How to Make A Perfect Happiness Cake

The Mixture:
1 cup of consideration for others 1 cup of good deeds
1 cup of good thoughts 1 cup of beaten faults
1 cup of forgiveness
1 cup of willing service
ADD: 1 teaspoon of joy and some sympathy. Flour with love and kindness. (Psalms 63:3–loving kindness is better than life.) Fold in 3 cups of faith. Serve with a smile. It will satisfy a Hungry Soul. Do it with a true spirit. God loves that.
Submitted by Sister Rosie Higgins, Bethesda Temple Church

THE KEEPER

I grew up with practical parents. A mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it... A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, and dish-towel in the other. It was the time for fixing things. A curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress Things we keep.

It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.. All that re-fixing, eating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant you knew there would
always be more.

But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any more.

Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away...never to return. So... While we have it... it's best we love it.... And care for it... And fix it when it's broken......... And heal
it when it's sick.
This is true for marriage..... And old cars...... And children with bad report cards..... And dogs with bad hips....And aging parents..... And grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away or a classmate we grew up with.
There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special........ And so, we keep them close!

AUTHOR UNKNOWN, BUT I'M SURE THIS POEM IS A KEEPER.

THE JUDGMENT

I love this!

After living what I felt was a 'decent' life, my time on earth came to the end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house.
The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.
As I looked around I saw the 'prosecutor.'
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney, kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room I couldn't take my eyes off Him.

As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."
The prosecutor rose and said, "My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and In the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all.
I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I'd done?

Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise."

When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned Him to come forward.
As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty.
I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, 'Hi, Dad,' and then He turned to address the court.

"Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wages of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished."

Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as hisSavior, so he is Mine." My Lord continued with, "His name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch him from Me."

Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.'
As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done. I've done it all."

The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down. The following words bellowed from His lips. "This man is free. The penalty for him has already been paid in full. 'Case dismissed."

As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up, I will win the next one."

I asked Jesus as He gave me my instructions where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?"

Christ lovingly smiled and said,'Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ~Paid In Full~'
'Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!'
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

THAT'S GOD

The Word for today:
Pray without ceasing!   I Thessalonians 5:17

Have you ever been just sitting there and all of a sudden you feel like doing something nice for someone you care for? THAT'S GOD talking to you through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been down and out and nobody seems to be around for you to talk to?
THAT'S GOD wanting you to talk to Him.

Have you ever been thinking about somebody that you haven't seen in a long time and then next thing you know you see them or receive a phone call from them? THAT'S GOD.
There is no such thing as coincidence. OUR FOOTSTEPS ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD.

Have you ever received something wonderful that you didn't even ask for, like money in the mail, a debt that had mysteriously been cleared, or a coupon to a department store where you had just seen something you needed, but couldn't afford? THAT'S GOD knowing the desires of your heart.

Have you ever been in a situation and you had no clue how it was going to get better, how the hurting would stop, how the pain would ease, but now you look back on it . THAT'S GOD passing us through tribulation to see a brighter day.

CAN I GET A THANK YOU!

Someone shared this to me, so I had to pass it on...

I dreamed that I went to Heaven, and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said,"This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received."

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world. Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth."

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section, my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed."

How is it that there is no work going on here? ” I asked.

"So sad." The angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments."

"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked.

"Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, 'Thank you, Lord'."

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world ’ s wealthy.

"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness , you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation , then you are ahead of 700 million people in the world."
WAIT, THERE'S MORE.......
"If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. If your parents are still alive and still married , you are very rare."

AUTHOR UNKNOWN, BUT I'M SO GLAD SOMEONE SHARED

A Child's Trip to See God

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 downnext 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 his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.

She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what?  He's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked,"Dad, what did you do today that made you  so happy?"

He replied "I ate potato chips in the park with God."  However, before his son responded, he added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime! Embrace all equally!

Have lunch with God.......bring chips.

 

God still sits on the throne.  You may be going through a tough time right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.

Keep the faith!

 

Here is the  prayer:

Jesus, I ask You to bless whoever is reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of Your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy.

Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your Grace.

Bless their homes, families, finances, their goings and their comings in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The prayer is unknown

25 Inspirational Phrases

1. Give God what's right.....not what's left. 
2. Man's way leads to hopeless end ......God's way leads to an endless hope . 
3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. 
4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.
5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period. 
6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period. 
7. Are you wrinkled with burden?  Come to the church for a face-lift. 
8. When praying, don't give God instructions...... just report for duty.
9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church. 
10. We don't change God's message.....His message changes us. 
11. The church is prayer-conditioned. 
12. When God ordains, He sustains.
13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning. 
14. Plan ahead......It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark. 
15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position. 
16. Suffering from truth decay?  Brush up on your Bible.
17. Exercise daily .... walk with the Lord. 
18. Never give the devil a ride....he will always want to drive. 
19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it. 
20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
21. He who angers you controls you. 
22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop. 
23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.
24. Be ye fishers of men....You catch them & He'll clean them.
25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called

The author is unknown, but to see a Power Point Presentation, click on this link

A Woman's Worth

One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens,  but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.  They sing when they want to cry.

They cry when they are happy  and laugh when they are nervous.  They fight for what they believe in.

They stand up to injustice.  They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.  They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.  They cry when their children excel  and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding. Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they  think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.  The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideas. They give moral support to their  family and friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give..

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN, IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.     

---author unknown---

OUT THE MOUTH OF BABES

The GREAT Sneeze

Because of a recent court ruling in Canada, students were prohibited to pray during a high school graduation. This is a true story; it happened at Eastern Shore District High School  in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova  Scotia. This was emailed to me by a friend.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the  guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave  inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked  for blessings on the graduates or their  families. 
 
The speeches were nice,  but they were routine until the final speech  received a standing  ovation.
A solitary student  walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still  and silent for just a moment, and then, it  happened.  

All 92 students, every  single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED. 
 
The student on stage  simply looked at the audience and  said, 'GOD BLESS  YOU,' then he walked off the  stage...
 
The audience exploded  into applause. This graduating class had found a  unique way to invoke God's blessing on their  future with or without the court's  approval.  

Tell this story to friends and family, so the devil will not have the victory!

Garbage

Law of the Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.  We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches!  The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.  And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, 'Why did you just do that?  This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!' This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call,  'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.  Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.  Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.

So ... Love the people who treat you right.
Pray for the ones who don't.
Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!
Have a garbage-free day!
author unknown

10 THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON THAT DAY

1..... God won't ask what kind of car you drove... He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have
transportation.

2... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3.... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6.... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.

9... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10... God won't have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He already knows your decision.
Author unknown, but shared by friend.

Selah/ Stop and think about how we treat others

Five (5) lessons about the way we treat people
1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read The last one:
"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50's, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.
"Absolutely, " said the professor.. "In your careers, you will meet many people.  All are significant.. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello.."
I've never forgotten that lesson.. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway
trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride.
Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally
unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960's. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.  It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits, then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's' bedside just before he passed away... God Bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."
Sincerely,

Mrs. Nat King Cole. (I don't know if this is true, but we could easily replace this name with someone else in need)

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
"How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.
"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
"Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left..  When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table.  There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..
You see,  he couldn't  have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway.  Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.  Some of the King's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did
anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables.  Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road.  After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.  The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease.  Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.  The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." 
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away".
Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Author unknown, but shared with me by reader Cora Johnson. Thank you!!

Children: You've Got To Love Them

A father passing by his son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an  Envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Dad.'

With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Dad:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you.

I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you.
I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.

But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it' s not only the passion... Dad she's pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy.

She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.
Stacy has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy.

In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it.
Don't worry Dad. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself.
Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love,

Your Son John

PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at Tommy's house.. I Just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than a report card that's in my center desk drawer.

I love you.

Call me when it's safe to come home.

The House That We Build

 An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended
family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.
The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a
personal favor.
The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career.
When the carpenter finished his work, the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "My gift to you."
The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If only he knew he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we'd do it much differently. But, we cannot go back. You are the carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.

"Life is a do-it-yourself project," someone has said. Your attitudes and the choices you make today build the "house" you live in tomorrow.

> Build wisely!
This was emailed to me by friend Pat Hughes.
The author is unknown.

From the mouth of babes: What is a grandparent?

The following was taken from papers written by a class of 8 year-olds and sent to me via email by a friend. ENJOY. Above are pictures of my grandma Jessie Atkins years before she passed away, my great-grandmothers Minerva Wade and Rhoda Brownlee Wilkerson. To see more of my old pictures, visit http://photos.patsimmons.net

**Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own. They like other people's. A Grandfather is a man and a Grandmother is a lady!

**Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.

**When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on 'cracks.'

They don't say, 'Hurry up.'

**Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs chase cats?'

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

**Everybody should try to have a Grandmother, especially if you don't have Television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us.

**They know we should have snack time before bed time, and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

**A 6-YEAR-OLD WAS ASKED WHERE HIS GRANDMA LIVED.''OH,'' HE SAID, ''SHE LIVES AT THE AIRPORT, AND WHEN WE WANT HER, WE JUST GO GET HER. THEN WHEN WE'RE DONE HAVING HER VISIT, WE TAKE HER BACK TO THE AIRPORT.''

GRANDPA IS THE SMARTEST MAN ON EARTH! HE TEACHES ME GOOD THINGS, BUT I DON'T GET TO SEE HIM ENOUGH TO GET AS SMART AS HIM!

**It's funny when they bend over; you hear gas leaks, and they blame their dog.

The last time you thought of these things

I AM THANKFUL:  FOR THE WIFE,
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE. 

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA, BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED . 


FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. 

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE 


FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME. 

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. 


FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT 
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS   I CAN HEAR. 

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING  BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR. 


FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY  BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD. 

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

The author is unknown, but was shared with me by a cousin.

Have You Checked in?

A minister passing through his church in the middle of the day, decided to pause by the altar and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened, a man came down the aisle. The minister frowned as he saw the man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby and his coat was worn and frayed; the man knelt, he bowed his head, then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed, each noon time came this chap, each time he knelt just for a moment,a lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew with robbery a main fear. He decided to stop the man and ask him, "What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road. Lunch was half an hour. Lunchtime was his prayer time for finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see, because the factory is so far away.As I kneel here talking to the Lord,This is kinda what I say:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY.'

The minister feeling foolish,told Jim, that was fine. He told the man he was welcome
To come and pray just anytime.

Time to go, Jim smiled, said 'Thanks.'
He hurried to the door. The minister knelt at the altar. He'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love, and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart, he repeated old Jim's prayer:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TO DAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed that old Jim hadn't come. As more days passed without Jim, he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him, learning he was ill. The hospital staff was worried, but he'd given them a thrill. The week that Jim was with them brought changes in the ward. His smiles, a joy contagious. Changed people were his reward.
The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad when no flowers, calls or cards came. Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed. He voiced the nurse's concern. No friends came to show they cared. He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a winsome smile. "The nurse is wrong, she couldn't know that he's in here all the while everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see. He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,
HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN TODAY.'

author unknown

Barbecue Anyone?

If you are ever invited to a barbecue party, make sure your host has the proper cooking utensils. LOL.

The Benefits of Aging

Perks of reaching 50, being over 60 or heading towards 70:







1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

2. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

3. No one expects you to run--anywhere.

4. People call at 9 pm and ask, did I wake you?

5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7. Things you buy now won't wear out.

8. You can eat supper at 4 pm.

9. You can live without sex but not your glasses.

10. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

11. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

13. You sing along with elevator music.

14. Your eyes won't get much worse.

15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

19. You can't remember who sent you this list.

20. And Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

A Ram in the Bush

Who doesn’t know the Biblical story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac? After all, God told Abraham he was going to be the father of many nations, then years later, God tested Abraham to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering. If that was me, I would have tried to re-negotiate with God about the test, but Abraham not only had faith, but really loved God.

God opened my eyes to experience Genesis 22:13:
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

A few weeks ago, I was in Indianapolis for the 40th Indiana Black Expo. The Church of God in Christ was having a regional convention at the Sheraton Hotel where my husband and I were staying. In order to get free Wi-Fi, hotel guests had to use their laptops in the lobby. One night, we went downstairs so that I could use my computer just as one of their evening services was about to get underway.

My husband said, “Hey, they’re singing one of the songs you like.”
I didn’t recognize the song, but that didn’t stop me from being nosy. We made our way to the lower level where the service was being conducted. I decided to stay, so I took a seat in the back row. As the evangelist preached, she walked the aisles and randomly prayed for people. I thought to myself, I wish God would direct her to come and pray for me. I never turn down prayer.

Eventually, as the service came to a close, it was offering time. All I had in my pocket was my room key. Not far from behind my seat, a shiny new quarter laid on the carpet.
The offertory was practically over and I missed out. Again I glanced at the floor. I heard the Lord telling me that the quarter was my offering—what? A quarter was MY ram in the bush.

I thought to myself, “I’m not taking a quarter to put in the offering.” I mean, come on, a quarter? I pay my tithes and give dollars in offerings, but a quarter? No way.

It was my test whether I decided to be humble, or not, to take it. God was teaching me an offering isn’t about the amount of money. God was showing me He would accept $.25 as my offering, SO I swiped up the quarter and walked boldly to the front with my quarter offering. The deacons were about to walk away, but when one saw me, he turned around. He held out an empty deep white bucket, and I dropped my coin into it. As I turned to go back in my seat, the speaker had the ministers get my attention. She beckoned for me to come to the bottom of the stage where she stood waiting for me. Grasping my hand, she prayed financial and other blessings for me. The anointing fell on my spirit and I was praising God as I spoke in other tongues.

What I learned is to look for the ram in the bush. Who knows, how small your blessings may seem. It’s all in the sacrifice.