Blessed are they who understand
My faltering step and palsied hand.

Blessed are they who know my ears today
Must strain to hear the thoughts you say.

Blessed are they who seem to know
That my eyes are dim and my wits are slow.

Blessed are they who look away
When coffee spilled on the table today.

Blessed are they with a cheery smile
Who stop to chat for a little while.

Blessed are they who never say
"You've told that story twice today."

Blessed are they who know the ways
To bring back memories of yesterdays.

Blessed are they who make it known
That I'm loved, respected and not alone.

Blessed are they who ease the days
On my journey home in loving ways.

Let me be a little kinder,
Let me be a little blinder
To the faults of those about me;
Let me praise a little more;
Let me be, when I am weary,
Just a little bit more cheery;
Let me serve a little better
Those that I am striving for.
Let me be a little braver
When temptation bids me waver,
Let me strive a little harder
To be all that I should be;
Let me be a little meeker
With the brother that is weaker;
Let me think more of my neighbor
And a little less of me.

When I was full of hot air,
My tongue never did rest;
Because an ignorant man
Can always argue the best.

I would continue to argue,
After everyone fell asleep;
I wasn't full of the Spirit,
What I was full of was me.

God showed me my heart,
And I saw a big hypocrite;
If I was full of something,
It was not the Holy Spirit.

So loaded with knowledge,
I was totally empty of God;
There are so many like that,
That you and I may applaud.

We may think we're a leader,
But with nobody following;
We're only taking a walk,
We're not open to learning.

If we're filled with the Spirit,
We'll be emptied of pride;
But if we're full of ourselves,
We haven't been crucified

Marty Stokes Hudson, FL

Why is forgiveness so hard to Give?
When without God’s forgiveness we could not live.
I guess for us, to set pride aside
Is as hard as swimming against the tide
But without forgiveness, the Devil wins
For that is one step headed toward sin
Even if the sin against us was wrong
OUR sins, that are forgiven, go on and on.
We are taught, two wrongs don’t make a right
So against our own anger, we must fight
Seek God, talk to Him, praise Him for it all
And then, this anger, from you, He will withdraw.
For to think hate, and feel hate, we are just as bad,
And with these sins, we really make God sad
Think of those who you have hurt or have done wrong,
Remember their forgiveness and sing a new song
For to have God’s love and His forgiveness,
That alone should bring us bliss
When you feel the pain of the sin
Think of the cross, and the pain Jesus was in
Remember the debt that was paid for you
And to your fellow man, offer forgiveness too.

Angi Toth
Indianapolis, IN

Pray, don't find fault with the man that limps
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.

There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
Or the burden he bears placed on your back
Might cause you to stumble too.

Don't sneer at the man who's down today
Unless you have felt the blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong but still the blows
That was his if dealt to you
In the selfsame way, at the selfsame time
Might cause you to stagger too.

Don't be too harsh with the man that sins
Or pelt him with word or stone
Unless you are sure - yea, doubly sure
That you have no sins of your own.

For you know, perhaps, if the tempter's voice
Should whisper as soft to you
As it did to him when he went astray
It might cause you to falter too.

There are different levels of faith, and they come in different degrees.
The highest of which is perfect faith, it's developed upon your knees.

This kind of faith doesn't struggle, for it sees things as already done.
It sees a problem through a promise, according to The Faithful One.

It's being sure of what is hoped for, and certain of things not seen.
Like the brown of winter around us, we know spring will turn to green.

Every promise in the word of God is as sure as the changing seasons.
And when we don't believe His Word, there are really are no good reasons.

Perfect faith should be our goal, that we constantly strive to achieve.
And it's offered by God to every Believer, requiring they only believe.

Let's Live up to that name "Believer," trusting God's Word to be right.
We should always be walking by our faith, and not merely by our sight.

Thomas C. Duck, San Antonio, Texas

If I knew it would be the last time
that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute or two
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything right.

There will always be another day
to say our "I love you's,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do's?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget,

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear,

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "please forgive me,"
"thank you" or "it's okay".
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.

Count your blessings instead of your crosses.
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes.
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears.
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean.
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth.
Count on God instead of yourself.

People are often unreasonable,
illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
people may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best
you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never
between you and them anyway.

Mother Teresa

Money will buy:
A bed, but not sleep.
Books, but not brains.
Food, but not appetite.
A house, but not a home.
Medicine, but not health.
Amusement, but not happiness.
Finery, but not beauty.
A crucifix, but not a Saviour.

My words were harsh & hasty
And they came without a thought.
Then I saw the pain & anguish
That my bitter words had brought.

Bitter words that I had spoken
Made me think back through the past;
Of how many times I'd uttered
Biting words whose pain would last.

Then I wondered of the people
I had hurt by things I'd said;
All the ones I had discouraged
When I didn't use my head.

Then I thought about my own life
Of painful words I've heard;
And of the times I'd been discouraged
By a sharp and cruel word.

And now clearly I remember
All the things I might have done;
But, by a word I was discouraged
And they never were begun.

So, help my words be silver boxes,
Neatly wrapped up with a bow;
That I give to all so freely,
As through each day I gladly go.

Silver boxes full of treasure,
Precious gifts from above;
That all the people I encounter
Might have a box of love

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see it's up to YOU!!!

(Author Unknown)