For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear –
When you are the hammer, strike.

Edwin Markham

Our destiny

We sow our thoughts,
And we reap our actions.

We sow our actions
And we reap our habits.

We sow our habits
And we reap our character.

We sow our character
And we reap our destiny.

-Anonymous-

Trouble

Better never trouble trouble
Until trouble troubles you
For you only make your trouble
Double trouble when you do
And your trouble like a bubble
That you’re troubling about
May be nothing but a cipher
With the rim rubbed out.

David Keppel

Sitting still and wishing
Makes no person great
The good Lord sends the fishing
But you must dig the bait.

Love that never fails

There is an Eye that never sleeps,
Beneath the wind at night.

There is an Ear that never shuts,
When sinks the beams of light.

There is an Arm that never tires,
When human strength gives way.

There is a Love that never fails,
When earthly loves decay.

(George Matheson)

If

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowances for their doubting too

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies

Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise

If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss

And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone

And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will, which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you
If all men count with you, but none too much

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!

(Rudyard Kipling)

This is one of my old favorites.

For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear –
When you are the hammer, strike.

(Edwin Markham)

Failures

Failures

‘Tis better to have tried in vain,
Sincerely striving for a goal,
Than to have lived upon the plain
An idle and a timid soul.

‘Tis better to have fought and spent
Your courage, missing all applause,
Than to have lived in smug content
And never ventured for a cause.

For he who tries and fails may be
The founder of a better day;
Though never his the victory,
From him shall others learn the way.

(Edgar A. Guest)

The Paradox of Our Age

We have taller buildings but shorter tempers;
wider freeways but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more but have less;
we buy more but enjoy it less;

we have bigger houses and smaller families;
more conveniences, yet less time;
we have more degrees but less sense;
more knowledge but less judgement;
more experts, yet more problems;

we have more gadgets but less satisfaction;
more medicine, yet less wellness;
we take more vitamins but see fewer results.

We drink too much; smoke too much;
spend too recklessly; laugh too little;
drive too fast; get too angry quickly;
stay up too late; get up too tired;
read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values;
we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner;
we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits;
we talk too much; love too seldom and lie too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
we've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.

We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
we've done larger things, but not better things;
we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
we've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less;
we make faster planes, but longer lines;
we learned to rush, but not to wait;
we have more weapons, but less peace;
higher incomes, but lower morals;
more parties, but less fun;
more food, but less appeasement;
more acquaintances, but fewer friends;
more effort, but less success.

We build more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;
drive smaller cars that have bigger problems;
build larger factories that produce less.

We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
tall men, but short character;
steep in profits, but shallow relationships.

These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure and less fun;
higher postage, but slower mail;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorces;
these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, thow-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stock room.

Indeed, these are the times!

-- Dr. Bob Moorehead

The Power of Example

Lord, when I am wrong,
make we willing to change.

When I am right,
make me easy to live with.

So strengthen me
That the power of my example
Will far exceed the authority of my rank...

Teach Me To Pray

Teach Me to Pray

Please teach me, Lord ...
I want to know
Exactly how to pray.

I need some words
Which ones are right?
Please tell me what to say.

I've bowed my headI have knelt down,
But ... should I be upright?
I've closed my eyes,
I've raised my hands,
Or ... should I fold them tight?

Do I stand up?
Should I sit down?
Dear Lord ... what do you like?

Are lights turned on Or are they off?
Maybe ... candle light?

Wear my glasses?
Take them off?
Be at my desk or table?
Should I whisper?
Speak out loud?
Do I quote the Bible?

What do you think
About the time?
Do You prefer the dawn?
Should I pray fast,
Or keep it slow?
Better short ... or long?

I'm new at this
What are the rules?
I want to do it right.
How do I know
You'll even hear
That I am in Your sight?

And while I sat there quietly,
Waiting for some sign,
I heard a gentle voice say:

"Oh, dearest child of mine ...
Do you think I really care about the time of day,
Or whether you are standing up,
Or kneeling when you pray?"

"I don't care about your posture,
Or about the place you choose;
Just open up your soul to me,
I have no other rules.

Tell me what is in your heart,
And tell me what you seek;
Tell me of your sorrows,
And of those things that made you weak."

"Speak to me in private
About what concerns you most;
I know about your good deeds ...
You have no need to boast.

My child, you don't need lessons,
Just talk to me each day.
Tell me anything you want, dear child,
Anyone can pray."


(Yhen's Note: I do not know the author of this one but this truly touched my heart, my thanks to the author of this poem. My prayers are with you.)

The Silent One

THE SILENT ONE

I was there for His trial and His scourging,when they accused Him of crimes He'd not done;
But I spoke not a word in His defense,I was "The Silent One."

I was there as He struggled up Calvary,as dark clouds covered the sun;
And when they nailed His torn flesh to the cross,I was "The Silent One."

I was there when they cast lots for His garment,As they jeered and heckled in fun;
And when the spear was thrust deep in His side,I was "The Silent One."

I saw Him die for all mankind,And when it was "finished" and done;
He raised Himself up as He promised,yet-I was "The Silent One."

And now, everyday I encounter,lost souls sent my way by God's Son;
Still I act as though I don't know Him,I am "The Silent One."

Dear Lord, when at last I'm before you,when my race on earth is run;
Will you speak up for me to the Father?Or will YOU be "The Silent One?"

http://www.christianstories.com/stories/challenging/thesilentone.shtml

Disturb Us O Lord

DISTURB US O LORD


Disturb us O Lord
When we are too pleased with ourselves;

When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little

When we have arrived in safety
Because we sailed too close to the shore

Disturb us O Lord

When with the abundance of things we possess,
We have lost thirst for the water of life;

When we have fallen in love with time
We have ceased to dream of eternity

And in our efforts to build the new earth
Have allowed our vision of the new heaven to grow dim

Stir us O lord

To venture into wider seas
Where storms shall show thy majesty;

And in losing sight of the land
We shall find the stars

In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hope
And allowed the brave to follow him

Amen