Spiritual Food For Thought

[Lorie]

   Kleenex please...And thank you Carl,  for sharing such a wonderful poem, the author, was so right....Naomie Hinkle has a lot of wisdom to share here....I am glad she sent it to you to pass on.   

   

[Teresa]

These are just wonderful stories..and with each one comes some deep thoughts and learning lessons.
Great reads Carl..thanks.

~Blessed Be ..
Teresa

[Carl Harrod]

Here is another that Naomi Hinkle sent me:


As I was walking down life's highway many years ago

I came upon a sign that read Heavens Grocery Store.

When I got a little closer the doors swung open wide
And when I came to myself I was standing inside.

I saw a host of angels. They were standing everywhere
One handed me a basket and said "My child shop with care."

Everything a human needed was in that grocery store
And what you could not carry you could come back for more

First I got some Patience. Love was in that same row.
Further down was Understanding, you need that everywhere you go.

I got a box or two of Wisdom and Faith a bag or two.
And Charity of course I would need some of that too.

I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost It was all over the place.
And then some Strength and Courage to help me run this race.

My basket was getting full but I remembered I needed Grace,

And then I chose Salvation for Salvation was for free
I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me.

Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
For I thought I had everything to do the Masters will.

As I went up the aisle I saw Prayer and put that in,
For I knew when I stepped outside I would run into sin.

Peace and Joy were plentiful, the last things on the shelf.
Song and Praise were hanging near so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the angel "Now how much do I owe?"
He smiled and said "Just take them everywhere you go."

Again I asked "Really now, How much do I owe?"
"My child" he said, "God paid your bill a long long time ago."

[Teresa]

You know, I have been doing some 'going back over' all the things that have been posted.
These, that you have shared with us here Carl..are very good.
Do you have any more?

[Carl Harrod]

Thoughts For Special People

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die. "Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.

"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it." "Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every out come is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some
time later...


                             Oooo
Some people          (       )
come into our lives  )    /
and quickly go..     (_ /

           oooO
          (       ) Some people
          \      / become friends
           \ _ / and stay awhile...



leaving beautiful   Oooo
footprints on our (       )
hearts...              )     /
                          (__/

  oooO
(       ) and we are
  \     ( never
   \ _ ) quite the same
          because we have
          made a good
          friend!!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!

I think this is special...live and savor every moment....
This is not a dress rehearsal!

   (\       /)
   ( \ _  / )
    ( \()/ )
     ( / \ ) TAKE THIS LITTLE ANGEL
    ( /   \ ) AND KEEP HER CLOSE TO YOU
     /      \ SHE IS YOUR GUARDIAN ANGEL
    (        ) SENT TO WATCH OVER YOU 

Right Now -

-somebody is very proud of you.
-somebody is thinking of you
-somebody is caring about you.
-somebody misses you
-somebody wants to talk to you.
-somebody wants to be with you.
-somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.
-somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
-somebody wants to hold your hand.
-somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
-somebody wants you to be happy.
-somebody wants you to find him/her.
-somebody is celebrating your successes.
-somebody wants to give you a gift.
-somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.
-somebody loves you.
-somebody admires your strength.
-somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
-somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.

[Teresa]

When I Whine 

~~~~~~~

Today, upon a bus, I saw a girl with golden hair
I looked at her and sighed and wished I was as fair.
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and used a crutch
But as she passed, she passed a smile.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine
I have 2 legs, the world is mine.
~~~
I stopped to buy some candy
The lad who sold it had such charm
I talked with him a while, he seemed so very glad
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me,
"I thank you, you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 eyes, the world is mine.
~~~
Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue
He stood and watched the others play
He did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
And then I knew, he couldn't hear.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have 2 ears, the world is mine.
~~~
With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I would know.

Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, The world is mine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's just a simple reminder....
We have so much to be thankful for!!!

~~~~~~
Sorrow looks back,
Worry looks around,
Faith looks up

[Teresa]

Whom God Uses 

                  The next time you feel like God can't use you, just remember...

         Noah was a drunk
         Abraham was too old
         Isaac was a day dreamer
         Jacob was a liar
         Leah was ugly
         Joseph was abused
         Moses had a stuttering problem
         Gideon was afraid
         Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
         Rahab was a prostitute
         Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
         David had an affair and was a murderer
         Elijah was suicidal
         Isaiah preached naked
         Jonah ran from God
         Naomi was a widow
         Job went bankrupt
         John the Baptist ate bugs
         Peter denied Christ
         The Disciples fell asleep while praying
         Martha worried about everything
         The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
         Zaccheus was too small
         Paul was too religious
         Timothy had an ulcer...AND
         Lazarus was dead!

         No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential.
         After all, you aren't the message; you're just the messenger.

          God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

          Dear God, I have a problem; it's me.

          Growing old is inevitable; growing UP is optional.

          There is no key to happiness. The door is always open..

          Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

          Do the math. Count your blessings.

          Faith is the ability to not panic.

          Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

          If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.

          As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

          Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

          The most important things in your house are the people.

          When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.

         God wants us to be still so He can un! tangle the knot.

          A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

          He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

[Carl Harrod]

26 Beautiful One-liners

1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless hope.

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12. When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you.

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the heck out of you.

What we do in life echoes in eternity....