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.

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.

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

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.

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.