"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." ~ Victor Frankl

When I was a little girl I owned a picture of Jesus with the little children.  It was a cheap, cardboard print in a cheap, plastic frame.  But, oh, that picture of the kind, loving Christ warmed my heart!  Part of the charm may have been a little poem written at the bottom that made me wish I could sit at the feet of Jesus.  Through the years the print has been lost and the stanza has faded from memory, yet there are still times I wish I could look at it once more, or even go back in time to put my special picture of Jesus in a safe place. 

Then along came the internet.

A google search of  "Jesus and the Children" brought up that long lost picture by Francis Hook entitled "Jesus withthe Little Children."   Another search with the few lines I could remember brought up the poem entitled "The Sweet Story of Old" by Jemima Luke!  Please take a moment to follow the links and be blessed.

Here are the lines on my precious print:

I wish that His hands had been placed on my heard,

That His arm had been thrown around me;

and that I might have seen His kind look when He said,

"Let the little ones come unto Me."

I jotted this quote in my journal several weeks ago and find myself coming back to it again and again.  It serves as another reminder that God's ways and my ways, God's perspective and my perspective, God's idea of success and my own are not the same. Too often I measure how I'm doing by the results I "see" or don't "see."  I need these reminders to help me stay focused and on track.

"In the Christian life it is important to understand that our highest success is not measured by the effect we have upon others, but strictly by our obedience to God. In other words, God does not credit us that someone came to faith in Christ through our words – He credits us for our obedience. We obey and speak the truth – God bears the fruit..." (1 Corinthians 3:6). - Reb Bradley

I'm the new church secretary (part time) and was looking for filler for this week's bulletin.  I decided to Google quotes from Barbara Johnson. (I'm curently reading her book Boomerang Joy - slowly .)  I came across this one which spoke volumes to me (for reasons I choose not to disclose at the moment).

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than the person to be loved."

~ Barbara Johnson - Christian Speaker and Author

(Ouch, Lord!  )

While sitting at my computer warmed by the wood heater, my well stocked refrigerator humming in the kitchen (containing ice available any time I want it), and my laundry soon to be sloshing in the machine, I think of how, later, I’ll effortlessly zip in and out of the gas station, soak in a hot bath in a well lit room, and sleep contentedly in the knowledge that all my family are safe and sound. And I find it is easy to forget Katrina ever blew this way leaving a trail of devastation and turmoil in her wake. 

 I’m one of the fortunate ones. 

How do I say, “Happy Thanksgiving” to those mourning the loss of loved ones, those who are displaced or living in tents, those in dire need and depression, to those who literally lost everything?  It would be too easy to elaborate on all the things you still have to be thankful for, even as I am secure under my tight roof - so I won’t offer platitudes. Instead, I offer a prayer. 

I pray that…

You will locate your loved ones.

Your tears will be wiped away.[1]

You will find Shelter in all of life’s storms.[2]

You will know you are never alone.[3]

You will have peace that passes all understanding.[4]

You will feel loved.[5]

All your needs will be provided for by the Great Provider.[6]

Your hope will be restored.[7]

You will sense the palm of His hands underneath you.[8]

You will be able to laugh again.[9]

Amen

~ Drewe Llyn

2005

In the last four days I've participated in two funerals. (Singing in the first, playing the piano in the second.)  Both were for women who had completed long full lives.  Both had personal relationships with Jesus Christ.  Both left behind children and grandchildren, and at least one, Miss Nell, left three great-grandchildren behind. 

As Miss Nell lay on her death bed last Friday, I couldn't help but think, "This is it.  Her time is over.  Anything left undone or unsaid will remain so."  In times like these you can't help but reflect on your own life.  There are no guarantees I will live to see 77 like Miss Nell. Or  83 like Mrs. Wolfe.  How am I living my days?  What am I doing with those precious hours I've been given?  The lyrics to a song came to mind.  (Which they often do to my children's dismay .)  They are written and sung by Nichole Nordemen on her albums "Woven and Spun" and "Live at the Door".  It is well worth a listen to.

Not well-traveled, not well-read

Not well-to-do, or well-bred

I just want to hear instead

Well done, good and faithful one

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things?

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

For complete lyrics click here: Legacy

     The specifics don't matter; just know I experienced an injustice a while back which still nags at my mind. In the scheme of life it truly was a minor infraction, one I'm sure the offender didn't even notice. Yet I noticed, and for the first few weeks I sulked, pouted, raged, and even cried a little at the unfairness of it all.  I'm not sure why I let it bother me so, but every time I turned around (or so it seemed) I was reminded that things weren't as they should be. 

     God kept telling me to learn from it, that He is much bigger than what's going on around me,that He has a plan which can incorporate even injustices such as this, that He Himself knows what it is like to be treated badly.  And so, I've written the following in my journal and share it here today as a reminder to myself.

Jesus said, "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."  (Matthew 5:39)

When I've been treated badly or unfairly by others and I'm tempted to retaliate, speak sharply, sulk, or harbor ill feelings; when forgiveness on my part is not readily forthcoming, I must remember:

I have absolutely no control over the actions of others. I do have and can control my response, and I will be held accountable for it.

There's something very freeing about that.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

"If you feel a deep hunger but don't know what you want, just ask God to order for you.  That way you'll always get whatever is the best on the menu."

~ From Sisterchicks Down Under by Robin Jones Gunn

There have been some bad attitudes floating around our home lately....most of them mine!  My feelings got hurt by so-and-so, I've been feeling under the weather, the love bugs make all my cleaning efforts null and void, and I've had more interruptions to my days than I can keep track of.  So, right there in the midst of pity party number **** (again, too many to count) someone reads this quote aloud at church:

"Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it.  Attitude is the single more significant decision I make each day."

~ Chuck Swindoll

(Ouch, Lord! )

I just finished reading Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski.  I feel this quote taken from the last chapter is very applicable to what's going on today:

       "In a very real sense, the problem of homelessness is overwhelming.  Jesus put it all in context when He said, 'The poor you will have with you always.'  You just can't meet every need you see, or spend time with every homeless person you meet.

       "So where do we start?  Jesus summarized right living in two powerful statements:  'Love the Lord your God with all your heart...and love your neighbor as yourself.'  As overspiritualized as it might sound, I really do think that caring for the needy begins with loving God more completely.  It's in knowing and responding to His amazing love for us that we begin to set our priotities straight...

     "Fortunately, the 'love your neighbor' part of Jesus' teaching starts with the simple actions and small opportunities that are available to each of us.  Little things do mean a lot, especially in the kingdom of God, where giving a drink of cold water has eternal repercussions.  And I am convinced that the more committed we become to impacting one person at a time - whether through a cup of coffee or a genuine conversation - the more we'll prepare our hearts and our churches to respond at both a community and national level.

       "The bottom line is that real love always shows itself in action.  Nothing happens or changes in this world unless, by faith, we actually do something."

  Dear Lord,

Help me see the spills, mishaps, frustrations, interruptions, and annoyances of this day for what they really are:

Opportunities to allow Your love, grace, and mercy to be revealed through me.

Amen   

God sometimes allows things to fall apart

to remind us Who really holds everything together.

~ from Drewe Llyn's journal

"He (Christ) is before all things, and by Him all things hold together."

~ Colossians 1:17 HCSB

Breath. What a precious gift! Thank you for giving me another day of life.

Thank you that though I didn't make a good choice, I had a choice of what to eat for breakfast this morning.  Help me to remember that millions of little tummies will remain hungry today.

Like a sheet of clean paper this day stretches before me just waiting to be written on.  I don't want to scribble mistakes or doodle my time away, but as Mother Teresa once said, "I want to be a pencil in the big hand of God writing His love letter to the world."  Today is an opportunity to be Your hands and heart to my family, friends, community, and world.  Help me not to blow it.

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to You,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

(Psalm 19:14 HCSB)

Amen.

"Just because an animal is large, it doesn't mean he doesn't want kindness; however big Tigger seems to be, remember that he wants as much kindness as Roo."  ~ A Winnie the Pooh Quote

"...be kind, always showing gentleness to all people."  (Titus 3:2b HCSB)