Thank You Lord

Thank you, Father, for all You have given me, much more than I could even count.
For sunlight that streams into my window and warms my weary heart.
For moonlight on the nights I called out to You and let You wash away my tears.
For people who love me when I seem most unlovable but when I need their love the most.
For giving them the grace. For holding my heart when it is trembling.
For being that guiding Light when I am lost in the dark, with nowhere to go.
For caring enough to send the very best.
For the peace that my prayers are answered.
For the power you give to such a weak soul as mine when I reach out and touch you.
When I say "Dear God..." and You flow through me and suddenly everything makes sense again. For taking away the confusion when my heart is aching and when I do not understand.
For soothing the fears that plague me so I can hardly move.
For putting a smile on my face and laughter in my heart at the strangest times.
For music which causes my very soul to sing and soar on the clouds towards You.
For eyes to see the beauty of Your world, each towering tree and misty sunset, each smilingface. For voices which communicate love. To a heart so dry and hungering, they are likewater.
For being the foremost of those voices, Lord, and the One who causes the rest to sing.
For the thrill of a new idea. For the sweet serenity of a prayer answered, asweetness I hold close to me like a treasure, and I say "My Godloves me."
For loving me enough to not answer all my prayers.
For wisdom to know what's best for me, and the never-ending love to always dispose it.
For miracles, and the joy of knowing You everdeeper.
For loving me in the midst of my sin and bestowing blessings I could never deserve.
For the peace that enfolds me with the simple knowledge that "Jesus cares."
For having the awesome power to move even the most formidable mountains.
Mountains against which I struggle and rage and cry, they are too big for me and I stand defeated. But You who made the stars and the earth and all the heavens can move them with the snap of a finger. And leave me awe-struck with nothing to do but bow down to You majesty with "Praise the Lord!" on my lips." And you say, "I'm not through with you yet, my child."
And I say, "Show me the next mountain..."
For the great adventure of a life lived with You!

Thank You for being there when my spirit cries
For wiping the tears away from my eyes
For holding my heart close
For loving me when I need it the most
For touching me with moonlight
When I call out to You in the empty night
For the stars and the peace
and for my tears And the feeling of You that surrounds me,
soothing my fears For the times when You have sustained me
And I didn't even know it was You,
too blind to see that over all I do
is the guiding touch of Your hand
Jesus, thank you for allowing me to understand

Each Day Is Different

Just after starting my blog in August, while working outside to replace my stairs and complete my upper porch, I had an interesting fall. I was at the top of a post notching out a part of it for a floor support when the post started moving. In my quick thinking I decided to jump off the ladder instead of going down head first. I did a 180 degree twist in the air and landed on only one foot. I knew when I hit the ground I had damaged my left leg and ankle. Instead of worrying about what I had done I got angry at myself for being stupid and lazy. Why? Well I had cemented the post in but did not give it extra supports before going up on it with a ladder. I was at the top, 16 feet in the air. Pounding on a chisel. Not up there once, nor twice, but there for the third time because I had to enlarge the area and make it perfect. One extra blow for perfection did it, the post slowly started to lean... So now I have been through several long waits for the repair of my leg and ankle. Waiting for the swelling to go down before surgery. Surgery was needed to insert a metal plate to add strength for both the lower leg and ankle. It has been a month and the cast was replaced with a walking boot. Now I have to wait 8 to 10 more weeks for the complete healing of the bones before placing any weight on my left foot. An interesting experience which like all accidents could have been prevented. Connecting the post to all the others would have been an easy 5 minute fix, but now it will end up 3 months instead of 5 minutes. This is like all things in life. Taking the time to do things right would be much less painful, much less time consuming, and in the end the fastest, and least painful route. But it is some times not the easiest one to see, visualize, when things like laziness, perfection, and self stand in the way. Having this experience has had its rewards though. I got to meet a doctor who cares about what he does. His interns describe him like an engineer when working on bones. Not building buildings, but reconstructing the human body. When talking with him he was not one who recognized his position and the need to let you know. But instead humble, always caring, and praising you instead. A true professional. Also meeting nurses and others who joke with you, care about your pain, and wanting to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Something that makes you feel there is still hope for humanity in a world so filled with hate, poverty, and violence. Bringing out the true meaning of love in the midst of a storm. So no matter the tunnel of life you are in, as dark as it may seem, there is always light at the other end. Hope, faith, love, and the most important one of these is of course is love. Bringing warmth from within us allows the chance for a seed to be planted in those who have lost their way. Providing water to a thirsty desert. For this world still has lots of nourishment, lots to give to others. Caring, giving, bringing a smile to despair, is the best anyone can do. Pouring living water onto the fire that has grown. Bring light to each day of your life. For you will find yourself feeling much better. Caring for another actually heals yourself in the end. Bruce

The Encouragement Of Life

A pastor was going to a friend's house to find out why he had not attended his church for weeks, fearing he might be injured or sick. At least find out if he was OK and if so try and give him some support if needed. A way to encourage him to seek or accept fellowship and love from others either from his church or the community.

Once at his friend's house the pastor knocked on his door. Moments later the door opened and there stood his friend, apparently OK, but alone. His friend said, "Hi pastor, please come in and sit with me in front of my open fireplace." The pastor came in and after he shut the door both men went across the room with the pastor sitting in the chair closest to the warm fire. With both now sitting down they both silently looked into the flaming coals burning in the midst of this comforting warm fire.

Minutes later the pastor reached out and grabbed the tongs that are used to pick up coals and reached out to one of the glowing red hot coals in the fire. Picking up one which appeared to have the most vibrant white/yellow flames dancing on it and center glowing hot and red. Pulling it far enough away from the rest of the burning coals so as not to be influenced by them. Setting it down on the cold hard brick frame supporting the fireplace.

Both men sat quietly staring at that one lump of coal as the flames stopped dancing and slowly flickered out. It was like watching something die a slow death, the once vibrant, glowing red coal's inner part eventually faded to just a grayish lifeless color. Moments later it sat lifeless alone, while all the other coals in the midst of the fire were crackling with exuberant life with flames that almost appeared dancing in unison.

With no one talking it felt as if eternity had passed when the pastor finally broke the silence by reaching out with the tongs again. He once again picked up this now lifeless piece of coal and set it back into the midst of all the others. Miraculously, slowly, this piece of coal burst into flames again. Yellow white curly flames started dancing around its outer surface. Glowing red hot again from within, as it had been prior to separation from the others. Moments later it's flames, that were dancing on the surface, seemed to dance in unison with all the others as if it belonged and had never left.

Then the pastor stood up and turned to his friend and said, "Thank you I must go now." He also got up and escorted the pastor to his front door and as he opened it for him he said, "Thank you pastor for the fiery sermon, I did not know I was missed so much. I will make sure I show up Sunday morning at your church. I just did not know how much I miss the singing, hugging, the warmth you and the others give, until you stopped by tonight."

A story of how to encourage a friend.
Love and trust comes from the warmth of others and that can only be attained with fellowship Giving and not taking, as an article in the national nightly news recently pointed out in a study. It was discovered that people are the happiest when they are giving, not when there receiving. Buying stuff, eating, entertaining themselves, which are the recent social behavioral changes sweeping our country, had not produced happiness.

In other words, "Giving equals, is, receiving!" Something so well taught over and over again in the New Testament of the "Holy Bible." The very reason for it's existing. As a testimony and definition of the human spirit as it should be. Struggles of life confronted and rinsed in the waters of spiritual peace. Given in words of wisdom, truth, and most of all, LOVE.