Of course, God! You are my Lord and Saviour!”

Then He asked, “If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?”

I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn’t; be able to do, the things that I took for granted.

And I answered, “It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You.”

Then the Lord said, “If you were blind, would you still love my creation?” How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation.

So I answered, “Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you.”

The Lord then asked me, “If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?” How could I listen to anything being deaf?

Then I understood. Listening to God’s Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts.

I answered, “It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word.”

The Lord then asked, “If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?”

How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks.

So I answered, “Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name.”

And the Lord asked, “Do you really love Me?”

With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, “Yes Lord! I love You because You are the one and true God!”

I thought I had answered well, but God asked, “THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?”

I answered, “Because I am only human. I am not perfect.”

“THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY THE EARNEST?”

No answers. Only tears.

The Lord continued: “Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?”

The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.

“Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?”

I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.

“You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all.”

DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME ?”

I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? My heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child.”

The Lord answered, ” That is My Grace, My child.”

I asked, ” Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?”

The Lord answered, “Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you till the end of days, and I will love you forever.”

Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?

I asked God, “How much do You love me?”

The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. I bowed down at the feet of Christ, my Saviour. And for the first time, I truly prayed.

Author Unknown.

There once was an old man who lived in South Korea. After the war, times were hard and life for him wasn’t easy. His occupation was that of a metal collector which was considered the lowest job possible at the time). He would search garbage can after garbage can looking for scraps of metal which he could sell to the government. He earned a measly ten dollars and spent five to buy food. He lived in a hut which he built on the mountain side and was a very lonely person and nobody cared for him. He lived a sad life for his face was severely scarred from a fire which killed his family. No one would look at him because he was so grotesquely scarred and because of this he kept very quiet and avoided people whenever he could. His main goal in life was to save enough money to fix his face so he could live a “normal” life.

Meanwhile, there was an orphan who lived in the streets every day. Both his parents left him when he was only nine. The boy was blind and suffered from severe malnutrition. Every day the boy begged for food but the people who passed by would either laugh at him or say evil things to him. In fact, some even kicked him or threw dirt in his face. Although he wished so much that he could run away, he couldn’t because he was blind. Like the old man, the boy lived a sad sad life and nobody cared about him.

One day, as the old man was walking down the street and he was trying his best to avoid people while looking for scraps of metal, he saw the broken hearted boy and felt sympathy for him. Out of his kind heart, he took the boy to his home. There he fed him, clothed him, and treated him like his own beloved son. The boy was joyful and was so eternally grateful to this person who treated him like a loving father. For the first time in his life, the boy felt loved.

Years passed and the old man and the boy were very happy together. One day the boy said to the old man, “I’m sorry for being so useless. I wish my eyes would become better so I could help you work. You must be such a beautiful and wonderful person because you took care of someone as wretched as me. Maybe one day I could see your wonderful face.”

The old man immediately became silent being too moved to say anything.

The next day he went to the hospital and asked the doctor privately how much it would cost for the surgery to heal his face. The doctor told him around a thousand dollars. He was Deeply saddened because he had saved up for ten long years and only had a little more than fifteen hundred. He then asked the doctor how much it would be to heal the young boy’s sight. The doctor said fifteen hundred dollars will do. Without thinking, he knew what he had to do. He would give up his life-long dream for this boy whom he loved so dearly.

The next day, he took the boy to the doctor. He didn’t want the boy to see him after the operation because of the scars on his face. Hesitantly and sadly, he went up to the young boy and said, “After you receive your sight I can’t be with you anymore, yet I shall always think of you. I want you to be happy and live a good life.”

After these words he paid the doctor and the tired man left knowing he could never truly reveal himself to the one he loved so dearly. The surgery was very successful and immediately thereafter the boy could see again. He was filled with joy and wondered why he couldn’t see the one he who he owed his life to and sacrificed so much for him.

After the boy left the hospital, he started looking for a job and soon he found one at a restaurant. He became a waiter there and worked full time earning a good amount.

Chance would have it that the next day the old man came looking for metals to collect. He started searching around the garbage can of the restaurant. While he was searching, the manager of the restaurant came out and started yelling at him and commanding him to leave because he was scaring the customers.

The boy soon came to the manager’s side side and seeing the old man creating such a commotion threatened him even more than the manager. The boy called the old man some foul names, kicked him a few times, and even threw dirt in his face. So quickly had he forgotten that he was picked on by other people in the same way years ago. Slowly….very slowly, the metal collector got up and began limping away aching from the pain that the boy had inflicted on him. As he was leaving he looked at the boy and he smiled a warm smile at the boy (although it was not well received) and left not wanting the boy to see him cry his happy tears.

Later on the day at the restaurant the manager said to the boy, “what an ugly man.”

The boy’s reply was, “I know, I hope I never see him again.”

**************************

When I wrote this I wanted people to feel something in their hearts. I wanted them to be moved and say, “hey this isn’t right!! The old man shouldn’t have to suffer like that. He saved the boy’s life” This typifies Jesus’s love for us. He sacrifices and does so much for us and yet we don’t care for his existence. We’re like the boy and that old man who loves us so much is Jesus. Like the old man, even when we treat him so badly he still smiles at us because we are still his beloved children; he is ever faithful and is an all loving God. I pray that this will help you understand the love of God a little better.

–Dae Il Kim

    is    an     wave        to    sea,
Love  like  ocean    clinging  the

    is  gift     God     thee.
Love  a     from     to

    can   up,   Love   go
Love   go    and    can  down,

    is    an     wave  never     it's
Love  like  ocean    it    keeps    ground.

  you    with    it    always     your
If   play    love  will      steal    peace.

    is     an      wave,   never     to
Love   like    ocean     it      seems  cease.

Melodye Thomas

Used with Permission

Written by Becca Hendrick 3/9/00
Used with Permission

He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground.

All of the Garden’s inhabitants paused to witness the event. Hawks hovered. Giraffes stretched. Trees bowed. Butterflies paused on petals and watched.

“You will love me, nature,” God said. “I made you that way. You will obey me, universe. For you were designed to do so. You will reflect my glory, skies, for that is how you were created. But this one will be like me. This one will be able to choose.”

All were silent as the Creator reached into himself and removed something yet unseen. A seed. “it’s called ‘choice.’ The seed of choice.”

Creation stood in silence and gazed upon the lifeless form.

An angel spoke, “But what if he …”

“What if he chooses not to love?” the Creator finished. “Come, I will show you.”

Unbound by today, God and the angel walked into the realm of tomorrow.

“There, see the fruit of the seed of choice, both the sweet and the bitter.”

The angel gasped at what he saw. Spontaneous love. Voluntary devotion. Chosen tenderness. Never had he seen anything like these. He felt the love of the Adams. He heard the joy of Eve and her daughters. He saw the food and the burdens shared. He absorbed the kindness and marveled at the warmth.

“Heaven has never seen such beauty, my Lord. Truly, this is your greatest creation.”

“Ah, but you’ve only seen the sweet. Now witness the bitter.”

A stench enveloped the pair. The angel turned in horror and proclaimed, “What is it?”

The Creator spoke only one word: “Selfishness.”

The angel stood speechless as they passed through centuries of repugnance. Never had he seen such filth. Rotten hearts. Ruptured promises. Forgotten loyalties. Children of the creation wandering blindly in lonely labyrinths.

“This is the result of choice? the angel asked.

“Yes.”

“They will forget you?”

“Yes.”

“They will reject you?”

“Yes.”

They will never come back?

“Some will. Most won’t.”

“What will it take to make them listen?”

The Creator walked on in time, further and further into the future, until he stood by a tree. A tree that would be fashioned into a cradle. Even then he could smell the hay that would surround him.

With another step into the future, he paused before another tree. It stood alone, a stubborn ruler on a bald hill. The trunk was thick, and the wood was strong. Soon it would be cut. Soon it would be trimmed. Soon it would be mounted on the stony brow of another hill. And soon he would be hung on it.

He felt the wood rub against a back he did not yet wear.

“Will you go down there?” the angel asked.

“I will.”

“Is there no other way?”

“There is not.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to not plant the seed? Wouldn’t it be easier to not give the choice?”

“It would,” the Creator spoke slowly. “But to remove the choice is to remove the love.”

He look around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldier’s garb sat on the ground near the trio. They played games in the dirt and laughed.

Men clad in religion stood off to one side. They smiled. Arrogant, cocky. They had protected God, they thought by killing this false one.

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill. Speechless. Faces tear streaked. Eyes downward. One put her arm around another and tried to lead her away. She wouldn’t leave. “I will stay,” she said softly, “I will stay.”

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

“It must be done…,” he said, and withdrew.

But as he stepped in time, he heard the cry that he would someday scream: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He wrenched at tomorrow’s agony.

The angel spoke again. “I would be less painful…”

The Creator interrupted softly. “But it wouldn’t be love.”

They stepped into the Garden again. The Maker looked earnestly at the clay creation. A monsoon of love swelled up within him. He had died for the creation before he had made him. God’s form bent over the sculptured face and breathed. Dust stirred on the lips of the new one. The chest rose, cracking the red mud. The cheeks fleshened. A finger moved. And an eye opened.

But more incredible than the moving of the flesh was the stirring of the spirit. Those who could see the unseen gasped.

Perhaps it was the wind who said it first. Perhaps what the star saw that moment is what has made it blink ever since. Maybe it was left to an angel to whisper it:

“It looks like … it appears to so much like … it is him!”

The angel wasn’t speaking of the face, the features, or the body. He was looking inside - at the soul.

“It’s eternal!” gasped another.

Within the man, God has placed a divine seed. A seed of his self. The God of might had created earth’s mightiest. The Creator had created, not a creature, but another creator. And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return.

Now it’s our choice.

Recently, John lost his wife Janet. For eight years she fought against cancer, but in the end her sickness had the last word.

One day John took out a folded piece of paper from his wallet. He had found it, so he told me, when he tidied up some drawers at home. It was a small love letter Janet had written. The note could look like a school girl’s scrawls about her dream guy. All that was missing was a drawing of a heart with the names John and Janet written in it. But the small letter was written by a woman who had had seven children; a woman who fought for her life and who probably only had a few months left to live.

It was also a beautiful recipe for how to keep a marriage together.

Janet’s description of her husband begins thus: “Loved me. Took care of me. Worried about me.”

Even though John always had a ready answer, he never joked about cancer apparently. Sometimes he came home in the evening to find Janet in the middle of one of those depressions cancer patients so often get. In no time he got her into the car and drove her to her favorite restaurant.

He showed consideration for her, and she knew it. You cannot hide something for someone who knows better.

“Helped me when I was ill,” the next line reads. Perhaps Janet wrote this while the cancer was in one of the horrible and wonderful lulls. Where everything is — almost — as it used to be, before the sickness broke out, and where it doesn’t hurt to hope that everything is over, maybe forever.

“Forgave me a lot.”

“Stood by my side.”

And a piece of good advice for everyone who looks on giving constructive criticism as a kind of sacred duty: “Always praising.”

“Made sure I had everything I needed,” she goes on to write.

After that she has turned over the paper and added: “Warmth. Humor. Kindness. Thoughtfulness.” And then she writes about the husband she has lived with and loved the most of her life: “Always there for me when I needed you.”

The last words she wrote sum up all the others. I can see her for me when she adds thoughtfully: “Good friend.”

I stand beside John now, and cannot even pretend to know how it feels to lose someone who is as close to me as Janet was to him. I need to hear what he has to say much more than he needs to talk.

“John,” I ask. “How do you stick together with someone through 38 years — not to mention the sickness? How do I know if I can bear to stand by my wife’s side if she becomes sick one day?”

“You can,” he says quietly. “If you love her enough, you can.”

- Written by Bill Walls

For Corey
By J. L. Scott
Jan 8, 2000
Used with Permission

We were dwelling in the heart of MYSTERY.
Though dark the night,
Hope felt right—
        as if something evil
        was about to be conquered.

And then suddenly
the One-Who-Loved startled us all.
He got up from the table
and put on an apron.
Can you imagine how we felt?

GOD IN AN APRON!

Tenderness encircled us
        as He bowed before us.
He knelt and said,
        “I choose to wash your feet
        because I love you.”

God in an apron, kneeling.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I was embarrassed
        until His eyes met mine.
I sensed my value then.
He touched my feet.
He held them in His strong, brown hands.
He washed them.
I can still feel the water.
I can still feel the touch of His hands.
I can still see the look in His eyes.

Then He handed me the towel
and said,
“As I have done,
        so you must do.”
Learn to bow.
Learn to kneel.

Let your tenderness encircle
        everyone you meet.
Wash their feet–
        not because you have to–
but because you want to.

It seems I’ve stood two thousand years
        holding that towel in my hands.
“As I have done, so must you do,”
        keeps echoing in my heart.

“There are so many feet to wash,”
        I keep saying.
“No.”
I hear God’s voice
        resounding through the years.
“There are only My feet.
What you do for them,
        you do for Me.”

Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played.

This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even though the son was always On the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn’t want to.

But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he’d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a “walk-on.” Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did.

The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.

It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, “My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?” The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, “Take the rest of the week off, son. And don’t even plan to come back to the game on Saturday.”

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter,when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. “Coach, please let me play. I’ve just got to play today,” said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. “All right,” he said.”You can go in.” Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game,this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.

Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone The coach came to him and said,”Kid, I can’t believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?”

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?” The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, “Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!”

Like the athlete’s father, God is always there cheering for us. He’s always reminding us to go on. He’s even offering us His hand for He knows what is best, and is willing to give us what we need and not simply what we want. GOD has never missed a single game. What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. Live for HIM for He’s watching us in the game of life!

“Excuse me miss, How do you do?”
I’m sorry sir, I don’t know you,
“I’ve come to give you all my love,
I am your angel from above.”

I know your pain, I feel it too.
That’s why I’m here— to save you.
Please don’t laugh, it’s not a joke.
God heard you every time you spoke..

If you’re an angel, why no wings?
“I traded them for the love I bring.”
My precious one, you can’t yet see…..
I don’t need wings, have faith in me.

Don’t be afraid of what you feel.
Look at me, for I am real.
Be careful what you wish—some say,
Sent from Heaven, I’m here to stay.

In your eyes I see disbelief..
Come with me, I’ll show you peace.
“I don’t understand, how can it be,
that an angel brings his love to me?”

Take my hand and walk with me.
I’ll show you now how it can be.
But when you wake you must forget,
I am the angel Heaven sent.

You’ll see a man without his wings,
You’ll feel my love and many things.
And yet somehow you’ll always sense,
an angel in your presence.

This story does not have an end,
but this is how our love began.
I can’t explain, but it did seem….
I found an angel missing wings.

So happy now and I realize,
God sent an angel in disguise.
He made me want to live again,
it was an angel he did send.

I feel so loved, it’s like a dream.
At night, I hear the angels sing.
And when I lay me down to sleep,
I know that love has brought me peace.

I look at him and I could swear,
I see an angel standing there”.
“I look at her and what I see,
Is all the love come back to me.”

I know he said I would forget,
I owe my life to the day we met.
And I thank God for I do know,
I have an angel to behold…….

“The only thing that I regret…..
We lost the time before we met.”
But good things come to those  who wait,
And what we have is by God’s fate.

I use to hope and pray and wish,
that I would find a love like this.
From where he comes, I do not know….
But God sent me a miracle.

All those years I could not see,
I did not know God’s plan for me.
Then just before I closed my eyes,
he sent an angel from the sky.

Excuse me miss, How do you do?
I said that when I first met you.
“And I recall one other thing….”
I asked you why you had no wings.

I smiled at her and then I said,
“No honey, that’s just in your head.
She looked at me and said— okay…
But—Heaven sent me an angel that day.

I kissed a whisper in her ear,
My love, there is an angel here…..
He loves you more than anything,
I am your angel without wings………………………

Created by Jacqueline D. Brown

Used with Permission

Oh God, wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Lord, send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say
“I felt your touch,”
May that one sense YOUR LOVE
Touching through ME.