The Last Prayer
The old man knelt by his bed on a rug that helped cushion the pain in his knobby knees.
He cleared his throat and spoke in a tired, raspy voice, “Dear Lord, after years of going, doing, reading, and striving to become and to be a better person, I am here. Yes, I openly admit that I’ve made many mistakes due to my poor choices and wrong actions.
With age came the realization that I have been growing weaker, unable to do those things I did as a younger man. My vision has dimmed, my hearing has weakened, and my strength has waned. I have less energy now. I know that, through all these normal aging progressions, You were always with me in fellowship.
I want to thank You for all the sunrises and sunsets you have granted me. I have always tried to express my humble gratitude for these treasures. My life has been that of a worker whose calloused hands earned an honest living. My hands have never held large sums of money, a fat checking account, gold, or precious jewels. Yet I will readily admit that I’ve never truly needed anything because Your warehouse has always been there to supply my needs.
Besides, money or gold could never quench my thirst for knowledge and wisdom, nor would it bring me the simple blessing of peace and fulfillment which I have always sought. Only you can fill my need, Lord.
So here am I, Lord, before you on bended knees. My hair is thinned, and my skin is wrinkled. All my deeds, both good and bad, have been done. My race has been run, but, even with poor vision, I can see the finish line. I bring nothing because I have nothing except two very precious gifts. Over the years, I have guarded them closely, enriching them through learning and doing my best to polish them with daily care. To my eye, they are beautiful.
You entrusted them to my keeping, and now I return them to Your Hands. I hope You find my soul and spirit pleasing to your eye, Lord. I realize that I am responsible for my actions, my mistakes, and poor choices.”
The old man shifted his weight a bit to relieve the pain in his knees before he continued, “Lord, I would ask for two favors, if it be Your pleasure. First, I ask for mercy. Secondly, just like the thief hanging on a cross beside you on Golgotha Hill, I ask you to please remember me in Your Father’s House. So here am I, and so it is. Amen.”
The old man crumpled to the floor as he drew his last breath, finally at peace.
Do You Know What Love Is?
Many years ago, I thought I knew everything about love there is to know. Silly me! What I thought it was, in reality, everything love isn’t! Of course, my research and learning was not only time consuming, but also very expensive personally and ended in disillusionment.
Then I met my soulmate, and she taught me what love truly is and shows it every day and every way. It never grows old. Thirty-four years later seems like only a couple of years have passed.
Many books have been written about this subject, but maybe in the end we have to learn for ourselves. After all, it’s just words piled on top of words. It’s not an actual experience, is it? We need to understand what it isn’t so we’ll recognize what it is if and when we find it.
Once you find it, never let it go. Care for it, nurture it as you share it with your soulmate. You’ll experience happiness, peace and contentment.
All my wishes for a good walk on your path of life!
Consequences of Inaction
George W. Cecil said:
“Upon the plains of hesitation
Lie the bones of countless thousands
Who, on the threshold of victory,
Sat down to wait,
And, in waiting, they died.”
Ask yourself: What am I waiting for? The perfect time?
There is no perfect time as it does not exist.
If you have a goal, begin to move toward it.
If you want to reach for a star,
You may not succeed in reaching it
But you will, indeed, go farther than one
Who will never begin by taking that first step.
Wondering
Have you ever seen a rainbow’s breathtaking beauty against a dark grey sky?
How did it get there?
Have you ever wondered why?
Observe the rose as it unfurls its beautiful petals to greet the rising dawn.
What makes this happen?
Have you ever wondered why?
The night stars glitter like diamonds to tease and light up the eye,
Glittering every night.
Did you ever wonder why?
Over white-capped ocean waves, flying fish still fly.
Without wings, they fly along.
Do you ever wonder why?
Distant snow-capped mountains stand sentinel against a light blue sky.
How did they get there?
Do you ever wonder why?
When Love enters, it’s bigger than oceans or stars of the sky,
Far more beautiful than a rose or a rainbow on high.
Love brings understanding and no need to wonder why!
Have A Merry Christmas Season!
From our house to yours, may you have a very Merry Christmas Season!
When you feel harried, stop and take a deep breath. Look around you to see the beauty of the season: Houses lit up to delight the eye, a taste of delightful foods prepared with joy, and have a wonderment of life.
Too often, we get caught up in the to-do lists, doing for others to the point of exhaustion, looking for that perfect gift for everybody on your gift list, even going so far as to get deeper in debt (which causes more stress).
Remember yourself and how much energy you have to spend each day. Know when to stop and take five minutes just for you, or perhaps longer.
Life itself is so precious. Appreciate the people in your life. Share a smile to lift the spirit of those you see. It can do wonders. Even if the smile is not returned, it may add a kind thought to their mind. But usually even strangers will smile back. Of course, with masks on, you have to look in the eyes to see the smile there.
Try to think about a Happier New Year. Positive thoughts go a long way to heal your heart and mind.
Again, warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas, filled to the brim with all good things and great memories. Have a fabulous New Year, with wonderful feelings of hope and the joy of being alive.
Worry
Worry not about today,
Nor of tomorrow.
For in another day,
Short-lived will be your sorrow.
Time blessed both are
As history they will be,
Presenting another dilemma
For your mind to see.
As you concern yourself of the morrow,
And contemplate the day,
You will see that tomorrow never arrives
Because it becomes Today!
From a song on “Fiddler on the Roof”:
“Sunrise, sunset, swiftly fly the years…
One season following another,
Laden with happiness and tears.”
Today
Today is a time of reaffirmation,
not of who I am,
but who He is.
Yesterday is but a test trail of my memory.
Tomorrow is but a test of my hope and faith.
For in the twilight of life’s final performance,
the stage curtain very slowly begins to close.
And so it is.
Warmest Wishes for a Happier New Year!
This past year has been a challenging one. COVID19 has changed how the world operates. Things we took for granted do not exist any longer. So much has caused negative impacts in every area of living. If permitted, these circumstances can alter how you think, feel, and operate. Depression is rampant. Anger if boiling over in so many ways.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not a train that is coming the other way, just to make things worse.
Faith is still alive. People are working harder to be a little happier–decorating the outside of their houses to uplift the spirit of those driving by. Christmas is past, yes. But the New Year is coming.
With your thoughts and prayers, you can pray for everyone you know who is having a hard time, including you. Prayers and good thoughts do, indeed, still matter. But you must choose to work on your attitude if negativity is all you can see. Surely there is still Beauty in something every day. Look for it. Praise the good you see. Pay attention to the brighter side of things (as in “Every cloud has a silver lining”).
There once was a very powerful man who had everything he could want. So he called his advisors to his side and said, “Come up with a saying that will cover everything, both good and bad.” They worked on it very hard for a long while. When called to his side, he asked them what they had come up with. One stepped forward with a smile and handed him a small sheet of paper. The man looked at it, smiled, and nodded his head. He looked at them and said, “Job well done. Thank you. You will be amply rewarded for your time.” What was on this sheet of paper?
“This too shall pass!”
On that happy note, warmest wishes to you and yours for a Happier New Year ahead! God bless you and yours!
Travelers
I was relaxing in front of the television, my mind a million miles away, when a random thought entered my mind. The thought crystallized and took form like a beautiful sunset with quiet but forceful insistence. Suddenly, other thoughts began to enter and materialize in planned order, almost as if they were designed through careful planning and arranged in order.
First of all, do not concern yourself too much about accumulating material things because they are fleeting. We acquire, use, discard, sell, or give them away. The main point to always remember is they are passing — simply tools, if you will, in our progression of growth.
The drive and desire to accumulate material things require valuable time, which is the most precious commodity of all. Not only that, but the energy and planning to acquire them can interfere with living and enjoying life. Remember, only man and apes have a prehensile, grasping hand that can grasp and hold tight. We have the choice to do that or not.
Never let the idea of abundant personal possessions mold you because we are more important than that! We are here to learn whatever life can teach us before we move on. You are not going to take it with you, so why overly concern yourself?
Seek out enrichment through knowledge and fulfillment which brings contentment. None of us are better than another because of items we own or the greater acquisition of money. No, we are all made of the same basic material. When our learning period is finished, so is life.
We should remember, therefore, to be humble, and learn as much as we can absorb because our time on this planet we call home is only temporary. We are in transit and bound for a better place. After all, we have an everlasting promise. These thoughts give me great comfort.
And so it is.
God’s blessings upon your journey. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!
Sunset
Think
Sometimes when we think we have nothing,
That nothing crystalizes into a realization
That often what we think of as nothing
Becomes everything!
What?
Lack or loss of deep perception
And understanding
Make the difference!
Happy New Year 2023
To all who gaze upon my web site: Warmest wishes to you and yours for the happiest and healthiest New Year 2023!
It’s been a long 2022, but by golly it’s past! Different medical problems have precluded my ability to write and post for quite a while…So I’ll give a shout: It’s good to be back!
Again, Happy New Year’s blessings to each and every one of you! May this be your best year yet!
wfosterwelborn 