Inspirations!

[ForHisGlory]

"The Story of the Little Grape Stem"

Once upon a time there was a little grape stem. This
stem was so glad to be alive ...She drank water and
minerals from the soil and grew and grew She was young
and strong and could manage quite well ... All by Herself

But then, the Wind was cruel, the rain was harsh, the
snow was not one bit understanding, and the little grape
stem suffered She drooped, weak and suffering.

It would be so easy to stop trying to grow, to stop
trying to live. And the grape stem was poor! The winter
was long, and the stem was weary.

But then the little grape stem heard a voice. It was
another grape stem calling out to her ... "Here, reach
out ... hang on to me." But the stem hesitated.
"What would this mean?" she thought For you see, the
little stem had always managed quite well, ... All by
herself.

But then, every so cautiously, she reached out towards
the other grape stem. "See, I can help you" it said.
"Just wind your tendrils about me and I will help you
lift your head." And the little stem trusted ...and
suddenly she could stand straight again.

The wind came ... and the rain ... and the snow, But
when it came, the little grape stem was clinging to
many other stems. And although the stems were swayed
by the wind ... and frozen by the snow, They stood
strongly united to each other. And in their untired
strength ... they could smile and grow.

And then, one day the little stem looked down and saw
a tiny stem, swaying, frightened. And our little grape
stem said, "Here, hang on ... I will help you." And
the other stem reached up to our grape stem... And
together all the stems grew ... Leaves budded ...
flowers bloomed ... And finally, grapes formed
And the grapes fed many.
--Author Unknown

 

[ForHisGlory]

I love the taste of T-Bone steak,
Delicious every bite.
But there's nothing like the Word of God,
For my spiritual appetite.

The Word of God has milk and meat,
And even ice cream and cake.
Take a slice of the Bread of Life,
And coffee to keep us awake.

Open your Bible and turn to Psalms,
For David's famous buffet.
You can drink all the wine of the Word you want,
And still feel fine the next day.

There's enough of the Word for everyone,
And no one has to cheat.
The Word of God is a smorgasbord,
So take all you are able to eat.

Let's have a little long suffering,
Job gives the recipe.
Patience is the main ingredient,
Self denial is the fee.

Wrap that up in temperance,
It may not make much sense,
Cover that with contentment
Then add some joy for strength.

Let's have love for dessert,
Jesus made this dish,
Cream of joy and peace together,
Sift out all selfishness.

Add some deeds of righteousness,
Enough to make it sweet.
Humility is the frosting
That makes the dish complete.

Or are you on a diet,
Cause the race seems hard to run?
For a weight losing menu,
Try Hebrews 12 and 1.

Are you suffering from malnutrition,
And don't know what to do?
Your spiritual growth seems hindered,
Try 1 Peter 2 and 2.

If when every time you battle,
The enemy always wins,
Try some Holy Ghost protein,
And spiritual vitamins.

God's Word can feed millions,
And still have plenty left.
Because the Word of God is Soul Food,
Sent from the World's Greatest Chef!!​

 

[NorwayUnn]

 

[Tumbleweed64]

Back when us kids were small there was a little kid two houses down that was blind. Smart little guy too. He could read Braille, I think, at a sixth grade level, and he was only six or seven. The way he ran, played and spoke to you it would be difficult to tell he was blind from a distance. His eyes looked normal except for the slight cloud or film that seemed to be in their depths.

In the early fifties there was some kind of new eye surgeries that had came available or were experimental, I can't remember now. Anyway the parents looked in to them and discovered there was one that the doctors’ thought may give him a chance at some level of eyesight. They knew not what it would be, but they were pretty sure it would be better than complete blindness, which he suffered at the time.

Investigating further they discovered the cost, a staggering sum would be an understatement. Insurance at the time wouldn't cover it for some reason I don't remember. The people at church, the whole neighborhood, well, the whole community found out about it after awhile and some started little things to raise money. Gloria, the little crippled girl who owned Shep The Wonder Dog who pulled her around in a carriage her dad had made, started a lemonade stand in front of her house to help. Several of us started a neighborhood vegetable stand selling things from our gardens. They even had rummage sales and lawns were being mowed that didn't need it. Special collections were being taken up in church for the fund and all of it was going into the fund for his operation. Our efforts made the paper.

The family was contacted and it seems that a hospital out of town and some doctors agreed to do it for what was in the fund at the end of that summer. They were gone a few days somewhere to get it done and when they returned his whole head was bandaged and he had to be kept inside and quiet for thirty days.

It was a cool, crisp fall evening when it was time to unwrap the bandages. The room had to be darkened. We neighbors were all gathered on their patio bar-b-qing and had brought all kinds of things to go with it while waiting for the event. Their house was dark and it had gotten so clear with no moon it was eerie. The stars seemed to be flashing like a circus. I went inside to see how things were going just as they opened the venetian blinds a little for him to have his first glimpse of the world. Across the street a neighbors lights were on. He asked what it was and was told the neighbors were home because their lights were on. He had never experienced seeing lights before.

His parents gently led him out onto the patio where we were all gathered watching in anticipation of his first visions. He looked around at all of us who he recognized by our voices, but had never seen. Then he looked up into the sky and exclaimed, "look daddy, God's home, his lights are on." There was not a dry eye among us.

~Mark Crider~ ​

 

[ForHisGlory]

The Best Laid Plans

People may make plans in their minds,
But the Lord decides what they will do!
Proverbs 16:9

I wonder if we could make a chart on our
Life, how much of that time would be divided up
On plans that we made that didn't work out?

How about time we spent worrying?

It would be interesting to make a chart wouldn't it?
It would give us a clear picture of how we have spent
Our days, and if it has been wise. We could make
A circle chart, and divide it up in slices like an apple.
Marking each part with a percentage, that covered
That one division, until all the different divisions
Formed a whole picture and graph of our lives.

Would your life seem fruitful or misspent?

Perhaps if every person did that, we could realize
From early on, that consulting God first, and seeking
A clear path from Him, could keep us from visiting the
City of regret so often.

Truth is, sometimes we are blind to what is ahead,
And we make plans that are not well thought out,
And sometimes they are based on emotions rather than
Facts. Sometimes this costs us for years. Wouldn't it be
Better, to pray the Lord's prayer daily, and say not my
Will but thine be done?

Many say, how can I know God's will? First when
We are right before Him, and we pray earnestly seeking
His will, things seem to come into place that direct our
Paths. If it is not of God, we don't feel peace about it.
If we feel peace, it usually is what He wants. The more time
We spend in His presence, the more we learn of how He
Wants us to live.

God said He has plans for us, for each of us!
For I know the thoughts that I think towards you,
Says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil,
To give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me,
And I will listen to you. And you will seek Me
And find Me, when you search for me with
Your whole heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13

We can spend our life spinning our wheels on various
Diversions, on worries, on misplanned calculations
For our career, relationships, or even personal lives, and
Find that we have missed the mark. We can find
We have spent our whole life disregarding God's will,
And seeking to please ourselves above all.

Perhaps it would be good to chart your life today.
You will see where you have been. And realize
Only God knows where you are going. Maybe He should
Be doing the driving, and you should be doing the
Listening.

Remember
Only one life, will soon be past
Only what is done For Christ will last

 

[Tumbleweed64]

An old woman leaned hard against the railing of the stairs. Using the sturdy post as a support, she slowly and painfully came to her knees. She looked at the point where she knelt and a tear rolled down her cheek.
It had been forty-four years since she had made that silent promise. Forty-four years of obedience and respect. Each night she had knelt in the center of the main hallway of her home and lifted her prayers to the Lord.
Sometimes they were prayers of Thanksgiving, sometimes they were prayers of decision, sometimes they were prayers of obedience because there was no understanding…but, mostly they were just common prayers of praise and quiet thoughts between friends.
As the tear passed her cheek and fell to the floor she softly said, “Lord, you know I want to be in the middle of the hall, but these old bones just won’t let me leave the rail.” She felt the warm embrace of an old friend and though there was no one in the room, she was not alone.
She opened her prayer in Thanksgiving; praising the Father for the simple accomplishments of the present – like allowing her arms to hold in place long enough to pin up her hair. And, she praised Him for her health. And as always, she still offered Him praise for protecting her family some forty years past, when without a penny and no place to turn, He had kept her family from losing their home.
As her knees began to stiffen and the pain ran down her legs, her heart remembered the words of her husband, now gone more than a year…
It was almost spring. There seemed to be a breath of newness in everything. The mother of seven inhaled deeply each time she pushed up a window and let fresh air in that room for the first time in a long winter. She bounded from room to room…calling to the kids to look out at the birds and blooming flowers. So alive, so beautiful, and yet so heart broken.
It was that day that she and her husband walked slowly, hand in hand, around the town that God had brought them to. It was in that walk that they had decided to bring their family together on their knees and pray for strength.
They were not going to tell the kids what was at risk. They did not need to know about the actions the bank would take tomorrow against their home. They just needed the children to know that when in life you struggle, there is no better place to be than with family, on your knees before the Lord.
It was only a prayer of a few sentences, yet it lasted for an hour. The interruptions of the youngest children caused an elongation of the effort – yet, the parents continued. First the mother prayed, then the children who wanted to, then the father. Each in different words, all with the same heart...” Lord, please protect this family”…”Give us courage to do whatever you desire”…”Your will be done”.
He smiled at her. She smiled at him. Both were content with their example of obedience. Both were proud of their beautiful family. Then, moans and groans broke the moment. The teens complained about the length of time they had been on the hard wood floors. The Middle children questioned, “What is happening? Mom, are you sick?” The moment was changed back to reality.
The soothing deep voice of her husband quieted the children. His words were, “Mom and I are fine- nothing is wrong with this family. And boys, the Lord suffered a huge amount of pain on the cross for us, surely our knees can endure this out of respect for Him.”
Knees can endure…knees can endure…knees can endure…and then he smiled at her, and she smiled at him as he faded away. Her prayers continued. She praised the Lord for the warm weather and the low heating bill. She praised the Lord for the health of her friends. She gave thanks for the visits of her children and grandchildren. Then she especially prayed for the new one on the way. She chuckled to herself and said, “That will be twenty-seven, Lord.” She sighed with great satisfaction.
She was so wrapped up in her prayers that she hadn’t heard the door. Everyone knew she had an open door policy, but usually they knocked. She was gently surprised as the warm touch of her son sent shivers down her arm. He said, “I knew you would be here.”
“Where else would I be, son?” “No mom, I knew you would be on your knees.” With voice cracking and tears in his eyes, he said, “Is it alright if I join you? I heard when you’re struggling, there’s no better place to be than with family, on your knees before the Lord.”

 

[Tumbleweed64]

The Daisy's Story
​

<B>[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]

​

Have you heard the story of the daisy? The daisy is just a common flower..... but hold a daisy in your hand.....It seems to glow with love and sunshine. May the daisy's story bring you hope and renewed faith that the Creator, Who loves you, will bring you through every trial.....
​

• • • • Oh, do not pluck the petals
        from the daisy's heart of gold,
        for daisies have a story
        that from ages past they've told.
        Although you pull them all apart
        and ask about true love,
        There's One Who formed them with His hand,
        the precious Lord above!
        
        Each snow-white petal speaks of Him,
        the Savior pure and sweet;
        The heart of gold, His priceless love,
        He lays before your feet.
        
        If God made every daisy small
        with infinite precision,
        then He's the One Whom you can trust
        to guide in each decision.
        If He can give the gift of life,
        from seed to growing flower,
        He'll give you life, and strength to grow,
        through every trying hour.
        
        There is no question of God's love ...
        without a doubt, it's true!
        And every little daisy tells ...
        "Take heart! for God loves you!"
        ​

[/FONT]</B>

 

[ForHisGlory]

Problems sometimes shower us,
Where we get caught up in the rain.
Overtaken by circumstances,
Which may lead us to pain.
Then the storms end often seems,
Not within our sight.
Will there be a dawn,
To end this darkness of the night?
One promise that you can focus on,
As your problems start to amass.
Remember Jesus Christ once said,
"So this too shall pass."

 

[Tumbleweed64]

I am but a weed
growing wild over the years
to many, my vines growing are that of
a free spirit gifted in abandon.

But as time proceeds I become entwined, unshapen.
No light reaches my center -
a slow decay sets in -
a strange limbo.
I strain my leaves to feel - to absorb light - life.
I plant my roots firmly as though to say
I will not be moved
stubborn.

At last when time has lost its shape
my leaves have withered -
my roots are loose --
I have forgotten even the thirst
though still unquenched.

Then, quietly, in the cool of the evening
a gardener walks by me -
lifeless, but still alive.
There is a tenderness in his eyes
an understanding -
even the Why?

He begins to prune, taking care to remove only the rot
cutting back more 'til I lay exposed -
barely there - stark.

It is a painful openness at first
the light - stronger, more brilliant.
I had never really seen it.

Slowly, I grow - taking nourishment from the gardener.
I see myself growing in his eyes
pruned carefully and exactly by his hands.

My leaves are full now - I am shapen strong
with a new grace.

One day the gardener does not return,
the time has come for me to grow -
remembering his caress.

And in the cool of each and every evening
a mist envelops this weed
that is me.

Restoring and refreshing.​

 

[Tumbleweed64]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There are two days in every week about which we should not worry. Two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]One of these days is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. We cannot erase a single word we said. Yesterday is gone!![/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow, with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. Tomorrow is beyond our immediate control. Tomorrow's sun will rise, whether in splendor or behind a mask of clouds. But it will rise. Until it does we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]This leaves only one day: today.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Any man can fight the battles of just one day. It is when you and I add the burdens of two awful eternities - yesterday and tomorrow, that we break down.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is not necessarily the experience of today that disturbs one's peace of mind. It is often time the bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring. Let us therefore live one day at a time![/FONT]

 

[Tumbleweed64]

[sign]BUMP[/sign]

 

[GritsnGrace]

That's good, TW!! Thanks!!

 

[Tumbleweed64]

Georgia, a friend of my wife's, was recently divorced and trying to raise her two sons when the Gulf War broke out. She heard about soldiers in the service who had no family and needed pen pals. Letters addressed to "Any Soldier" were distributed by commanding officers who noticed any soldiers getting little or no mail. Georgia wrote to 25 such soldiers almost daily, most of them men.

Keeping up with 25 pen pals on a daily basis almost consumed Georgia's time and talents. She sent poems, little stories, and words of hope and encouragement. When there were time constraints, she would write one letter and copy it for everyone. Greetings were sent whenever she knew about a special event, like a birthday.

One day, Georgia received a letter from a soldier that was depressed and discouraged. She pondered as to how she could help lift his spirits. It was then that she noticed that at work there were paper clips of various colors. Georgia took one of the yellow paper clips and photo copied it in the palm of her hand. She sent this picture with the paper clip with the following message: "This yellow paper clip that you see in my hand represents a hug that I am sending to you. You can carry this paper clip in a pocket or anywhere, and whenever you feel down, you can just touch and hold it and know that somebody cares about you, and would give you a hug if she were there." Georgia sent a copy of this picture along with a paper clip and the message to each of her other correspondents. After the war ended, Georgia received one of the pictures of her hand holding the yellow paper clip, and on the back were over 150 signatures of people that had been given her "hug."

During the years, Georgia named other paper clips. Pink came to mean a kiss, green was for good luck, and so on. Years later, Georgia was giving a class as part of a seminar for positive thinking. She shared with the members of the class her paper clip symbolism, and made a bracelet of multicolored paper clips for each of them. One of the women exclaimed, "So you're the one!" The class member told Georgia that she was visiting her brother and needed something to hold papers together. She had noticed a yellow paper clip on the refrigerator held there with a magnet. She borrowed the paper clip for her papers. When the brother saw it, he grabbed it and scolded her, and told her never to touch the yellow paper clip again. Now she knew why.

No one will never know how far her message has spread, nor how many lives have been touched by a simple yellow paper clip

This is Rex Barker reminding you that kind deeds have a will of their own, You never know how far an act of kindness can go. It can stimulate others and literally change history. So lets start changing a bit of history, one act at a time!

 

[GritsnGrace]

That's wonderful, TW! I had never heard that story before!! You know my son is training to go back over to Iraq. I'll have to send him one!

 

[Tumbleweed64]

The grocery store is a great place to get food for your body, but I have found out recently that it can be an even better place to find food for your heart, soul, and mind. This happened the other day as I was walking through the local store to get some oatmeal. Two elderly ladies were standing by the fruit section catching up on old times. The first one jokingly asked her older friend how old she was now. The older lady answered loudly and to everyone’s delight: "Honey, I’m not nearly as old as I used to be." Everyone within ear shot laughed when they heard this including me. I realized too as I was walking out of the grocery store that I am not nearly as old as I used to be either.

I am not nearly as old as I used to be when I constantly worried about my bills and how I was going to pay them. Now I just trust in God and I always seem to have more than enough. I am not nearly as old as I used to be when I fretted about my weight and my thinning and graying hair. Now I just look in the mirror and smile. The body may look a little older, but the soul on the inside is younger than ever. I am not nearly as old as I used to be when I was always judging others, being angry with them, or worrying about what they thought of me. Now I just do my best to judge noone, love everyone, and share my joy with the world. Life I have found is too short to live any other way.

You don’t have to be as old as you used to be either. God made all of us both ageless and forever young. By choosing love, joy, and oneness with God you can always keep growing younger and younger on the inside. By sharing that love and joy you can give your youth, energy, and vitality to the world. By living from your soul you can stop counting your birthdays, start living for eternity, and always know that you will never again be as old as you used to be.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~
​