Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning - Little Cares

The little cares that fretted me  

      I lost them yesterday

Among the fields above the sea,

      Among the winds at play;

Among the lowing of the herds,

      The rustling of the trees,

Among the singing of the birds,

      The humming of the bees.  

The foolish fears of what may happen,

      I cast them all away

Among the clover-scented grass,

      Among the new-mown hay;

Among the husking of the corn

      Where drowsy poppies nod,

Where ill thoughts die and good are born,

      Out in the fields with God

Pithy Sayings - "Friends"

 Friendship is like money, easier made than kept – Samuel Butler

Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words. – George Elliot

            Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art . . . it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival – C.S. Lewis

When a friend is in trouble, don’t annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think of something appropriate and do it – Edgar Watson Howe

            A friend is one to whom one can pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

                                    Arabian Proverb

The proper office of a friend is to side with you when you are in the wrong. Nearly everybody will side with you when you are right – Mark Twain

            Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.                   Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10

Anecdote - Cherokee Legend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth’s rite of passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it.  He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold.

It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We too, are never alone. Even when we don’t know it. God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us.

When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out of Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7    For we walk by faith, not by sight

Poem by Dick Christen - LET US PRAY EVEN WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE MYSTERIES OF PRAYER . . .

When my voice lifts heavenward

Echoing through lonely space,

I retrace the path my Lord

Used, saving me by His grace.

            You see, He is way out there,

            Infinite and transcendent,

            But reachable by my prayer . . .

            Because this is what grace meant.

                        When my whispers reach His ear,

                        Nestled in His loving care,

                        Warmly loved as His child dear . . .

                        Just a thought becomes a prayer.

                                    You see, He holds me right here,

                                    Intimate and most present,

                                    On his lap, a Father dear . . .

                                    Because this is what grace meant.

                                                When by faith I find Him there,

                                                Through Christ who to Calv”ry went,

                                                The nerve of His arm’s made bare,

                                                Granting blessings wisely sent.

                                                            You see, prayer reaches Him there,

                                                            Insistent and confident,

                                                            And He comes to me right here . . .

                                                            Because this is what grace meant.

                                                                                    Dick Christen

Poem by Sue Rothwell

As the sunrise tints the mountain

            And you start each day anew,

Are you prepared to give the value

            Of the price He paid for you?

Does your life reflect His Glory

            As your daily tasks you do;

And when clouds around you gather,

            Do you let your light shine through?

As the evening sun sets o’er the hills

            And the day is almost through,

Have you really given value

            For the price He paid for you?

Anecdote - Lincoln's Plea

A visitor to the White House during the days of the Civil War said: “I had been spending three weeks in the White House with Mr. Lincoln as his guest.  One night it was just after the battle of Bull Run , I was restless and could not sleep. It was coming near the dawn of the day, when I heard low tones proceeding from a private room, where the President slept. The door was partly open. Instinctively I walled in, and there I saw a sight which I shall never forget.

            It was the President kneeling before an open Bible. The light was turned low in the room. His back was toward me. I shall never forget his tones so piteous and so sorrowful, “O thou God, that heard Solomon in the night when he prayed and cried for wisdom, hear me! I cannot lead this people. I cannot guide the affairs of this nation without Thy help. I am poor and weak and sinful. O God, thou didst hear Solomon when he cried for wisdom --- hear me and save this nation.”

            God heard, and He answered him then and there. Will He not answer TODAY?

Poem by Eugene L. Clark - In God We Trust

In God we trust and fear no foe;

Take courage and be strong.

We walk by faith and not by sight,

And sing the victor’s song.

In God we trust---He rules the world;

Then let the nations rage.

His mighty power will remain

The same from age to age.

In God we trust and sing for joy,

His kingdom shall not fail.

The King of kings and Lord of lords

Will over all prevail.

In God we trust and bless His name;

Eternal God is He.

When earth and heaven pass away,

His still our God will be.

In God we trust and follow Him;

Unfailing guide is He.

He knows the path that lies ahead;

The future He can see.

In God we trust--- He lives today,

Triumphant over death.

In glory He’ll return one day

To reign upon the earth.

His love forever is our stay.

His wisdom guides us on our way.

His power keeps us day by day,

In God we trust.

Anecdote from Unknown - Puppy Love

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.
He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and
set about nailing it to a post on the edge of
his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the
post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked
down into the eyes of a little boy..

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your
puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat
off the back of his neck, "These puppies come
from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then
reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a
handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take
a look?"

"Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out
a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called.

Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran
Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain
link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the
dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy
noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.

Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the
runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence,
reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his
trousers.

In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down
both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir,
I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and
picked up the little pup.

Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy.

"How much?" asked the little boy... "No charge,"
answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love.."

The world is full of people who need someone who
understands.

Poem by Eugene L. Clark - One Day at a Time

Forever is a long, long time;

Eternity is mine.

I cannot comprehend it all,

Just one day at a time.

If I could see beyond today,

How anxious I would be;

The heartaches and the cares today

Are quite enough for me.

My Father measures out each day

With pleasure, pain and woe

That I may learn to trust His grace

And in His likeness grow.

God graciously sends one day at a time;

This is God’s perfect design.

So why should I borrow the cares of tomorrow?

He lovingly sends me one day at a time.

Poem by Eugene L. Clark - My Hope

  Jesus is coming! It could be today,

It could be tomorrow, but surely one day.

  The hope of His coming is blessed to me,

I long for the day when His face I shall see.

  When weary with things that perplex and annoy,

And many things threaten my peace to destroy;

  I think of His coming and soon they depart,

And peace once again reigns supreme in my heart.

  I read of the mansion in heaven so fair,

And ponder the place He has gone to prepare;

  And hope fills my soul as I go on my way,

Rejoicing to know that He may come today.

  My hope for tomorrow sustains me today,

His word like a lamp gives a light on my way.

  I know that the future is in His control,

This hope for tomorrow brings peace to my soul.