The Best Within You!!! Worth Reading!!

MJB

Only If We Believe

To believe is to know that
every day is a new beginning.
It is to trust that miracles do happen,
and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels
dancing among the clouds,
to know the wonder of a stardust sky
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value
of a nurturing heart, and
the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength and
courage that lies within us
when it is time to pick up
the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know we are not alone,
that life is a gift and
this is our time to cherish it
with all our heart and soul.

To believe is to know that wonderful
surprises are just waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams
are within reach ... only if we believe.
Author Unknown
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

God of beauty and of song
Heal the world of grievous wrong.

Lift our hearts and let us pray
For a freer, nobler day.

Let war die upon the earth,
Let world-brotherhood have birth;

And within the hearts of men
Let love blossom once again.

God of beauty and of song
Heal thy world of grievous wrong!...Ruth Le Prade

Love and warm thought. MJB

beachcottage

"Hope looks for the good in people
instead of harping on the worst…

Opens doors where despair closes them…

Discovers what can be done
instead of grumbling about what cannot…

‘Lights a candle’ instead of ‘cursing the darkness’…

Regards problems, small or large, as opportunities…

Cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism…

Sets big goals and is not frustrated
by repeated difficulties or setbacks…

Puts up with modest gains, realizing that
‘the longest journey starts with one step’…

Accepts misunderstanding as the price
for serving the greater good of others…

Is a good loser because
it has the divine assurance of final victory."
Robert Louis Stevenson

MJB

May each day grant you a still and silent moment.

May we care for our parents as we hope our children will care for us.

May you give yourself permission to start living all over again every time you see the sun rise.

May you have the courage to say just yes or no.

May you find joy in the now, peace in the here,and love in me and thee.

May God be gracious to us and bless us.
May God's face shine upon us...Psalm 67:2
Love and warm thoughts. MJB

MJB

When through the deep waters God calls me
to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow.
For He will be with me my trials to bless
And sanctify to me my deepest distress.

When through fiery trials my pathway
shall lie,
His grace all sufficient shall be my supply.
The flame shall not hurt me,
He only designs my dross to consume
And my gold to refine.

My soul, though all hell should endeavor
to shake,
He'll never, no, never, no never forsake!

Love and warm thoughts. MJB

beachcottage

Someone will always be prettier. They will always be smarter. Their house will be bigger. They will drive a better car. Their children will do better in school. And their husband will fix more things around the
house.

So let it go, and love you and your circumstances. Think about it...

The prettiest woman in the world can have turmoil in her heart. And the most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children. And the richest woman you know, who's got the car, the house, the
clothes....might be lonely.

And the world says if I have not Love, I am nothing. So, again, love you. Love who you are. Look in the mirror in the morning and smile and say "I am too blessed to be stressed and too anointed to be disappointed!" "Winners make things happen. Losers let things happen." Be Blessed ladies and pass this on to encourage another woman.

"To the world you might be one person, but to one person you just might
be the world".



xoxo,Patti

MJB

I cannot tell you, " I know how you feel"
I have not been where you are...
But sometimes it is ok to walk by faith....
and not by sight...
Sometimes it is ok to ask why....
even if we get no immediate answer.....
Sometimes it is ok to wonder.....
how others lives can seem so normal....
when ours have been ripped apart...
Sometimes it is ok to wonder where we failed...
where we went wrong...
Sometimes it is ok to ask God,
"Please don;t let me go crazy."
Sometimes it is ok to be hurt...
and Lonely....
and sleepless...
and sad...
and mad....
Sometimes it is ok to look for someone to blame...
and to blame yourself...
or even to blame God....
But those sometimes wont last forever....
The Great Healer will begin to put you back together!!!! AMEN!
never the same...But complete in his love....
Then he will lead you to others that need to know...
about the "SOMETIMES"
BY: Rachel Rhodes

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

Oh, yes I've reached those golden days
You hear so much about;
I don't feel any older yet,
But will one day, no doubt.

The sky is still a lovely blue,
the rose is just as sweet.
Each day is like another chance
To make my life complete.

Sure, there's hardship, sorry and pain,
Who thought there wouldn't be?
But now I know it's just a test
To find the worth in me...Betty Irean Loeb
Love and warm thoughts. MJB

beachcottage

The Second Ten Commandments

1. Thou shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
2. Thou shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
3. Thou shall not cross bridges before you come to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.
4. Thou shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.
5. Thou shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
6. Thou shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you can.
7. Thou shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening in your life and be happy now!
8. Thou shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is hard to learn something new when you are talking, and some people do know more than you do.
9. Thou shall not become "bogged down" by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
10. Thou shall count thy blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.



Peace....Love...And great light to all.....xoxo,Patti

MJB

Be not so easy-going, good my friend,
In summoning to prayer! We know the day
Is fine, but doth not He who made the way
By which light travels, and of old doth send
Rain on the just and unjust? Wherefore bend
Thy knees in greater dread, more humbly pray
For mercy and for blessing, lest thou stay
By thine own littleness His boundless end.

Be still, and know thy God, before whom choirs
Angelic wait in silence, till they fill
Their longing eyes with bliss, His end for thee
Is grace, but the dread grace of God requires
A mind attentive to His majesty,
A heart that wonders, worships, and is still...Howard Chandler Robbins
Love and warm thoughts. MJB

beachcottage

Poem: "Poetics" by Howard Nemerov, from Inside the Onion © University of Chicago Press, 1984.


Poetics


You know the old story Ann Landers tells
About the housewife in her basement doing the wash?
She's wearing her nightie, and she thinks, "Well hell,
I might's well put this in as well," and then
Being dripped on by a leaky pipe puts on
Her son's football helmet; whereupon
The meter reader happens to walk through
And "Lady," he gravely says, "I sure hope your team wins."


A story many times told in many ways,
The set of random accidents redeemed
By one more accident, as though chaos
Were the order that was before creation came.
That is the way things happen in the world,
A joke, a disappointment satisfied,
As we walk through doing our daily round,
Reading the meter, making things add up.



xoxo,Patti

beachcottage

ALL I EVER REALLY NEEDED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN

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 of the graduate mountain, but there in the sandbox 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're sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into 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, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the cup -- they all die. So do we.

And remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and 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 if we had a basic policy in our nations to always put things back where we found them and cleaned up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is better to hold hands and stick together.

--Robert Fulghum


xoxo,Patti

MJB

Preparation For Prayer



Feet,

still, still now, upon the floor,

no need to hurry.



Hands,

lie quietly at rest,

no task to do just now.



Body,

relax in peace, serene;

now calmly rest.



Mind,

let go the scurrying,

let thought be still, so still.



Soul,

in silence vast as space,

reach, yearning, loving, unto God...Elizabeth Searle Lamb

Love and warm thoughts. MJB

MJB

First Light
The shadows melted from the cliff
Before the rising sun.
The hills loomed new and strange,as if
The world had just begun.

Bright mountain flowers of every hue
By sparkling dews were kissed,
And everything seemed born anew
In some primeval mist!

Such harmony of tree and flower,
Such majesty profound--
I felt, in that immortal hour,
I walked on holy ground...Brenda G Macrow

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

BLESSINGS OF GOD'S LOVE

Each day I thank the Lord above,
For these: the blessings of
His Love,
The emerald grass beneath
my feet,
The scent of roses, soft
and sweet;
The coolness of a summer
breeze,
The sound of birds in
budding trees,
The laughter of a child
at play,
The golden sun at dawn
of day;
The warmth of spring that
fills the air,
The fruitful birth where ground
was bare,
The waves that dance upon
the sea,
The wonder of what life can be;
The love of friends, the joy of
birth,
The miracle of Mother Earth,
The winter, summer, spring and
fall,
I thank the Lord I've shared
them all.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

If you want to get somewhere, you have to know where you want to go
and how to get there,
Then never, never, never give up.

The secret of life isn't in what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.

Help other people to cope with their problems and your own will be easier to cope with.

Never use the word "impossible" seriously again,
Toss it into the verbal wastebucket.

Self-trust is the first secret of success.
So believe in and trust yourself.

Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them.
You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have.

Joy increases as you give it, and diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself.
In giving it, you will accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible.

How you think about a problem is more important than the problem itself -
so always think positively.

Go at life with abandon; give it all you've got.
And life will give all it has to you.

--Norman Vincent Peale--



Peace....Love.....Great light to all....xoxo,Patti

MJB

How long has it been since you have had a good belly laugh? Good laughter seems to be a treasure that is in short supply of late.
Most of us are distrustful and embarrassed by our laughter.As children we were constantly told to suppress it. Often it seems almost lost to us. We are afraid to laugh alone , and we are embarrassed to laugh with others. WHAT A STATE!
Laughter is one of the gifts of being human. We can't force it, but we can sure stop suppressing it in ourselves and in our children.

LAUGHTER IS LIKE THE HUMAN BODY WAGGING ITS TAIL.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

IN CLOSING

As I turn off the light
And prepare for the night
I thank you, Lord, for the gift
of today
For the comfortable bed
on which I lay.
I thank you, Lord, for the strength to be
Open to those who have needed me.
In peaceful slumber I shall
know no fear
For you, my Saviour, are
always near.
Amen...Beatrice O'Brien

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

A group of Geography students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following got the most votes:

1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Atlantis
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noticed one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. to touch
2. to taste
3. to see
4. to hear
5. to run
6. to laugh
7. and to love

It is far too easy for us to look at the exploits of man and refer to them as "wonders" ...
May you be reminded today of those things which are truly wondrous.

— Author Unknown


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


xoxo,Patti

MJB

PAIN
Iron, left in the rain
And fog and dew,
With rust is covered.---Pain
Rusts into beauty too.

Our pain is ours.Some of it we have earned, the rest not, and it is still ours.When we fight our pain,we fight the experience of our humanness, and we lose ourselves in the process.A life without pain is a life of nonliving.Our pain lets us know and come to understand the full meaning of being human. If we fight the normal experience of our pain, we lose the possibility to experience the process of its rusting"into beauty too."
We don't need to seek pain, but when it is inevitably there,we have the possibility of something new entering our lives.

MY PAIN IS A POSSIBILITY. IT IS NOT A LIABILITY OR A PUNISHMENT...Mary Carolyn Davies

Love and warm thoughts.MJB

NPat

This was sent to me today. I haven't verified the story but it is moving to read... Pat

THE ROOM

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. "I wowed 'em," he later told his father, Bruce. "It's a killer. It's the bomb. It's the best thing I ever wrote." It also was the last.

Brian's parents had forgotten about the essay when a cousin found it while cleaning out the teenager's locker at Teary Valley High School. Brian had been dead only hours, but his parents desperately wanted every piece of his life near them-notes from classmates and teachers, his homework.

Only two months before, he had handwritten the essay about encountering Jesus in a file room full of cards detailing every moment of the teen's life. But it was only after Brian's death that Beth and Bruce Moore realized that their son had described his view of heaven. "It makes such an impact that people want to share it. You feel like you are there." Mr. Moore said.

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.

The Moores framed a copy of Brian's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. "I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it," Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. "I'm happy for Brian. I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him."

Brian's Essay: The Room...

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.

This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.

A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed at." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.

Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I have watched", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.

I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.

And then I saw it.. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.

No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.

He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.

He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."-Phil. 4:13 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

MJB

NPat: What a wonderful inspiring story , thank you for sharing .

My silent prayer for all the wonderful Ladies and Gentlemen on our website:


Trust Him
When your troubles overwhelm you
And your nights are far too long,
When your heart is filled with sorrow
And everything goes wrong...

Just remember God who love you;
He's your very special friend
ASk him for help and trust him
On his help you can depend.

God is always there beside you;
He will hear your anguished prayers
If you call on him to help you,
For God loves you (and yours) and he cares.By Delphine LeDoux...



God speaks to us constantly through the day , you may experience a hunch or do something on a whim , tune into the higher harmonic frequency for help ... HAVE A GREAT night .Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

BROKEN STAIRS

I cannot count it faith's eclipse,
Though some may deem it so,
That prayer comes slower to my lips
Than in the long ago.

No more I agonize with God
Since I have learned God's love;
No more I grovel in the sod
With Wisdom throned above.

I dare not urge my dearest wish
Against His dearer will;
How shall I fear for bread and fish
The stone and serpent still ?

Sometimes I overflow with praise
As birds with summer song;
The poor applause of formal phrase
Is frozen on my tongue.

And though the passing mood may dim
The brightness of his face,
My days and nights are all with Him
Beyond all time and place.

Let me not scorn the broken stairs
That brought my feet thus far,
While on the wings of wordless prayers
I soar from star to star...Robert Whitaker
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

TREES

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Enjoy.Love and warm thoughts.MJB

beachcottage

If you can look at the sunset and smile
then you still have hope
If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower
then you still have hope.


If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly
then you still have hope
If the smile of a child can still warm your heart
then you still have hope


If you can see the good in other people
then you still have hope
If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to sleep
then you still have hope


If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder
then you still have hope
If the soft fur of a favorite pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips
then you still have hope


If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism
then you still have hope
If you give people the benefit of the doubt
then you still have hope


If you still offer your hand in friendship to others who have touched your life
then you still have hope
If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise
then you still have hope


If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration
then you still have hope
If you refuse to let a friendship die, or except that it must end
then you still have hope


If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection
then you still have hope
If you still buy the ornaments,put up the Christmas tree,or cook the turkey
then you still have hope


If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy
you still have hope
If you can look to the past and still smile
then you still have hope


If,when faced with the bad,when told everything is futile,you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase.... "yeah.... but.."

then you still have hope


Hope is such a marvelous thing. It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break. It sustains us when nothing else can. It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we would rather give in
Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage
Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it
Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the direction
Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nutured, and something that will refresh us in return. And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places
Never lose hope

Author Unknown


xoxo,Patti

beachcottage

THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM DOGS...

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree. When you're happy,
dance around and wag your entire body. No matter how often you're scolded,
don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.
Bond with your pack.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.



xoxo,Patti

MJB

Here is an old prayer from years gone by:

Oh, God , give me grace for this day.
Not for a lifetime , nor for next week , nor
for tomorrow , just for this day .
Direct my thoughts and bless them,
Direct my work and bless it .
Direct the things I say and give them blessing , too.
Direct and bless everything that I think and speak
and do. So that for this one day , just this one day, I have the gift of grace that comes from your
presence.
Grace strikes us when we are in great pain and restlessness.Sometimes at that moment a wave of light breaks into our darkness. and it is as though a voice were saying : "YOU ARE ACCEPTED"

My BC sisters.No matter the storm when you are with God , there's always a rainbow waiting .
May God bless you all , my prayers go out to you today .
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

The Praying Hands

The "Praying Hands" are much, much more
than just a work of art,
They are the "soul's creation"
of a deeply thankful heart-
They are a Priceless Masterpiece
that love alone could paint,
And they reveal the selflessness
of an unheralded saint-
These hands so scarred and toilworn,
tell the story of a man
Who sacrificed his talent
in accordance with God's Plan-
For in God's Plan are many things
man cannot understand,
But we must trust God's judgment
and be guided by His Hand-
Sometimes He asks us to give up
our dreams of happiness,
Sometimes we must forego our hopes
of fortune and success,
Not all of us can triumph
or rise to heights of fame,
And many times What Should Be Ours,
goes to Another Name-
But he who makes a sacrifice,
so another may succeed,
Is indeed a true disciple
of our bless Saviour,s creed-
For when we "give ourselves away"
in sacrifice and love,
We are "laying up rich treasures"
in God's kingdom up above-
And hidden in gnarled,toilworn hands
is the truest Art of Living,
Achieved alone by those who've learned
the "Victory of Giving"-
For any sacrifice on earth
made in the dear Lord's name,
Assures the Giver of a Place
in Heaven's Hall of Fame-
And Who can say with certainty
Where the Greatest Talent Lies,
Or Who Will Be the Greatest
In Our Heavenly Father's Eyes!
Author....Helen Steiner Rice

Do not judge lest you be judged yourself.For in the way you judge, you will be judged, and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you.----Matthew 7:1-2

Tonight my thoughts and prayers are for our ailing sisters all over the world.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB

MJB

There's Sunshine In a Smile

Life is a mixture of sunshine and rain,
Laughter and pleasure,
teardrops and pain,
All days can't be bright, but it's certainly true,
There was never a cloud
the sun didn't shine through-
So just keep on smiling what ever betide you,
Secure in the knowledge
God is always beside you ,
And you'll find when you smile
your day will be brighter
And all of your burdens
will seem so much lighter-
For each time you smile
you will find it is true
Somebody, Somewhere will Smile Back At You,
And nothing on earth
can make life more worthwhile
Than the sunshine and warmth
of a BEAUTIFUL SMILE.

For those who suffer,
and those who cry this day,
give them repose, Lord;
a pause in their burdens.
Let there be minutes
where they experience peace,
not of man
but of angels.
Love them, Lord,
when others cannot.
Hold them, Lord,
when we fail with human arms.
Hear their prayers
and give them the ability to hear You back
in whatever language they best understand...Margaret A. Davidson
Love and warm thoughts. MJB

MJB

WHAT'S THE USE OF GETTING WORRIED?

What's the use of getting worried,
Though your hair is turning grey:
When your heart can keep on singing
In the same old happy way?
What's the use of getting fussy,
Though your body's frail and old,
When your sun of life is setting
In a sky of flaming gold?

To some you may seem childish When you pass your youthful morn,
But 'tis of the childish spirit
That Eternity is born;
"Tis just the worn and weary shell
That fades to chill decay,-
The soul is growing younger,
Fairer, stronger every day!

There never was a Winter
But was herald of a Spring,
And the God who broutht this Summer
Will another Summer bring.
Why , everywhere around us,
No matter where we go,
Shines the glory of renewal
Of all things that live and grow.

O don't use paint and powder
And hide with foolish fears
The beauty of the harvest
And the mellowing of the years,
Age is just a golden evening
When we lay our work away
And wait, with quiet hands folded
For the dawn of another day........Ena Constance Barrett

Dear Lord we thank you for our many blessings and ask for you to guide us through our journey.We also ask for faith,hope,courage,healing and knowledge and most of all patience to endure our treatments.
Love and warm thoughts.MJB