Sunday, December 30, 2007

A New Year

When Jews assemble for their New Year’s celebration, they often recite a prayer which begins: “Today is the birthday of the world; “ Meaning: Whatever was our yesterday, today--as every day--we start anew.

The end of one year and the dawning of a new one provides an excellent opportunity to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. Remembering God's faithfulness and forgetting our past mistakes will make entering the new year a time of anticipation.

New Year's Day as well as any new day can be the first day of the rest of our life.

Most people are apprehensive about resolutions, but if you really want to have a healthy, happy and probably prosperous new year it might be wise to adopt a resolution to be grateful to God for the opportunity to start over and the many blessings we receive through Grace & Mercy.

Our Daily Bread says to reflect on these words:
Be Silent and listen to the voice of God (Ps. 46:10).
Pause from a hectic schedule to be refreshed in spirit (ps.42:1-2)
Accentuate the joy of God’s provision through thanksgiving (Ps. 65:9-13).
Exalt the name of God for answered prayer in spite of disappointment (Ps. 40:1-3)
End the day by reflecting on the Lord’s faithfulness (Ps. 119:148)


My New Year’s Resolution :

This year my resolution
Is to draw closer to Thee.
I will follow if you guide me
Is my fervent plea.
I’ll pray & read your word
To others I’ll portray
The love that set me free and
The price you had to pay.
You have showered me with blessings
You watch over me night and day.
So Lord, accept my gratitude
In adoration, I humbly pray.
Wilhelmine

Friday, December 28, 2007

Recipe for a Happy New Year!

Take 12 whole months,
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, rancor, hate and jealousy,
In other words, make them just as fresh and clean as possible.

Now cut each month into 28, 30, or 31 different parts--
But don’t make up the whole batch at once;
Instead, prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients:
Mix well into each day one part faith, one of patience, one of courage, one of work-
-Add one each of hope, faithfulness, generosity and kindness;
Blend with one part prayer, one part meditation and one good deed.

Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play and
a cupful of good humor.

Pour all of this into a vessel of love, cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with smiles and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness--and you are bound to have a Happy New Year.

Unknown Author

Thursday, December 27, 2007

New Year's Around the World

To ensure a prosperous and healthy New Year, Americans in the South eat Hoppin’John (a stew of black-eyed peas and rice.

In Mexico, a large fruit centerpiece graces the New Year’s table. At midnight, each guest eats 12 grapes, to welcome the 12 months of the new year.

In Switzerland, godparents traditionally inserted a coin into a Zupfe (a milk-bread loaf) and presented it to their godchildren for good luck in the new year.

In Germany, Karpfen (carp) is served whole; each guest removes a scale and keeps it for good luck. In Berlin, the quest for luck goes even further. To bring about good fortune, locals eat Berliner Pfannkuchen (jelly doughnuts) with wine punch in the first five minutes of the new year.

In Brazil, eating pomegranates is a New Year’s must. The Brazilians believe that the many seeds symbolize wealth for the future.

Italians eat Cotechino (rich pork sausage) with lentils, which are thought to resemble small coins. The more lentils one eats, the richer one will be in the new year. Cappelletti (small heads of pasta filled with cheese and nutmeg similar to tortellini) in capon broth is thought to soothe the stomach, and is traditionally served to those revelers who celebrated a little too much while ringing in the new year.

Hungarians eat roast suckling pig, putting an apple in its mouth and a four-leaf clover in its snout for luck.

In a traditional Moroccan New Year celebration, Herbel (crushed wheat with milk) is eaten as a symbol of prosperity for the coming year. Graif Mekhtamrine-a pancake that inflates when heated-is also served. The bursting of the pancake symbolizes wealth and happiness.

In Greece, a coin is inserted through a small slit in the bottom of Vasilopita (New Year’s bread). The bread is sliced at midnight, and the person who finds the coin has luck for the coming year.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

ADVENT

During the Advent Season we end each Sunday Worship Service at First Presbyterian Church, Garland with these words by Ann Weems:

In anticipation of the birth of our Savior, let us mend a quarrel…build peace…seek out a forgotten friend…encourage youth…keep a promise…forgo a grudge…listen…be kind…be gentle…laugh a lot….express our gratitude…welcome a stranger…gladden the heart of a child …take pleasure in beauty and wonder of the earth...speak our love…speak it again…speak it still once again

Having read these words several years ago written by “Ches,” they must be meaningful for us not only during Advent , but anytime.

I’m reminded that: To steal from one writer is plagiarism.
To steal from many is research.
To be inspired by any & all writers is creativity.

THE GREATEST GIFT


God’s own son was born this day,
That we might know the gift of Grace..
In a lowly manger in Bethlehem
Shepherds, wise men all embraced
This Babe.
He grew in wisdom and favor with god
His death on the cross was the sacrifice
That we too might know His LOVE
He gave His life, He paid the price
This man.
Our gifts are small indeed
Compared to one of such magnitude
The greatest gift has been revealed
We turn to Christ in gratitude
Our Savior.
Wilhelmine

Taken from a newspaper article by Chester L. Washington, Publisher of the Los Angeles Times written either in the 1970’s.

If you really want a happy and beautiful Christmas there are many things that you can do. The real spirit of giving is embraced within your heart. For it isn’t always the gift or the gesture which warms the heart of someone else. It’s the thought which prompts your efforts to make others happy during the sacred and joyous Yuletide. Only then, is it possible to grasp the significance of that first Christmas…to savor the sweet music of the angel choir, to envision the star-struck sky, and glimpse behind the eyelids the reality of light that brightened a darkened path and changed the world. Thus to fully enjoy Christmas, why not:

Mend a quarrel………seek out a forgotten friend………write a love letter……..
Share some treasure……..Give a soft answer……………Encourage someone……….Show you loyalty in word and deed……….Keep a promise…….Forego a grudge…………Forgive an enemy…………Listen……………Apologize if you were wrong………..Try to understand……Dispel envy……..Examine your demands of others………..Think first of someone else………..Appreciate……Be kind………..Be gently………..Laugh a little……………laugh a little more…………….Express your gratitude…………….Go to church………Believe in God……Welcome a stranger…………Gladden the heart of a child……………Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. ………Speak your love……..Speak it again………..Speak it still once again.

Do even some of these things and we sincerely predict that you will have a wonderfully heartwarming and merry Christmas. Ches!

The modern philosopher, Walt Whitman once said: “Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity. When I give, I give myself.” Thus the Supreme gift the Greatest Gift is Love given to us abundantly by our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

ADVENT

During the Advent Season we end each Sunday Worship Service with words by Ann Weems: In anticipation of the birth of our Savior, let us mend a quarrel…build peace…seek out a forgotten friend…encourage youth…keep a promise…forgo a grudge…listen…be kind…be gentle…laugh a lot….express our gratitude…welcome a stranger…gladden the heart of a child …take pleasure in beauty and wonder of the earth...speak our love…speak it again…speak it still once again!

Having read these words several years ago written by “Ches,” they must be meaningful for us not only during Advent, but anytime.

I’m reminded that: To steal from one writer is plagiarism.
To steal from many is research.
To be inspired by any & all writers is creativity.

Saturday, December 1, 2007

THE GREATEST GIFT


God’s own son was born this day,
That we might know the gift of Grace..
In a lowly manger in Bethlehem
Shepherds, wise men all embraced
This Babe.
He grew in wisdom and favor with God
His death on the cross was the sacrifice
That we too might know His LOVE
He gave His life, He paid the price
This man.
Our gifts are small indeed
Compared to one of such magnitude
The greatest gift has been revealed
We turn to Christ in gratitude
Our Savior.
Wilhelmine Mitchell

Taken from a newspaper article by Chester L. Washington, Publisher of the Los Angeles Times written either in the 1970’s or 80’s.

If you really want a happy and beautiful Christmas there are many things that you can do. The real spirit of giving is embraced within your heart. For it isn’t always the gift or the gesture which warms the heart of someone else. It’s the thought which prompts your efforts to make others happy during the sacred and joyous Yuletide. Only then, is it possible to grasp the significance of that first Christmas…to savor the sweet music of the angel choir, to envision the star-struck sky, and glimpse behind the eyelids the reality of light that brightened a darkened path and changed the world. Thus to fully enjoy Christmas, why not:

Mend a quarrel………seek out a forgotten friend………write a love letter……..
Share some treasure……..Give a soft answer……………Encourage someone……….Show you loyalty in word and deed……….Keep a promise…….Forego a grudge…………Forgive an enemy…………Listen……………Apologize if you were wrong………..Try to understand……Dispel envy……..Examine your demands of others………..Think first of someone else………..Appreciate……Be kind………..Be gently………..Laugh a little……………laugh a little more…………….Express your gratitude…………….Go to church………Believe in God……Welcome a stranger…………Gladden the heart of a child……………Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. ………Speak your love……..Speak it again………..Speak it still once again.
Do even some of these things and we sincerely predict that you will have a wonderfully heartwarming and merry Christmas. Ches

The modern philosopher, Walt Whitman once said: “Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity. When I give, I give myself.” Thus the Supreme gift the Greatest Gift is Love given to us abundantly by our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sunday, November 18, 2007


THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION
It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord .
We know that by his divine law, nations like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world. May we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be a punishment inflicted upon us, for our presumptions sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people?
We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity, we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent father who dwelleth in the heavens.

Abraham Lincoln 1863

Why Do We Celebrate?
America’s first Thanksgiving, in 1621, was a three-day celebration of feasting and recreation. The prior year was the Pilgrims’ first winter at Plymouth, and it was so harsh almost half of the colonists perished.
By the second harvest, there was reason to rejoice. A peace treaty was signed with the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims’ Native American neighbors. And Massasoit, their leader, shared his agricultural expertise, which resulted in a bumper crop. As was common in England, where the Pilgrims originated, they chose to commemorate their bounty with a harvest festival.
Most accounts of the actual event mention neither turkey, nor pumpkin, our modern Thanksgiving staples. Indian corn was plentiful, however. Four valiant Pilgrim housewives supervised the feast that Massasoit and 90 of his people attended, bringing five deer as their contribution to the communal table.

I’M THANKFUL FOR (unknown author)
…..the mess to clean up after a party because if means I have been surrounded by friends
…..the taxes I pay because it means that I’m employed
…..the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat
…..a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a Home
…..My shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine
…..The spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking
…..all the complaining I hear about the government because it means we have freedom of speech
…..weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive
…..my huge heating bill because it means I am warm
…..the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear
…..the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because if means that I’m alive
…..the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!




Tuesday, November 13, 2007

LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART


I went to see a new doctor recently. The way he listened to me, I felt important and that every thing I said to him had value. It reminded me of a boss I once had that gave you his undivided attention when you were speaking to him and made you feel really special.

While I was waiting in the doctor’s office, I picked up the Ladies Home Journal magazine to read to pass the time. One article caught my attention. It was written by Dr. Stephen Post, Ph.D & Jill Neimark. It was telling about a near-fatal accident a Psychologist, Daniel Gottlieb, had in which his cervical spine was severed, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. While laying in ICU, a nurse approached him and spoke about her struggles and while listening to her, he realized he could live as a quadriplegic and still help save another life just by listening, listening with his heart.

Researchers found that former American prisoners of war didn’t break down from physical deprivation & torture as quickly as they did from solitary confinement - separated from other prisoners with whom they could talk and know the other prisoners would listen to them.

It seems to me that listening to others is something we all should cultivate.

A Wise old bird sat on an oak
The more he saw, the less he spoke
The less he spoke , the more he heard.
Lord, make me like that wise old bird.
Anon

I think Bill’s mother was like that wise old bird. When with a group of people she sat back and let other people talk. When asked why she was so quiet, her reply was: “I learn more that way.”

When we really listen, we are affirming the teller’s essential worth. When we listen and are listened to, we begin to feel secure in our relationship with others. Only by listening (with our heart) can we know what a person is thinking or feeling. People like to be with those who show they really care about them. Everything worthwhile that we become is the result of someone believing in us.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

VETERANS DAY


Armistice Day , now called Veterans Day, is the anniversary of the official end of World War I, November 11, 1918. It commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany. This day was set aside to reflect and remember the sacrifices men and women made while serving in the Armed Forces.


A much loved song was written in 1918, GOD BLESS AMERICA1
Sometimes it takes someone who fled oppression to put into eloquent words what makes America and its freedoms so precious. Irving Berlin, who left Russia as a 5-year-old named Israel Baline, wrote, “God Bless America" in 1918. But he didn’t know what to do with the song until 1938, when World War II was threatening Europe.


He revised it for Kate Smith, who sang it on the radio on ARMISTICE DAY IN 1938. It was an immediate hit.


In gratitude to his adopted country, Mr. Berlin established the God Bless America Fund, and he donated the royalties for the song to the Boy and Girl Scouts of America.



God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the light from above
From the mountains to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home
From the mountains to the prairies
To the oceans white with foam
God bless America, my home sweet home.
God bless America, my home sweet home.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Halloween


'Hallomas', or All Saints,' or 'All Souls' Day observed in old English; the word 'Hallow' meant 'sanctity' used to honor all Saints in Heaven known or unknown. They used to consider it with all solemnity as one of the most significant observances of the Church Year.



The American version of Halloween Day celebration owes its origin to the ancient (pre-Christian) Druidic fire festival called 'Samhain' celebrated by the Celts in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Samhain is pronounced 'Sow-in', with sow rhyming with cow. Thus most of the customs connected with the Day are remnants of the ancient religious beliefs and rituals, first of the Druids and then transcended amongst the Roman Christians who conquered them.
"Trick or treat' may be innocent fun to relish on Halloween Day. But just think about a bunch of frightening fantasies and the scary stories featuring ghosts, witches, monsters, evils, and animal sacrifices associated with it. Are these stories a myth or is there a blend of some reality? You decide!






FIRELIGHT

It’s night and yet in some eerie way,
It’s just as light as tho it were day.

I’ve heard there are goblins and witches about
And from what I’ve seen I have no doubt.

How else explain a night so weird,
The things that happen you view in fear.

You see a black cat run in flight,
Then by some magic snatched from sight.

Forms in human shape float around,
And if you listen close you hear a sound
That calls - come yonder to the firelight.

You want to explore but you’re in suspense
Then curiosity triumphs e’en tho you’re tense.

You see a broomstick on which to climb
Ignore the shivers running down your spine.

Suddenly you’re zooming thru the air
What possible reason could make you dare

O seek yonder lighted sky in haste?
What sort of witchery is taking place?

It’s a fire ablaze shooting flames to the sky
With a portion brewing in a kettle nearby.

You watch and listen for someone to tell
You all about this magic spell.

But as you wait the fire dies down
And darkness again descends on the town.

The goblins and witches fail to appear,
The magic eludes you until another year.


by Wilhelmine E. Mitchell

Monday, October 22, 2007

COMPASSION

Thursday, October 18, 2007 was the yearly Pastoral Care Banquet. Due to health reasons I was resigning as a volunteer after 10 years. The chaplains honored me with a few complimentary words and a dozen red roses. I was asked just why I volunteered with Pastoral Care. My thought was God was so good to me, I wanted to share that grace with someone else. Then again, I have been in the hospital so many times as a patient that I have real empathy, compassion for those in the hospital.

The dictionary defines compassion as "the deep feeling of sharing the suffering of another in the inclination to give aid or support or to show mercy." More than that, compassion is a vital virtue. No teacher has ever uttered words of such eternal value as Jesus, the prince of teachers, concerning compassion. No word of Christ reveals His heart's concern for human need so much as the word compassion. Whether it was his friend, Lazarus, or an alien Samaritan, a little child, or an aged cripple-he cared.

Compassion and helpfulness are kindred souls. It has been said that there is no exercise better for strengthening the heart then reaching down and lifting someone up. We must dedicate more time for Christ and keep our eyes open so He can show his thoughtfulness through us.
Many years ago Pope Leo XIII said: "No one is so poor as not to be useful in some way to his fellowman and the disposition to ask assistance from others with confidence and to grant it with kindness is part of our nature."

A wise man once said: "God is the best helper, but He loves to be helped."
Be earnest in prayer, but do not neglect human means, Spirit-led lives are ours when we ask.



COMPASSION

We are prone to take the blessings
We receive from day to day,
Without a word of 'thank you'
Till they pass away.
Let us express appreciation
For our blessings, come what may,
And try to be more worthy
Each and everyday.........for
Love is concern compassion
Shown for others less fortunate than you
The dirty, the ragged, the lost ones,
Red, yellow faces, yes, black ones, too.
To gain life is to lose it.
Another's burden you must share.
Love is gratitude in action,
To show that you really care.
If indeed you are grateful
For the blessings you enjoy,
You will show it in the things you do,
And how you are employed.
The more you have, the more you give,
This feeling you cannot supress.
You have to do something for someone.
To express your thankfulness.
by Wilhelmine E. Mitchell

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Happiness

I recently heard Steve Blow talk on the subject, happiness, taking references from a book by Dr. Seligman. What I remember most was the statement: "Live in the present and do those things that help others; the end result will bring you gratification." It started me thinking - just what is happiness.

Happiness is the one thing that almost everyone is seeking. Many search in vain, but only a small number have actually attained it. A great Philosopher once wrote: Happiness is neither within us or without us; it is the union of ourselves with God.

However, a more practical man said: Happiness consists of the attainment of our desires and in our having only right & justifiable desires.

It is difficult to explain just what happiness is, but it can certainly be considered a habit which is worth cultivating. The Boy Scout Motto says: "Do a good turn daily." Be as concerned about bringing happines to others as you are to yourself. When you bring happiness to others, it rubs off on yourself, making it the by-probuct of your efforts to make someone else happy.

A quote from Norman Vincent Peale: "The way to happiness is to keep your heart free from worry, live simply, expect little, give much, scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others."

Socrates said, "Know Thyself." Here are some pertinent points made by Dr. Frank Caprio , published in the National Inquirer several years ago:
1. Give yourself a daily mistake allowance
2. Find something that's lovable about yourself
3. Find a few kind words for someone else
4. Find something good to admire in others
5. Find something to laugh about
6. Find something to celebrate
7. Find a challange
8. Find something useful to do for someone else

There are many worthwhile causes in all communities in which to volunteer your time & talents thus having the gratification of helping someone else.

Finally, if you see someone without a smile, give that person yours - it is contagious. Remember the grouch here at Chambrel that I referred to in an article titled 'Act or React.' Well, I have been smiling at him every morning and saying a cheery good morning and he is smiling back! I found the following words of insight, printed in the Dallas Morning News several years past, written by the Rev. Blair Monie, who was at that time pastor of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church. He used these words in a sermon.

One smile begins a friendship;
One bird can herald the spring;
One song speaks a moment;
One star guides a ship;
One candle wipes out the darkness;
One laugh dispels the gloom;
One touch shows you care;
One word begins a prayer;
One note can change a nation;
One life can make a difference!

I'll end with my favorite quote on happiness by Dr. Norman M. Bradbury: "Happiness is when the positive satisfactions outweigh the negative experiences."

Thursday, September 13, 2007

You're aging when.........

The following was taken from the Dallas Morning News 'Viewpoints' by Stanley Marcus. He states : A friend sent me a single-spaced typed sheet with the subject, Aging is when...Unfortunately, the author wasn't identified, but it started by saying, "Aging is when everything hurts and what doesn't hurt doesn't work." The piece went on: Aging is when.............

The gleam in your eyes is from the sun hitting your bifocals.

You feel like the night after, and you haven't been anywhere.

Your little black book contains only names ending in M.D.

You get winded playing chess.

Your children begin to look middle-aged.

You finally reach the top of the ladder and find it leaning against the wrong wall.

You decide to procrastinate but never get around to it.

Your mind makes contracts your body can't meet.

You know all the answers, but noboby asks you the questions.

You look forward to a dull evening.

Your favorite part of the newspaper is "Twenty-Five Years Ago Today."

Your knees buckle, and your belt won't.

You are 17 around the neck, 44 around the waist and 96 around the golf course.

You stop looking forward to your next birthday.

Dialing long distance wears you out.

You are startled the first time you are addressed as an 'old-timer.'

You burn the midnight oil until 9 p.m.

Your pacemaker makes the garage door go up when you watch a pretty girl go by.

You get your exercise acting as a pallbearer for your friends who exercised.

Stanley Marcus adds further observations: Aging is when.............

Tying your shoelaces leaves you breathless.

Your reminiscences aren't as interesting to your listeners as they are to you.

Your memory fails to recall the name of the gorgeous blonde you were madly in love with when you were 21.

The big house in which you grew up has shrunk in apparent size 70 years later.

Your friends keep telling you how great you are looking.

You sleep less and nap more.

Your realize that the good old days actually weren't as good as they were cracked up to be.

Passers-by stop to pick up objects you have dropped.

You allow yourself to luxuriate in casual attire at improper times.

You slump instead of standing erect.

Stanley Marcus ended with: 'Aging is when you have too much room in the house and not enough room in the medicine cabinet.'

Those observations are fine, but I still think the best antidote to aging is to stay active and interested in the world around.

If you have any desire to live to be 100 plus, you had better ignore this whole column.

Monday, September 10, 2007

Viewpoint

One hundred years ago today, Herbert Marcus, his sister Carrie and her husband, A.L. Neiman, opened the doors of Neiman Marcus. All four of the Marcus sons worked at the store with varying specialties. Stanley was the retailing prodigy and probably the one most of us know. For more than 15 years, Stanley Marcus also graced the Viewpoints page of the Dallas Morning News. Here is a sampling of the sage advice of "Mr. Stanley," who died at the age of 96 in 2002 as printed in the Dallas Morning News.

Sept. 22, 1987-AGING: The best antidote to aging is to stay active and retain an interest in the world. Life is too exciting and interesting to retire from it. Tackling new problems appears to be a good prescription to stimulate the brain cells and maintain good health.

Sept. 11, 1990-COMMON COLD: At the risk of sounding cold-hearted, I think there is only one thing worse than having a cold. That is being around someone who has one. The next time you have a cold, stay at home for a couple of days. An occasional day in bed is something we all need. You may not get over your cold any faster, but the rest may enable you to avoid complications and side effects. And with any luck, your associates will avoid catching it at all.

June 6, 1995-HAPPY MARRIAGES: The quality that probably is most important in happy marriages, but seldom mentioned, is a short memory. At first, that doesn't seem logical, for one could argue that an accurate memory would lead to bliss, providing recollections of successes. On the other hand a long memory also recalls past grievances, petty disputes and differences of opinions that can become constant irritants if one allows them. Those endowed with a short memory are able to forget minor slights to the ego and irritating reminders of minor spats. Nothing in life can be perfect, and a long memory that remembers everything and forgets nothing can destroy almost any marriage.

More of Mr. Stanley Marcus' viewpoints to come.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Teach Him Gently

With school starting, I wanted to share this article written by Dan Valentine and published in the Garland Daily News, August 26, 1979; submitted by Lorene Jones as a letter to the Editor. Lorene is a retired school teacher.

Teach him gently, if you can. My young son starts to school tomorrow. It’s all going to be strange and new to him for a while, and I wish you would sort of treat him gently.

You see, up to now, he’s been our little boy. He’s been boss of the back yard. His mother has always been around to repair his wounds, and I’ve always been handy to soothe his feelings. But now things are going to be different. This morning he’s going to walk down the front steps, wave his hand, and start out on a great adventure. It’s an adventure that will probably include wars and tragedy and sorrow. To live his life, in the world he will live in, requires faith and love and courage. So, world, I wish you would sort of take him by his young hand and teach him the things he will have to know. Teach him, but gently, if you can.

He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, that all men are not true.Teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero, and that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader. Teach him that for every enemy, there is a friend.

It will take time, world, I know, but teach him if you can, that a nickel earned is of far more value than a dollar found. Teach him to learn to lose, and to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy, it you can, and teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn quickly that the bullies are the easiest people to lick.

Teach him if you can, the wonder of books, but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat. Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people and tough with tough people.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone else is getting on the band-wagon. Teach him to listen to all men, but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen on truth and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, it you can, how to laugh when he is sad. Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him there can be glory in failure, and despair in success. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness. Teach him to sell his brawn and brains to the highest bidders, but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob, and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right.

Teach him gently, world, but don’t coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel Let him have the courage to be impatient. Let him have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind. This is a big order world, but see what you can do. He's such a a fine little fellow, my son!

Wednesday, September 5, 2007


FRIEND


I recently visited with a long time friend who had moved out of town. As we shared “The Happenings” in our life since she had moved, it was like we had never been apart. We started our conversation right where we had left off months ago. So what is a friend? A person with
whom you dare to be yourself.

Thoreau said: “A friend is someone with whom you can think out loud.”

A friend is someone near or far away,
You don’t have to see them everyday;
A closeness, a thought you might say,
A oneness now and forever may,
Unite the two as one.
Even tho time passes you just
Know your friend is someone you can trust
Your wealth, your health, your life if must.
You might disagree, you might fuss,
But a true friend is forever.

Emerson wrote: “The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand , nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.”

Proverbs 17:17 " A Friend loves at all times."

A Chinese proverb wisely points out: There are plenty of acquaintances, but very few real friends

Monday, August 20, 2007

Invisible Power


The trees are still, the grass barely sways,
But you go singing & whirling away
The clouds are immobile, no kite in the sky,
But you are turning around on high.
You must have a playmate all your own
Out in the field there quite alone,
That gives you energy to pump and drill,
For I see no wind to turn your wheel.

A windmill out in the field, yet no apparent wind, whirling away. It must have an
INVISIBLE SOURCE OF POWER.

I remember something my mother use to say to my father when he asked for more sugar for his coffee. She would say, “Just stir up what’s already in your cup.”
MAYBE THAT’S IT!

When we get overly tired or discouraged we forget or underestimate the marvelous ability God has already given us. God does not hold us responsible for our actions, only our faithfulness.
We can start each day cheerfully & bravely because there is something else that is “DAILY.”
It is the continuous sufficient grace of the One whose strength is made perfect in weakness.

IN ACCEPTANCE LIES PEACE1

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

A Rare Gift

Taken from the First Baptist Church, Sachse news letter dated Oct. 26, 1999 .

Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. While they were waiting for it to begin, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked NO ADMITTANCE. When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that her boy was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard picking out, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.“. At that moment the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit, keep playing.” Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderful experience . The audience was mesmerized. That’s the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try out best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But with THE HAND OF THE MASTER, our life’s work truly can be beautiful. Feel His loving arms around you., and He’ll always be there to love and guide you on to great things.

A RARE GIFT
Put your hand in God’s and walk free
For many this is hard to see.
To accept His will and not our own
To share the joy we have known.
To enjoy life in all its’ phases
To love all men in all places.
This world would be a better place
If God’s equality we would face.
Love mercy, do justly, walk humbly with God
So others may follow where you have trod.
The Bible is a guiding torch
Straight and narrow is the course.
Pray often to our God, let us talk
And know that He does beside us walk.
Better still, a time of quiet
To listen and be guided by it.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Extreme Makeover

Too often we are caught up in the rush & bustle of a busy life with many competing interest. Each day there is within us, in spite of our failures, a constant urge to follow a better way. Maybe we need an Extreme Makeover.

I read a story about an incident in the life of Livingston, a missionary in Africa some years past, and it took on an added meaning for me.

Under the guidance of a native of a certain part of Africa, Livingston was cutting across country new to him. After traveling for sometime, he began to have some concern about the way and voiced his concern to his guide who told him, “There is no road, I am the way.” Just as Livingston had to have faith in the guide’s way, so we have to have faith in our way.

For us, as Christians, there is no way except CHRIST’S WAY. It reminds us that dependence upon Christ is the condition not only for service, but also for continued life. It means waiting in faith at times.

Let go. Let God
Every good and perfect gift
Comes from up above.
Lo the giver is the greatest gift
The verb and noun of love.
No pleasure is too particular
No concern too great or small
For the one who names each starry host
And counts each bird that falls.
He keeps our tears in a bottle
Till the day when he'll wipe them all away.
Our hope is more sure than the sunshine
Our proof is the empty grave.
Lord, I want to love you
Because you first loved me.
Lord, I want to live like you,
Will you live in me.
David Mitchell

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Wedding Bliss

Bill & I just returned from Salisbury, Maryland where we attended the wedding of Josh (our last grandchild to get married). After the excitement of the wedding, we went to Ocean City (a resort on the Atlantic Ocean) for a day of relaxation. We were sitting on the beach watching the waves and listening to the sound they made as they rolled to shore. It seemed calm & peaceful and then a big wave came crashing in and the sound made a roar in our ears. Just as the tide rolls in and then recedes, I thought about the ups & downs & adjustments that newly married couples usually have. It is a time to keep communications open with each other and with God. A God who controls the oceans and will keep your lives steady & calm.



THE SURF
I hear the rumble of your strength,
As you pound the beach.
I see your rolling, roaring waves,
That never cease.
You sound angry and fierce,
As the waves roll,
But your constant voice does lull,
And calm my soul.
So, I think you have a gentle heart,
That likes to tease,
You’re really just a thousand leaves,
Rustling in the breeze.

Monday, July 23, 2007

PRICELESS

I read this recently and don‘t remember where: The computerization of communications-the storage & instant transmission of huge amounts of data is the third great communications revolution in human history, the first being the written alphabet and the second the printing press. People find the virtual reality on the computer screens more attractive than every day reality.



Computer -$500
I Phone - Astronomical
Scenic views - Priceless




Mountains rising over the sun,
Breaking the day one by one.
Each peak a Rushmore with faces pale,
Or an Everest for our dreams to scale.
Signs of Vesuvius sail from the East,
Buffs of power now slaves to the breeze.
There reigns Olympus of ominous fame,
Are there no Gods - Then why thunder and rain?
Yes, you point to Sinai and the fire on the Mount
Flashes of glory remove all doubt.
Someone prays and the hills disappear,
You can see Mt. Zion when the sky is clear.
There sits an angel playing his harp,
Do clouds float in Heaven?
No, Heaven they are.
David Mitchell

Saturday, July 14, 2007

THE PATTERN

THE PATTERN




Tonight I finished knitting a baby hat, one of many, I have made for the nursery at our local hospital. I use a pattern as I ‘knit one, pearl one.’ If I missed a stitch or didn’t follow the pattern, I would end up with something other than what I wanted. Frustration and desperation would follow until the error was corrected
Life with its frustrations is in desperate need for a pattern , one of harmony and love. I believe there is such a pattern and there is power in the Plan that already exists, if we accept it fully.
What does the Lord require of us but to have mercy, do justly and love the Lord our God and enjoy Him forever. If we are to have inner peace we have to believe in the power of love and goodness. Jesus throughout His ministry taught us the way of love, and compassion . My prayer is for Him to continue to guide us today…………



To remember Christ’s body that was broken for me,
To forgive others as I have been forgiven by Thee,
To have a contrite heart and the will to repent,
To accept Christ as Savior and know atonement,
To not be disillusioned by the world,
To be concerned when diversity is unfurled,
To proclaim the love for which I was called,
To break down the barriers wherein I’m walled,
To show compassion when others suffer,
To be involved with life and not demure,
To feed the hungry and help the oppressed,
That all might have life and true happiness
Amen.

Sunday, July 8, 2007


JOYFUL
IN THE MIDDLE of last century, the chaplain in the U.S. Senate was a clergyman named William Henry Channing. One night with pencil and paper on his right knee he composed this formula for living:

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to the stars and birds, to babes and sages, with an open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual unbidden and unconscious grow up through the common.”

To be JOYFUL depends wholly on our attitude about life. If we don’t take one’s self too seriously, we open ourselves to the joy in the simple events that happen everyday.

Joe Osteem says: “If you can tap into this joy, you will be happy.”

Joy is a New Day
Awakening the bird to sing a tune,
Kissing the flower to open a bloom,
A light in the sky so that it glows,
Making sunrays that fashion shadows.
Joy is Rain
Falling like teardrops drenching the earth,
Refreshing our lives to give rebirth,
Never a cloud, but the sun can shine through,
Giving rainbow colors in every hue.
Joy is Trust
In what comes tomorrow.
Sunshine without rain is life without sorrow,
Accepting all things come what may,
Having faith in God is the only way.



Saturday, June 30, 2007

July 4th

INDEPENDENCE DAY - JULY 4th
CONTINENTAL CONGRESS ADOPED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND
JOHN HANCOCK SIGNED IT, JULY 4, 1776
PREAMBLE;
We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.

A THANKFUL HEART

I’m thankful……
We live in a country that is prosperous and free,
Full of wondrous things for everyone to see.
For the bountiful gifts each day that we enjoy.
In gratitude I turn to God, to give Him praise and glory.
So many comforts to make us secure,
His strength for our trials that we might endure.
I’m thankful…….
For the quiet hours when we can meditate,
And know that God is ever present and holds secure our fate.
In all the little things we often do not hear.
Sure as the sun and stars, we know that God is near.
Just as we hear the whisper of a gentle a breeze,
Or leaves rustling on the ground or falling from the trees.
I’m thankful……
For the time alone when we can tune in,
The memories stored away and play them back again.
The birth of a new born babe now turned sixty-one,
The tears & laughter in between and the victories that were won.
The many friends who share our joy and often share our sorrow,
The good times had and the plans made for tomorrow.
I’m thankful!


Saturday, June 23, 2007

Too Fast

I've watched several commercials lately, "Life comes at you fast." It is like a wake-up call. Just when you decide retirement is all about rest and relaxation..............Bam..............you are reminded life is not all about you.

We read about the destruction caused by flooding; children dying of aids; the shooting of innocent people, the killings by radical rebels in Iraq and in other parts of the world, etc., etc

We can make use of our escape mechanism and tell ourselves we have already done our share (after all, we are retired), or we can reach out and help relieve the suffering of others.

We can make an impact in their misfortune. When we let ourselves be used by God, he will give us the added strength & resources we need.



Go away world, you are coming too close,

I see the destruction from the power you boast.

The dead and the wounded caused by war,

There must be a way to love others more.

I see the way of the Militant,

Justice and dignity is what he wants.

Rebellion and riots afar spread,

There must be a way to hold hands instead.

I see the forsaken everywhere,

Poverty, hunger, the naked, the bare.

No schools in which to learn,

Or security for which they yearn.

I see it all world, you are coming so fast,

I'm comfortable in the way of the past.

I've built a wall between me and my brother,

It will take time to reach each other.

Lord God above to you I yield,

Tear down the wall and a bridge build.

I have so much, teach me to share,

For a wounded world, teach me to care.

Monday, June 18, 2007

When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Recently the daughter of friends died after battling cancer for over a year. Children aren’t suppose to die before their parents…………are they? Why do such things happen, when, God promises blessings?
In a column by Sinclair Ferguson printed in the Dallas Morning News he said:
There are three principles with which every Christian should be familiar. God works in a variety of circumstances; He is never doing only one thing. God works with a variety of people, What God is doing may not actually lie within that person. .God works towards a variety of goals, Each principle is working in all the circumstances of people’s lives to bring them to the right place at the right time.
How can we be sure God will ‘work all things together for good?’ The Apostle Paul answers in Romans 8:32, if God did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up(to suffer on the cross) for us all, we can sure He will give us all things with Christ. Hold on Jesus' words to Simon Peter: "You do not understand what I am doing now: but afterwards you will understand." John 13:


No value have the things of earth
Within the person of the man
Save as they serve to bring to birth
A fruitful knowledge of God's plan
The fiercest war that man doth wage
Takes place within his earthly cage,
From this he has to free his soul
To bring to birth the Christ, His goal.
David Mitchell 1982

Monday, June 11, 2007

Father's Day

Taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:The driving force behind the establishment of the integration of Father’s Day was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd, born in Creston, Washington. Her father, the Civil War veteran, William Jackson Smart, as a single parent raised his six children in Spokane, Washington. She was inspired by Anna Jarvis’s efforts to establish Mother’s Day. Although she initially suggested June 5, the anniversary of her father’s death, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.

The first June Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in SpokaneUnofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. President Woodrow Wilson was personally feted by his family in 1915. President Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924. In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson made Father’s Day a holiday to be celebrated on the third Sunday of June. The holiday was not officially recognized until 1972, during the presidency of Richard Nixon.

On this Father’s Day, June 17, 2007, I have no poem of my own, so I am printing a poem our son, Don wrote to his father when he was 25 years old. Later, I will print poems of our other sons.

Well, this is just a story of how a boy became a man.
He never really noticed such.
He never had a plan.
He left his home & family to educate his mind.
But got lost in search of wisdom,
‘cause he’d left the truth behind.
Yet the years were good to him, each day his knowledge grew;
But with his understanding
A bitterness came too.
And though he wasn’t Atlas carrying all the world,
His burden was just as heavy
He wished he were a bird.
It wasn’t because of war and hate, death, disease or pain,
But because these things were everywhere,
And the song remained the same
So he wandered on from day to day with many directions to choose.
And he tried to follow all of them,
Except for just a few.
And though each endeavor brought no wealth or fame,
He lived and learned of life and love
And from where he came.
And then he met a pretty girl with wildness in her eyes.
She seemed so full of all his dreams,
And she never told him lies.
So they dreamed their dreams together and felt each others fire.
And shared as one their laughs and cries,
Their souls most treasured desires.
Before, the Lord, they promised each all that was in their hearts.
For deep inside they knew at last
They’d never be apart.
And by their love, the Lord above blessed them with a son.
The boy had become a man at last
with their new number one.
Thanks Pop for letting me carry on
Donny 6/17/79

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Flag Day


FLAG DAY-June 14
During America’s War for Independence, the need for a single national emblem was realized. On June 14, 1777, Congress passed an act stating “that the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.” June 14 is now celebrated each year as Flag Day.

In 1704 after Vermont and Kentucky became states, Congress established a flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes. This design, which remained for 23 years, was “The Star-Spangled Banner” Francis Scott Key wrote about in 1814.

Finally in 1818, Congress settled n our current design. They returned to 13 stripes with the number of stars equal to the number of states - 20 at that time.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The pledge of Allegiance has been expanded since it first appeared in the magazine , Youth’s Companion in 1892. In 1923 the words “flag of the United States of America” were substituted for “my flag” and in 1954, the phrase “under God” was added. The Pledge, adopted by Congress in 1942, was written in response to then-President Benjamin Harrison’s call to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discover of America by showing patriotism. No one knows for sure who wrote the pledge. The magazine’s circulation chief, Francis Bellamy, gets credit from the U.S. Flag Association. But advocates of Mr. Bellamy’s assistant, James B. Upham, who think he wrote it, bitterly dispute the point.

THE PLEDGE
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united States of America
And to the republic for which it stands,
One nation under God,
Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.


THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming/
Whose broad stripes and bright stars,
Thro’ the perilous fight,
O’re the ramparts we watched,
Were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?


The lyricist, Frances Scott Key, was a lawyer negotiating the release of a prisoner of war on a British ship two years after the start of the War of 1812 when he overheard the British talk about their plan to attack Baltimore on Sept. 13. The British detained him to keep him from warning American troops. He anxiously watched the fire from the deck of the ship, and when he saw the U.S. flag stil waving at daybreak above Fort McHenry, he was inspired to write the poem. When he was released, he showed a copy to a relative, who took it to a printer. Set to the music of a popular tune, it was an instant success and was played by the Army March 3, 1931.


FLY YOUR FLAG!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

ACT OR REACT

Bill and I live at Chambrel, a retirement for Senior Citizens. A new resident was at breakfast recently and
rudely asked me to get out of his way while we were both in line to get food. My response was “Wait your turn,” in not too pleasant a voice. The resident seems to be rude and grumpy all of the time. I thought he sure is a sullen fellow. Am I going to react to this man each time he is rude? Why should I let him decide how I’m going to act, and as I thought more about this incident, it occurred to me that the important thing here was the word , ACT not REACT as I had done.
I am usually cheerful, smiling, helpful and to let another person determine whether I shall be rude or gracious is to relinquish control over my personality. I decided I needed help to become master over my own actions & attitudes, so I turned to God.
I asked what could I do?
"Build me a better world, " God said,
I asked: "How? This world is so complicated
And I am so small."
Then God, in His Infinite Wisdom replied:
“Just build a better you!”

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Big Things - Litle Things

Bill & I were raised during the depression years, when everyone learned to "Scrimp & Save." Then came WWII and the men went off to war and the women went to work in the factories. Hard times, yes, but we managed. Tom Brokaw called this era, "The Greatest Generation.

"Now, we are in a war with Iraq. The number of troops that are wounded or killed is growing and again we are asked to cope with a crisis.In the big issues we manage to hold onto our faith and exercise extraordinary courage. It's the little things that get us down.

I read the following in an article written by Dorothy Rowland Martin: A man who had visited the Holy Land and had seen the numerous rock fences that separated the Palestinian farms, but gave them little protection against small animals. It was only then that he realized the significance of the words in the Song of Solomon, "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoilt vineyards........." (Song of Solomon 2:15).It is the little foxes, the little troubles & frustrations that cause tension & spoil our nature.

We can handle the big troubles, but it is the little 'Day by Day' things that get us down. Mastering our simple everyday, sometimes exasperating days is not easy. We must work at our faith, test the endurance of our patience to rise above "The Little Foxes.'It is these situations that seem overwhelming and impossible when we need to find our confidence in Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb 12:2). He is the One who gives us courage for the presence and the hope for the future. He is the one that calms the storms.

Our life is like the wind, turbulent than calm.
Just as the breeze that sails the kite,
tomorrow is always in our sight.
The fury of a storm will past.
The beauty of a rainbow's smile,
Is only hidden for awhile.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Answered Prayer

Most of you know Bill had a heart attack and four-by-pass surgery while in Branson on a tour of shows in 2006. Our children & grandchildren took turns staying with us and caring for us both while we were in Branson for three weeks and then in Baylor hospital here in Garland for four weeks.We had this Bible verse written on the bulletin boards in both hospitals: " Nothing is too hard for God” ( Jeremiah 32:17,27). It had such a positive impact on everyone, doctors, nurses, on all the care-givers that we could feel the power of God at work. It has been over a year now and Bill has no feeding tube, no oxygen, no ventilator, no dialysis and no walker. He is enjoying life again. Prayer does have a powerful impact on our lives when we use it. Here are a few quotes from famous people regarding prayer.
  • Abraham Lincoln: “I talk to God when problems loom. My mind seems relieved when I do and a way is suggested. I should be a self-conceited blockhead if I should hope to get along without the wisdom that comes from God.”
  • Benjamin Franklin called for daily prayers. He said: “The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see that God governs the affairs of men.”
  • President Eisenhower believed prayer could spark dedication in receptive hearts around the earth and he quoted: “I am certain wondrous results could be accomplished by hundreds upon hundreds of millions in personal prayer.”If prayer did not produce results, it would soon be weeded out of the human race. In those times it is not prayer which has failed, but we have failed to pray.
  • Rufus Jones (Quaker Philosopher)This is a story from Readers Digest printed several years ago:A small boy was struggling mightily, to lift a heavy stone he couldn’t budge. Happening to pass by, his father asked, 'are you using all your strength?' 'Yes , I am' said the boy impatiently, ‘I don’t think you are,' said the father, ‘you haven’t asked me to help.

Gratitude
We are prone to take the blessings
we receive from day to day
Without a word of 'thank you'
Till they all go away.
Let us express appreciation
our blessings, come what may,
And try to be more worthy
Each and every day.


I am a cancer survivor. The last two weeks Bill was in the hospital, I entered the hospital to have surgery for lubular carcinoma. It was decided that I would have a radical double masectomy. At my age the chances of it coming back are moot.


He answered prayer,
Not in the way I sought,
Not in the way I thought He ought;
But in His own good way and I could see
He answered in the fashion best for me;
And I was glad that I had such a share
In His loving and gracious care.
That He answered prayer.


Dear Lord, take care of yourself, if You don't, we are all in trouble.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

To My Children

We gave you life, but we cannot live it for you.
We can teach you things, but we cannot make you learn.
We can give you direction, but we cannot always be there to lead you.
We can allow you freedom, but we cannot account for it.
We can take you to the temple, but we cannot make you believe.
We can teach you right from wrong, but we cannot make your decisions.
We can buy beautiful things, but we cannot make you beautiful inside.
We can offer you advice, but we cannot make your decisions.
We can give you love, but we cannot make you return it.
We can teach you to share, but we cannot make you unselfish.
We can teach you respect, but we cannot make you show it.
We can advise you about friends, but we cannot choose them for you.
We can advise you about sex, but we cannot keep you pure.
We can tell you about the facts of life, but we cannot build your reputation.
We can warn you about drugs, but we cannot prevent you from using them.
We can tell you about setting goals, but we cannot achieve them for you.
We can teach you about kindness, but we cannot force you to be kind.
We can teach you about God, but we cannot place you in His family.
We can pray for you, but we cannot make you walk with God.
We can guide you, too, through life, but we cannot save it for you.
But most of all, we can love you unconditionally for all you life,
and we will.
-Author Unknown
Time and Again
Thankful we for Gods' unfailing love,
And His mercy that comes from above.
Time and Again
When our hearts are broken, God wept,
We can do naught but his compassion accept.
Time and Again
It is in His arrms that we are caressed,
With unconditional love we are blessed.
Time and Again
Mercy and compassion we must show,
This same love to others bestow.
Time and Again
God must be broken-hearted and sad,
When we refuse the plans He had.
Time and Again
by Wilhelmine Mitchell

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Mother's Day

May 13 is Mother's Day this year and it is also Bill's birthday. I was wondering how Mother's Day became a National Holiday and why we celebrated on the second Sunday in May. What I found after a little research I thought interesting enough to share with my blog readers.
Printed in the Garland Morning News Sunday. May 2, 2004.

The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honor of Rhea, the Mother of the Gods. During the 1600s, England celebrated a day called "Mothering Sunday," on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40-day period leading up to Easter). "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.

During this time, many of England's poor worked as servants for the wealthy. As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants lived at the houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday, the servants had the day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.

As Christianity continued to evolve throughout Europe, the celebration changed to the"Mother Church"- the spiritual power that gave the people life and protected them from harm. Over time the church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration. People began honoring their mothers as well as the church.

In the United States, Mother's Day was first suggested in 1872 by Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the "Battle Hymn of Republic," as a day dedicated to peace. Ms. Howe began holding organized Mother's Day meetings in Boston every year.

In 1907, Ana Jarvis of Philadelphis began a campaign to establish a national Mother's Day. Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother's church in Grafton, West Va., to celebrate Mother's Day on the second anniversary of her mother's death, the second Sunday of May. By the next year, Mother's Day was also celebrated in Philadelphia. Ms. Jarvis and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessmen and politicians in their quest to establish a national Mother's Day. It was successful, and by 1911 Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement proclaiming Mother's Day a national holiday that was to be held each year on the second Sunday of May.
While many countries celebrate their own Mother's Days at different times throughout the year, some countries, like Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia and Belgium, also celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May.

A Mother's Love
A mother's love is something
that no one can explain.
It is made of deep devotion,
and of sacrifice and pain.
It is endless and unselfish,
and enduring, come what may,
For nothing can destroy it,
or take that love away.
It is patient and forgiving
When all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
Even though the heart is breaking.
It believes beyond believing
When the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
Of the rarest, brightest gems.
It is far beyond defining,
It defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
Like the mysteries of creation.
A many-splendored miracle
We cannot understand,
And another wondrous evidence
Of God's tender, guiding hand.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

DUET

Pitter, patter, raindrops fall,
They make a merry tune.
The earth awaits its thirst to quench,
It drinks its fill right soon.
The lightning strikes, the thunder rolls,
There sounds a shattering blow,
Just put on a great big smile
It will soon pass you know.
The sun then shines as if to say,
It takes us both you see,
The rain and clouds, a time for growth,
The sun brings forth maturity.
Last night as the rain continued to fall, knowing it would soon end and the sunshine would later come through, I thought about other duets in life - problems and blessings. Just as we enjoy the sunshine after the rain, life's good times are more fully appreciated after a time of sadness.
There is a human tendency for people to continually tabulate their problems without considering their blessings. If people took inventory of themselves they might come up with some interesting and sometimes surprising deductions about their own status relating to blessings and problems.
Reflect on your blessings of which every person has many - not on your problems of which everyone has some. Then let us remember to have complete confidence in God's provision for our needs whether they be problems or blessings - rain or sunshine.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Too Busy

Former editorial director and longtime Guidepost contributor, Author Gordon, in an article written in 2002 had this to say about being too busy to make up your mind to accept Christ as your Savior:

"Each morning our big cat, Oreo and I go through our familiar ritual at the back door. Oreo has been outside for awhile and he really wants to come in, so I open the door and wait. I think ruefully of the Bible passage, 'Behold I stand at the door............,' but will he come in.

No, he won't. He stops and lowers his head suspiciously as if I were some deadly enemy. Come on Oreo I say tapping my foot impatiently. He sits thoughtfully and begins to wash his face with one paw. Oreo, I say, I give you food, I supply all your needs. If you do anything in return, I don't know what it is. Now I'm personally inviting you into my house, so come on in!

Oreo puts one foot across the threshold, then draws it back. He looks out across the yard with some remote, unfathomable expression. He still doesn't come into the house.

Oreo, I say, I'm not going to stand here forever. If you don't come in I'm going to close this door. This is your last chance.

Slowly, I start to close the door, Does he come in? No, he sits there, exercising his free will or something. He'll come when it suits him, not before. He figures I'll be patient. So far, he's right.

God made cats. He also made people. I wonder how God feels sometimes when he stands at the door and waits.........and waits."

Too Busy
Days come - days go
as we wander to and fro.
Come here - go heed,
house to keep and family to feed.
Meetings here- meetings there,
we are caught in one big snare.
Much to do - much to dare,
But Christ's followers should care.
Others suffer - Lord, we pray,
We need more time, show us the way.
Days we learn- days we teach,
Aims are high for goals to reach.
God is love - Christ His Son,
Bring this message to everyone.
God loves us - He sent His Son,
Let's give thanks for what He's done.
Life is full - our response,
A grateful heart,
He supplies our wants.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Doors

Doors are interesting, they open & close. Doors are such an every day part of living we rarely give them a thought unless they stick or refuse to open. The doors through which we choose to pass determine to a great extent the sort of people we become. There are school doors, library doors, church doors, doors to gambling houses and bars. We have a choice. The doors we open & close each day decide the lives we live.

Many of us when meeting with sudden disappointment or misfortune raise a cry of anger and resentment against heaven. Why should God do this to us. To be deprived of health is hard to bear and harder to understand, but we are reminded God never takes from us without giving something greater in return. Disappointments & troubles are often instruments with which He fashions us for better things to come. God will always open another door when one is closed.

This past year was a very frustrating for Bill & I. Bill having open-heart surgery and myself having a radical double mastectomy and being informed that I also have lymphoma. Things we enjoyed doing were no longer a pssibility for us. With my activity limited I thankfully found a new door opened for me with the computer.. A place where I can share my thought and poems with family & friends. A new exciting life opened. One that I can look forward in the fullest sense, a bright new day.

A New Day
From the first red glare of sunrise
To the warm glo of sunset
How glorious is each new day.
Morning sunlight, dewdrops glisten as dawn dies
Awake to doves a cooing.
Flowers opening their blossoms gay.
The freshness, newness of the moring cries
Rejoice, be glad, be happy.
The whisper of a breeze that's want to play
The rivers, creeks, lakes all that abide
The gentle current, the strong tide,
That guides our life as much it may.
The butterfly, bird, bee, all that flies
O're awesome mountain and trees,
Bring music and beauty to all to stay.
And still there is left much for surprise
To thrill each life afresh
No puppets we, our wills please-hurray!
The twinkle of star studded skies
Bring peace and self esteem
In answer to our wishfullness, we only have to pray.
The wonder of each new day lies
In God's everlasting love,
We have naught but accept, there is no other way.
Wilhelmine

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Just as I am

I am known for saying the wrong thing and usually at the wrong time. In fact Bill has a file of Willyisms, words or phrases I have said incorrectly or misquoted. "A bed of roses," "A bowl of cherries," might be misquoted as A bed of cherries. I'm not a good conversationalist. I'm forever "putting my foot in it" so to speak. I ask myself does it matter that I am imperfect in this way? The song, "Just As I Am" comes to mind. This song sang at the end of all Billy Graham's rallies lets people know they are worthy in God's eyes even tho imperfect.

Just as I am
Sometimes the way's not easy
we don't do the things we should,
Our day is simply fouled up
by not doing what we could.
Our mind is all a clutter
with many a doubting thought
time passes swiftly by,
The day has brought us naught.
But our Lord is gracious to forgive
our failures he has seen
tomorrow we can start anew
the slate if erased clean.
If we seek the Lord for guidance
In all things - not just some
There is no limit for you and me
In what we can become.
Still we fail as best we try
and yet God does declare
His love and mercy is for us all
His Son the cross did bear.
We have but to lead the way
to others with this love
that they too might know the grace
that comes from God above.
Thankful we should surely be
for the lion and the lamb
but most of all for Divine Love
that accepts me as I am.
From "Our Daily Bread" I read: "The validity of Christianity is not based on imperfect Christians, but on the perfect Christ."

The Ole One Hundredth

Today was Heritage Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, Garland, Texas. We celebrated 119 years of a worshiping congregation in which Bill & I have been a member for 55 years. In 1988 we celebrated our 100th Anniversary and for that occcasion I wrote this poem which we sang to the tune, "Ole One Hundredth," and we have sang it on our anniversary each year.

Thank-ful we for the church of old.
That per-se-vered in faith fore-told.
A faith that still guides you and me,
Knowing tht we can con-fident be.
Through every day, in joy and sorrow,
We trust in You for each to-morrow.
Free from all worry, free from strife,
Your love and mercy gives us life.
Our joy abounds in Thy wondrous care.
We lift our hearts to You in prayer,
A song of praises we shall sing.
To Christ our Savior, Lord and King.
I was reminded again today that the church is not a building, but the CHILDREN OF GOD worshiping together.
When our children were small , as we traveled back to Indiana to visit our parents, we stopped at a different church in a different town each trip. We were always welcomed & made to feel a part of their church family. As Bill & I traveled to other states, particular California, we worshiped with different ethnic groups, different denominaations, different ways of worship, but we always felt His oneness.
When I was traveling, several occasions stand out: Once in East Germany , before the Berlin Wall came down, my tour group went to church.......yes, amid the communists. Christians still found a way to worship the Lord. I didn't understand what anyone was saying and the service was strange, but I felt a oneness in worshipping the Lord.
Another time in Hamburg, Germany my cousin and I went to a worship service where there was a different ethnic group in charge each week, yet we felt the Holy Spirit present bringing us all together.
Again in Greece , at the river Gattitas where Lydia was baptised, several groups of different denominations were gathered and we all sang "Bless Be The Tie That Binds." The oneness of Spirit was evident as we held hands and cried.


The family of God exists. We have only to be a member of the fellowship already established by His Holy Spirit.

Galations 3:26 ".....for now we are all children of God thru faith in Jesus Christ."

Friday, April 20, 2007

LOVE

" Every individual discovers either through his richest moments of fulfillment or his great gaping lacks that Love is what matters most." Sarah Patton Boyle, The Desegregated Heart.

It has been said that the Bible is God's love letter for his people.

One definition of love: "A state of heart & mind in which we are centered in something or someone, so that our being flows to this other center."

We can live to the fullest only if we love.

LOVE
There is a love that passes understanding.
A love whose greatness cannot measured be;
Like a vast ocean, without shore or landing,
And that great love, it loves you and me.
No height, no depth, no length can show it;
No words of man can speak its tale of thee;
Yet my heart may learn to know it,
That wondrous love that loves you and me.
For God so love, He sent His Well-Beloved,
His only Son, to die for you and me.
Thus His love to all the world He proved;
Proof divine, that cannot questioned be.
FAITH, HOPE, LOVE.............AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS lOVE
"Nothing can ever separate us from God's love except our own blind unwillingness to receive it."
A quote by Hannah Whitall Smith

Thursday, April 19, 2007

HOPE



By Faith we have the assurance of Hope, the assurance that God has plans for us better than anything we can either desire or deserve.


HOPE
Hope is what we reach for
each and every day.
It keeps us going forward
as we grope our way.
Hope is our love and trust
our riches for tomorrow.
When our todays are cloudy and
sometimes filled with sorrow.
Hope is the unknown -yet
we confident be
in the faith we have that
guides you and me.
Hope is our joy that
we have in Gods' care
Our cup runneth over
with others we must share.
Hope is our Salvation when
you & I will know
The wondrous things in store for us
Our God has planned it so.
Wilhelmine

Faith is believing what we cannot see, our Hope is seeing what we have believed.

FAITH HOPE LOVE

H. G. Wells has said: " Until a man has found God, he begins at no beginning and works to no end."

"Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see." William Newton Clark

So then our belief or unbelief determines whether we receive or reject the Lord and His Promises.

FAITH
From generation to generation,
God is a bulwark sure.
He shares our trials and makes
our cross so easy to endure.
From Abraham we learn faith,
we do not hope in vain.
From every prophet in history,
there is something we can gain.
We need to know the courage
of the pilgrims of the past,
to help us set our course,
and make it straight & fast.
With a heritage such as ours,
we can persevere.
With God by our side,
we need never fear.
Wilhelmine

Sunday, April 15, 2007

One Day at a Time




RoseAnn will soon be 60 years old . In discussing her birthday, I learned that 60 years of age is the milestone for Baby Boomers. For my generation, the age was 65. It seems everyone & everything is moving faster these days. I am reminded that one day at a time is sufficient for our needs.

My favorite scripture has always been: "This is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." ( Ps:118:24 ) I have this scripture cross-stitched and framed ( by my son, Don & his wife, Pat) hanging on the wall in my bedroom where I can see it each morning when I awake.

It has been said, there are two days in every week about which we should not worry. One of these is yesterday. It has passed away forever.

Quote by Michael Vibenko: One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us."

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow; tomorrow if beyond our control. This leaves only today - a day to start over new. The past has been erased clean and the future is yet to be. We have only today to enjoy, one day at a time.

Bird Talk
Have you ever watched a sparrow
flitting about the grass.
No worries or cares, but free
to enjoy the days go past.
He's not a pretty bird as some
that fly, often called a pest.
He drinks & feeds, a contented bird
as he builds his nest.
Now, why are we mortals
forever in a stew?
The Lord takes care of sparrows
just as he will me & you.
Wilhelmine

Monday, April 2, 2007

An Easter Story

Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Holy Land which included a stop at the church in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Garden of Gethsemane lies at the foot of the Mount of Olives. It appears today as it did twenty centuries ago, a most impressive site. This is the Garden where Jesus on his last night underwent the most sorrowful hour of his passion taking upon Himself the sins of all mankind. As a tourist I was encouraged to kneel and place my hand on the rock (which is in the church) where Jesus knelt and prayed: "Not my will, but thy will O Lord." As I knelt and touched the rock I felt his anguish so strongly tears flowed down my face, I couldn't move as I understood the great sacrifice He made for us all. That evening I wrote this poem.

In the Garden
Come kneel in the garden
where Jesus knelt to pray
Our Father, not my will, but thy
He knew the price he had to pay
Come kneel in the garden
Where Jesus wept for you and me
How deeply our Lord suffered
and still - the cross at calvery
Come kneel in the garden
Jesus still hears and cares
Where you can leave your worries
For our Lord your burdens bears
When I arrived home I was moved to write the following poem:
The Good News
I saw a woman weeping and I heard her say
"Is this not where they laid my Lord?"
Then from a distance one who observed the scene
"Women, do not be sorry or weep, nay,
I go to my Father and your Father to prepare the way."
I saw a woman running and I heard her shout
"My Lord has risen - Hallelujah!"
He said our sins died with Him on the cross
This was what His death was all about
We will be with Him in Heaven, not to doubt
I saw a woman singing - her voice was full of joy
She could do naught but spread the word
Of the wondrous things she had seen and heard
We will have eternal glory
To spread His love was her story
I saw a woman praying in humble gratitude
I would capture all I saw and hold it dear
And tell the good news far and near
I would pray for a thankful heart,
to God in glorious magnitude
He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
(Wilhelmine Mitchell - 1981)