A Moment In Time

You can be a wallflower 

And still like the music .

You can be a dreamer 

And not be the only one .

You try hard and you want to fit in

But you can not play all the games

Sometimes you just want to throw  

Up your hands of cards 

Because the other players 

Could see your cards all along ,

And that is a shame .

All you want to do is to be 

A part of something beautiful 

In your eyes ,

There is always something 

To be thankful for ,

May every sunrise bring you hope .

Everything is but a moment in time 

And it is not always fair 

But it is only a moment in time .

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Rescue

He sees our tears  ,

Hears our weeping 

And somehow in his own

Way and time ,

He does indeed 

Rescue us .

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Kneeling

What matters most these days 

Is not what we do.

Rather we ought simply to go 

To the manger and give thanks 

For what God has done .

Kneeling before Christ 

In the blessed company 

Of Mary and Joseph ,

We adore him .

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Just Think

Think of how many times

We have been pleasantly surprised 

By the answer of prayers .

Even with a vigorous 

Faith and strong conviction 

In the truth of the Gospel  ,

We are constantly in awe 

Of how God continues to act 

In our lives .

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Distress

I feel poor today 

Just then I ,

Not He had been 

The poor 1 crying .

As He looked at me ,

I saw how  moving 

He was to have been able 

To help my distress .

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I Have

I have faith 

I have love 

I have the moment 

I have friends 

I have family 

I have memories

I have a story 

I have spirit 

I have drive 

I have life 

I have 1 step

Ahead of me 

Today
I Love You All

By Brock

Smiley

To Persevere

I persevered and my goal 

Became a reality ,

My cornerstone of faith 

Was laid by the strong 

People in my life 

Who followed the teaching 

To start the children

Off on the way they should go 

Because of their guidance ,

I remain on a steady path 

That leads to God .

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Take A Moment

Periodically Throughout my day 

I take a moment  relax , breath 

And open my Spiritual senses 

And God is indeed with me today ,

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Who Is

Knowing how tenderly 

I am cared for ,

I look around me to see

Who else is lost under water 

And in need of being held 

And cared for .

God's discipline is not to regard

Us critically 

Like projects rather he gathers 

Us in his bosom ,

Leading with care .

Who can I love today ,

Just as they are ?

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Preparation

They say advent is about preparation 

It is for all of us ,

In whatever we can 

By helping each other

By being ready for 

The astonishing coming 

Of our God .

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Wake Up

When we relax and open 

Our spiritual eyes to God's presence ,

We become spiritual awake .

We are called to be vigilant ,

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Who Is He

Who could this God be ,

Who brings his greatness 

To meet our smallness ,

Coming in this ordinariness

Of Bread and Wine  ,

Transforming them that we 

Might be transformed 

Into his likeness .

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Come To My Aid

Come to my aid .

Heal me and make me better.

Love me ,

Bring peace ,

Reach out your blessed hand 

To me .

Listen to me always .

Hear me as I pray 

And pray for me .

Oh come to my aid .

I pray .

You are always on my mind .

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Fire Flies

Have you ever been to Cotton wood lake 

In the darkness of night 

And stand on the nearby road 

And watch a true blanket of fire flies 

Fly into the open air 

And hear them all talking 

And before long you will understand 

What they are saying .

All you have to do  is stand still

And listen 

And that is a beautiful night .

I miss that memory .

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What Is Time

Time is like a river 

When you step into it 

You do not step into the same spot twice .

You can not touch 

The same water twice .

The water that flows by 

Has passed you by .

Today will never happen again .

Do not be afraid of tomorrow .

Threw away yesterday .

We all have time .

It is never the same 

So have hope and fun today 

Even at your age !

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What Freedom

What freedom we have in Jesus  .

It is the freedom of the present 

Moment .

The freedom of the absolute 

Certainty that no matter

Where in life we have been 

He is with us now and always .

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Paralyze

When circumstances paralyze us ,

It is the faith and prayers 

Of other believers that lift us up ,

And bring us to God 

And move his heart to heal ours .

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Get The Word Out

I do not know how better 

To get the word out 

About the merciful heart of Christ .

We all can help with this .

Perhaps there is someone 

You will meet today 

Who desperately needs 

To hear of God's infinite mercy .

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Are You Stuck

I want to be refreshed ,

Repaired and feel renewed .

I want to be sent out into the world 

Real soon .

I want to get going and keep going 

Or I will remain where I am

And become more stiff and stuck in place .

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The Poor And The Powerless

God is on the side of the poor 

And the powerless always .

God does not want the sky 

To be anyone's ceiling .

He wants us all to know 

We are in the presence 

Of the Lord always .

We are all unbroken 

Because we are never alone .

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Cold

This morning I feel cold .

The older I get the colder I get .

I  may be in bed ,

And my family will call me at anytime 

And ask where is this and that .

If something brakes down 

They will not say how much 

It will cost to fix ,

Nor will they say thank you .

When I ask for something 

They will say 

Do you need it right now?

If I ask my grandson for something 

He will say 

Do you need it right now ?

They got a boy in highschool

To play with him and show the rope

This fall .

He does not want to play checkers 

With grandpa  not on Sunday .

I sure feel colder today .

I know why .

Thank God I got my brothers and sisters always .

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On This Earth

I am on this earth 

To make a difference 

If it is only to smile 

At someone new everyday .

I should relax and open my spiritual eyes

To God's presence ,

And become spiritually awake .

I want to be vigilant 

And call someone Smiley .

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Your Nearness

Jesus give me a greater sense 

Of your nearness in all the changes 

In my life 

Like the marvelous and the messy ,

The ups and the downs ,

The joy and sorrows.

I hope and pray your loving presence 

Will be one true constant 

In my life always .

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My Pancake Syrup

When I have pancakes 

I think about my dad 

And my Sec . dad 

My uncle Jack .

When I pour the syrup 

On the pancakes ,

It reminds me of them .

They were always smooth ,

Never in the hurry ,

They were always sugar sweet 

And thick with love for me 

And everyone they touched .

I will have some pancakes  this morning .

I will always have my syrup .

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Outside

Today , I wish I could sit outside

And just talk to someone like Tiny 

And watch the ants craw on the patio 

And  not think about time 

And not worry about anything .

We would sit and look up 

At the moving clouds 

And watch the birds fly by 

And look at the family pheasant 

That is flying right by right now . 

Whenever I sit outside 

I always love to listen 

And talk to a friend 

But no matter what 

When I am outside 

I will always be with someone 

Maybe not alive 

But yes they will always 

Be alive in my heart .

Oh I want to sit outside .

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Punched

You can get punched in the face .

You can get punched in the gut .

You can get punched by someone's  mouth

And also by what you  hear .

You can get run over by anything  .

You can get hit by anything that moves 

But the most pain you can ever receive 

Is the punch to the heart .

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Love Me

Jesus asks us everyday

Do you love me ?

Our answer changes

The trajectory of our lives .

Each decision each relationship

For now and into eternity 

May our discipleship 

Be strengthened by the brave witness

Of those who have gone before us .

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They Question Me

People talk and ask me about 

My arm and leg.

People will ask where have you come from ?

Why do you  look like you do ?

Why can you not do this or that ?

The questions are all old questions .

What they should ask me is 

Where are you going 

And I would happily say 

I hope to end up 

With the Lord some day .

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Do Not Just Call

Jesus does not just call me 

To give ,

He calls us to give generously .

Jesus could have given far less .

One drop of blood could have saved  us all .

He freely chose to shed 

Every last bit of it .

He never stopped to count the cost .

He gave what is beyond enough or sufficient .

If there was more to give  ,

He gave it .

With Christ as our example  ,

May we learn to do the same .

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Oh Mary

Today may I ask Mary 

To teach me 

To walk by faith 

May I like her 

Stay close to Jesus 

To the end 

Without bitterness

In all the events 

Of my life 

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In The Heart

Those who keep all their things 

In their heart ,

Will pour out prayerfully

Contents of their heart 

In the presence of the Lord .

When life's difficult moments 

Threaten to steal your peace 

In your heart ,

Turn to Mother Mary 

For comfort , example and advice .

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We Always Are

We are always 

In the presence of the Lord 

No matter where we are

Where we go 

For we are never alone

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See More Clearly

What stands between 

Jesus and my day today ?

Living !

What obstacles do I need 

To move out of the way 

In order that I might 

See and hear Jesus 

More clearly?

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Whispers

The whispering inside me

Keeps encouraging me 

To be attentive 

To the whispers 

Not to fear and worry 

When I am stressed 

As it happens more and more lately ,

I have been graced to remember 

The spiritual direction 

I can hear by being 

Silent and being still

And let God love me 

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Are You Surrounded

We are surrounded

By the healing hands 

Of God 

And at times we fail to see it .

Do you see it now ?

Return and give thanks 

And glory to the giver 

And cause of everything 

Good .

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Need To Know

Oh my high need to know days ,

When I feel ill equipped

And overwhelmed ,

May I feel peace knowing 

That the same Holy Spirit 

Is at the ready 

To guide me through .

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Do Not Lock Your Heart

Even though we may 

Have locked our hearts with fear and sin ,

That some mercy and inner peace 

Have already been given to us by Jesus 

If only we would understand it ,

Trust in that forgiveness 

And live it 

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The Greatest Gift

The truth of our transformation 

Into Jesus ,

And our becoming one

With the Divine ,

Is the greatest of gifts .

All are more possible 

By the coming 

Of the Spirit .

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As I Once Ran

As I once ran ,

I marveled at the beauty ,

The newfound life

In my soul .

As I reconnected 

With nature and appreciated

The life off the grid .

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He Gives Me Peace

Music can give us the ability 

To express our feelings 

When words are hard to come by ,

But whether that the expression is sung ,]

Prayed or silently cried .

My God reaches into the deepest 

Places in my heart 

And gives me His peace.

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Keep Hope Close

I need to keep hope close to my heart ,

When I do not see clearly 

And I have questions about my future

I can trust that I too will find my way 

In do time 

When I open myself to the Spirit's presence 

And guidance .

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Make Time

Let us make time to enjoy 

And appreciate the wonder 

Of creation by watching 

A sunset , looking at the stars ,

Even listening to the rain ,

Touching the bark of an old tree ,

Savoring an orange ,

Oh yes holding a baby .

All you have to do is make time .

Even to just dream today 

So that is what I will do all day 

With my time 

And to be lifted up today maybe 

With my time 

and with my dreams .

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Nothingness

Are we willing to experience 

Our nothingness

In the face of God ?

We will either run 

From it in terror 

Or we will of necessity ,

Abandon our emptied selves 

In complete trust .

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The Mirror

Coming home for a reunion 

Of 10 or 20 or 50 years 

And you go to your old house

And to the bathroom .

you will look into the mirror 

And you will see the past .

if you have been gone

As long as I ,

The mirror brings 

Back memories 

Of  a quieter time ,

A larger world ,

A more joyful heart ,

And more friends Than  I

Could count  .

I can smell moms cooking x

And I just want to go play 

With my old friends

Just one more time .

Oh my God  the mirror 

Is fogging over .

oh the memories are looking 

At myself .

Oh did I blink ?

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Children Of God

May our hearts be prepared

To let go of all earthly

Grievances 

And strive to unite

in perfect  harmony 

As the children of God .

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Cut It Out

If you cut out all the words

That were  bad 

You did not say 

Say a word to me .

God will listen .

He has mercy 

And he forgives 

Every time 

But still I have  not 

Heard a blessed thing .

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Are You Worthy

Are you worthy of my love 

when you speak

With a dirty mouth 

To me your mother

And yes your son

Who is not 10 .

When are you going

To understand 

What you are doing 

To all of us

Who love you 

And what are you doing 

To yourself

Are you worthy ?

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Be Open

Be open to the joy 

Of every new day .

Look at the beautiful 

Butterfly in the morning  .

Keep your eyes open 

And give a smile 

To someone new .

Never close your  heart 

Or mind 

For you will never know

What is coming your way 

Every new day .

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Healing Hands

We are surrounded by 

The healing of God 

And we fail to see it .

Do you see it now?

Return and give thanks 

And glory 

To the giver and cause 

Of everything good .

                       I Love You All

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If This Is Good-by

 

If this is Good-by ,

I could change every yesterday  for just one more 

New day .

When my grandson speaks to Me from the heart 

I will listen from mine .

If this is Good-by 

I will not tell my dreams

I would show my dreams .

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Getting Old

Even when your faith 

Feels feeble  ,

And if it feels like no match 

For what you are up against 

Here is what you can do ,

Muster up you mustard seed 

And watch to see what Jesus 

Will do .

                        I Love You All

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Give Up

God does not give up
And neither should we .
Our goal is to be witnesses
And examples ,
Even when we do not know
The outcome .

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Anxious

Jesus when we are anxious ,

Help us pause and realize 

We are in your living presence .

When we need to continue serving ,

Help us hold your presence close .

                                 I Love You All

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How Do I

How do I put my material 

And spiritual gifts 

At the service of God 

And neighbors ?

What am I holding on to 

That could do more good 

If I give it away ?

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To Overcome

Evan as we continue to struggle 

To overcome our bad habits ,

We can know 

That if we keep working 

On them in good faith ,

God's generosity and mercy 

Awaits us also .

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Young People

Young people have so much

Yo teach us ,

If we are willing to open our eyes ,

Heart and mind 

And receive the wisdom

Of another perspective .

 

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They Are Everywhere

Our brothers and sisters are everywhere .

Wish them peace  and a good meal 

And a warm place  to lay their heads 

And then help make those things happen .

 

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Save Us

We are called 

To live with faith 

Acknowledging the fulfillment 

Jesus comes to save us .

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Spaces

Jesus shows us that spaces

Are important  .

There is a rhythm 

To life .

As in music 

The rest are integral 

To the composition .

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Our Talents

Tonight when we go to bed  ,

Let us ask ourselves 

If we have made good 

Of the talents with witch God 

Has blessed us 

May the Lord say to us 

Well done .

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Forever

What is forever for ?

You are not here anymore .

My dreams have come back 

Can you not see ?

Somebody stop me please .

She was my lady .

She did live across the street 

From me 

50 years ago .

You will always be 

In my dreams forever .

Oh the memories are forever .

Thank you for the memories 

And dreams lady ,

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Waiting

We seek to be intimately 

United with Christ ,

But the consolations 

And forvor of our Christain vocation 

Can come and go .

Sometimes we may feel the luck 

Of God's presence and wonder why ,

In spite of God's love for us ,

We still feel tired alone and hungry .

Christ , is always with us .

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Spelling

How do you spell

Grandma  ?

L

O

V

E

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The Cell Phone

Our cell phone technology 

Created to help us manage 

Our lives 

More often than not , managed us .

Let us challenge ourselves 

To intentionally shift our focus 

Away from screens 

And back to God .

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Who Will

Who will you serve today 

Yourself or God ? 

Abba , may I focus on you today 

As I navigate the choices 

I face at home and elsewhere .

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Life Insurance

To live on and in forgiveness 

For what we have done 

And what we have failed to do 

Is both our promised 

Eternal life insurance and assurance .

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Forgetfulness

Maybe the silver lining 

In the forgetfulness

Of advancing from 

What really matters 

And to stop sweating 

All the other stuff .

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God Speaks

v

God Speaks to us every day .

Some days , we may 

Not be patient to listen .

Other days , a change encounter 

With a friend allows God's voice 

To Come through loud and clear .

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It Will Work Out

Today take all the muttering people 

And their thorny problems 

To the Lord .

He will guide you .

It will work out .

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Restricted

When we feel restricted in life ,

It could be because our minds 

Are limited .

But God's ways are limitless .

I have found my hope for living 

In trusting that God's plan for me 

With goodness , love and a joyful future .

If I ever begin to doubt that promise ,

I have only to read the Bible 

And spend time with God in prayer .

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My Grandson

When my grandson speaks 

From his heart ,

I will listen from mine .

We all need to see 

Through our hearts .

Sometimes we need 

to huddle 

To share our hearts .

Do not be afraid of tomorrow 

Because God is always there

With his heart and hands 

Open to us 

And his love to give us always .

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The Chalice

We , like the chalice have been broken

And scarred .

We find forgiveness and restoration 

When we bring our broken messy 

Lives to God .

God's amazing grace exemplified 

Through Christ ,

Puts us back together 

So that we are forgiven , freed and empowered 

For fruitfulness in God's kingdom .

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God's Love

His love endures forever .

God's love has no limit  .

It will not fail 

Or diminish ,

I am so grateful 

We can never use it up .

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We Are Called

We are called to care 

For one another with love of Christ .

Perhaps this means seeking 

Out someone who is sick or deployed 

Or undergoing medical treatments 

Or putting the pieces together 

After a divorce .

In God's name , we are to love 

Those who suffer .

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Take Stock

God tells us to take stock 

Of what really motivates us .

Do we act out the love 

Of God and our neighbor , 

Or do we fall into self concerns 

And self seeking .

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God Never Does

God never leaves us ever .

God is always ready 

To be found .

No internet connection needed .

No password required .

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Often

Often , the Lord's emissary  

In our own lives 

Is that concerned friends 

Who reach out .

Sometimes it is us 

Who are asked to reach 

Out to others .

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Collaborate

How can we collaborate 

With others 

So they flourish 

Rather than locking doors 

So they have to jump 

Out a window ?

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Pete The Squirrel

Pete the squirrel has adapted  

I too can ,

But I can do ever more .

I can give the broken ,

Stumpy parts of me that are hidden 

Or known that seem to keep me 

Close to the ground 

And let God use them 

Trusting that He will ,

For the glory .

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Some People

Some people try to fit in 

But more than that they should stand out .

When you make someone smile 

You will do something right .

You can not be what you can not see .

When you have fun and lose 

You still win .

Remember a smile is a door 

To your soul .

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Some Newspapers

Some newspapers ignore some stories 

For some reason .

Some pamphlets are never distributed .

What battle do you fear today ?

Talk to God .

He is willing to fight it with you .

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Healthy People

 Christ shows us that healthy people 

Know when to cry and why .

He cries because His Father cares

And His Spirit groans for children 

Who could not yet see 

What breaks His heart .

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We Truly Become

As we yield to the Spirit 

Work in us ,

We truly become more like Jesus .

How comforting to know that God's

Great desire for us .

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We Worship

The more we worship God ,

The more we all know Him 

And the more we all humble 

Ourselves before Him .

May we be those who love 

And serve with joy and humility .

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The Opportunities

When life's irritations

And interruptions come ,

Will we see them as opportunities 

To turn to God ?

Or will we seek desperate solutions ?

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Cast Our Cares

Cast our cares on the Lord 

And he will sustain us .

When we turn our difficult

Circumstances over to God ,

We can trust that He will

Provide the help we seek ,

We are secure in his capable hands .

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Unbroken Fellowship

On the banquet day 

And for all eternity 

We will enjoy 

Unbroken fellowship 

With Jesus .

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Help Me

I hold tightly to God  ,

He sees me through 

What challenges I am facing .

I hold steady to God 

As He takes a hold 

Of my hand and my life .

I do not fear 

Because he helps me .

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Long In Coming

Some o f God's best blessings 

May be long in coming .

Though they linger and. keep looking 

To Him .

He prepares every blessing 

With perfect wisdom and care 

And He is always worth waiting for .

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So Much Wisdom

There is so much wisdom offered 

To us in this world by our mothers 

Plus lots of advice and help 

And much of it is good and beneficial .

If we base our life on any foundation 

Other than humble obedience to our mother

And to God's truth and our mother's love 

That is all good .

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Go Forward

Our only path forward is a love 

That not only hates what is evil 

But also longs for the transformation 

And good of our neighbors .

Through the power of Christ's Spirit ,

We can learn what it means 

To have a future of overcoming evil 

With good .

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Exhaustion

How often do you work 

To the point of exhaustion 

Or get impatient with people 

Who keep you waiting ?

Let us give ourselves and each other 

A break .

A culture of rush 

Is Pharaoh doing ,

Not God's  .

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Spiritual Nourishment

As we continually draw 

Spiritual nourishment from Jesus ,
The resulting beauty and fruitfulness 

In our lives will show the world God 's goodness ,

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From The Heart

Jesus taught the same truth 

That the Loving God is connected 

With loving our neighbors  .

As we seek to love God ,

May it come from the hearts

That also treasure justice.

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Get Caught

Sometimes we get caught 

Up in the frenetic activity 

Of life that we forget to pray 

And praise God 

For what God has done for us 

And through us .

When we find ourselves 

Overwhelmed by the frenzy ,

We do well to recall Paul's words .

Pray without ceasing ,

Give thanks ,

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God Willing

We are willing to participate 

In rebuilding rather than simply 

Attending to our desires ,

We can rebuild our church 

Renew our faith in the process .

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The Dog

Through caring for a dog ,

The Lord has shown me a piece 

Of God's heart .

God is so good .

We can not fully grasp 

God's love for us ,

But our Creator wants us 

To understand that we are loved 

And that God cares about our future .

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Sometimes Pain

Sometimes it pains us to see

Our efforts do not bear fruit .

We have faith and peace 

Knowing God's work 

Is not complete 

And the answer is in God's hands .

We are committed to doing 

God's work by letting our conversation 

Be always full of grace 

And seasoned with salt .

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Read About It

I have read about the cross

Of Christ and what it means .

I believe and confess it .

The more I reflect on that sacrifice ,

The more sure I am that I will never 

Fully comprehend this act of incredible 

Love and amazing grace .

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Our Focus

Always keep our focus on God 

And not on our troubles , 

Which is easier said than done .

The Lord promises peace 

As we fill our minds with the truth 

Rather than worry .

Life's struggles are still there 

But God gives us hope and strength 

To see us through .

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Muttering

Today , take all muttering people 

And their thorny problems 

To the Lord .

He will guide you .

It will work out .

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Every Morning

When our souls are downcast ,

May we call to mind 

That God's mercies 

Are new every morning .

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We Are Being Used

Wherever God leads us ,

And however we serve Him 

To help others shine His light .

As God by His Spirit provides

The true illumination 

We can reflect the light 

And love of His presence .

The Tightrope

Where are we trying to walk

The tightrope today ?

God has not called us to walk

Out on the rope to Him .

He called us to cling to Him 

And walk this life with Him .

Turn To Him

I turned to the One 

Who calms the storm ,

I decided to obey His words 

And listen to his wise counsel .

I know that with Christ 

In my boat ,

I can safely reach the other shore .

I have not arrived yet ,

But although the storm still rage 

I know with Christ I need not fret .

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The Answer In Prayer

In moments of anxiety and fear 

It is easy to lose sight of God's presence .

But when we feel that life 

Is spiraling out of control ,

We will find peace

When we bring out our struggles 

To God in prayer .

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Grievances

May our hearts be prepared 

To let go of early grievances 

And drive to unite in perfect harmony 

As children of God .

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Oh To Find You

Jesus may I find you today ,

Alive in the words of your ever creating hands ,

Alive in the words of the Holy Scripture ,

Alive in the outstretched hands 

Of your servant priest 

As they exclaim ,

This is my body , given up for you .

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The Loss

When we face any loss

Disappointment ,

Or difficult circumstance ,

God invited us to be honest with Him .

He can handle our ever changing emotions 

And our questions .

He remains with us 

And refreshes our spirits

With enduring hope 

Even when we feel 

Like our lives are falling apart ,

God can make our faith unbreakable .

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Good Mentors

Good mentors encourage 

And build me up ,

I learned to do the same 

For others .

Such an influence will reach 

Far beyond my lifetime .

The work done faithfully 

For God stretches into eternity ,

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We Scatter

When we scatter our seeds ,

God can produce great things .

Let us consider our responses 

To others carefully 

Because if we speak 

And act with gentleness and faith ,

We might be astonished at what wonders 

Can grow from those tiny seeds .

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Never Forget

I will never forget 

The peace and joy 

I experienced at home .

My mom and dad 

And my aunts and uncles 

And grandmas and grandpa ,

Left me with gentle reminders 

That we honor God 

By dedicating 

Whatever work we do 

To the Lord .

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Hope

Hope is like a feather 

It is free .

It never ask for anything in return .

With hope you can feel it 

It never stops .

Hope is miraculous .

Hope is everywhere .

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Next Door

May we have the same joyful 

Exuberance at the resurrection 

Of Jesus ,

And may it invigorate us to share 

The good news with others .

We may not ever need to run farther 

Than next door to find someone 

Who needs to know about our Savior .

He won the battle against death 

So we might live victoriously 

With Him forever .

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Searching

When we invite God 

In and take part in this mutual searching ,

We are transformed .

In experiencing God 

And opening ourselves to the Creator ,

We embrace our identity 

As the forgiven and become free 

To have love , joy and compassion .

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We Struggle

When we struggle to know 

If what we do in Christ's name 

Is effective or if it even matters ,

We can ask God and trust 

That we will know 

If not now , then in heaven .

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Those Days

On those days when we feel 

Lonely and discouraged ,

We can take an extra moment 

To Listen for the Lord's voice .

The lines of communication

Are always open 

And God's voice has the power 

To change our loneliness 

And discouragement to joy .

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We Need To Keep

We need to keep our hearts 

And minds open to God's presence ,

Otherwise we may miss seeing God at work 

In everyday moments .

How many times have I missed God's 

Presence because I was mentally 

Or physically distracted by what I see ?

While I do not always feel God's presence 

Like I did in church today ,

I am now more conscious of staying 

Open and focused on the working 

Of God minute by minute , day by day ,

Night by night .

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The Highways

Skip the blocked highways 

That do not lead to God's presence instead ,

Trust Jesus as the Savior ,

For whoever believes in the son

Has eternal life 

And for those who already believes in Him ,

Always drive with your eyes wide open 

And in the way He has provided  .

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Explain

How do I explain the gift 

Of a good visit ?

Was it just a coincidence ?

Our time together was an answer

To prayer .

Even in the midst of anxiety 

And difficult circumstances ,

God strengthens us with love 

And blesses us in unexpected 

Generous ways .

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The Call

God calls us to action discipleship 

And to preach the gospel

To all creation .

With God's help

We can answer the call .

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It Is Personal

When I sweat through the sheets 

And can not sleep ,

I will grab the Bible and study it 

For a little while .

It is amazing how personal 

The words of God can be .

Through scripture ,

God speaks to my heart 

And tells me 

What I truly need to hear

When I fall apart .

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Inferior

At times we may feel inferior 

Or worthless ,

But God reminds us through scripture 

That we are small and mighty !!

And of great value to God .

We are not destined 

To be discarded as trash .

We are sons and daughters 

Of almighty God .

What a mind boggling gift 

And honor ,

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Endless

When Christians lay aside 

Differences and focus on being 

One in Christ ,

Working together for God's purpose ,

The possibilities are endless .

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Anew

As we start anew ,

With war going on across the sea ,

With all kinds of unrest and division ,

Ever rumbling on the horizon ,

Let us turn from life's noisy trials 

To seek our ever present peace .

He quiets the booms 

And heals us 

With the light of life

And with life there is light

So let us pray .

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Easter

The triumph of Easter will not fade

If we invite Jesus 

To come inside and stay 

At the table of our hearts ,

Where relationships form .

He will indwell us with His Spirit ,

His power presents and active 

In our lives .

Remember , when we invite Him ,

He answers yes .

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In Despair

When we are tempted

To despair over the sin

That brings a heart break 

And brokenness ,

Let us continue to pray

That God will bring healing 

and hope .

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Green Fruit

If we resemble a sour green fruit ,

We can trust that God will help us 

Soften us through His Spirit 

As we get to know Him 

Through reading and obeying Scriptures .

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Music

Music can give us the ability 

To express our feelings

When words are hard to come by .

But whether that expression is sung ,

Played or silently cried  or well down here I cry .

Our God reaches into the deepest places 

In our hearts 

And gives us His peace .

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Enormous

No matter how enormous 

The problem ,

When God is with us 

There is nothing 

That we need to fear .

With His strength 

We are also mighty .

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Broken And Scarred

I have been broken and scarred

But when I bring my broken , 

Messy live to God ,

I find forgiveness 

And restoration .

God's amazing grace ,

Exemplified through Christ ,

Puts me back together 

So that I am forgiven ,

Free and empowered 

For fruitfulness in God's kingdom .

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The Seeds

We never know which 

Of the seeds 

We sow in faith will blossom .

God alone knows which ones 

Will Flourish 

And which ones will wither .

Failure stings ,

Yet we will not reap a harvest 

If we never risk planting .

I will sow seeds 

And  trust God with the harvest .

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To Pause

It is good to pause occasionally 

And do a little foundation assessment .

Jesus will help us to fortify 

The weak places that we might 

Stand strong 

In His power

When the floods come .

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When Will You

When you find yourself 

In a dark and difficult place 

Wondering if God 

Really is good ,

Questioning His love 

For you

Pray and sing 

To the one 

Who abounds in love .

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Prince Of Peace

Jesus is the prince of peace 

Who saves us from our sins .

Through His sacrifice on the cross 

He offers forgiveness 

And peace with God 

To all who trust in Him .

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Sing

Songs can be an indicator

Of the direction of our hearts  .

Do the words make much of Jesus ?

Do we sing them wholeheartedly ?

What we sing will influence 

What we believe ,

So choose wisely 

And sing loudly .

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With Gratitude

With renewed gratitude 

For our imperfect decorations 

And our perfect Savior ,

I stopped longing for glitz 

And praised God 

For His glorious love ,

Sparkling adornments

Could not match 

The beauty of His sacrificial 

Gift Jesus .

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Today

Today we push 

Out from the shore 

Into new uncharted waters .

Whatever we face ,

He is with us 

And He has the power

To calm the water .

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Achievements

We can base our significance 

On our achievements  

We have .

But our God has modeled 

What true success is 

Not what is written 

On our business cards 

And resumes 

But how we are becoming 

Like Him .

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The Coach

After the game  ,

The basketball coach 

Called me and said ,

Tell your son not to worry 

About the last shot 

But instead to prepare 

For the next game .

That is the right thought 

And have hope to return 

To the floor 

And believe in your shot .

Remember , Jesus is always 

With you ,

No matter what game you are playing !  

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What Is The Norm

somethings are not the norm 

In our world 

But it is the mind set 

That will characterize 

The grateful sons 

And daughters of God .

He delights with a generous heart 

And that often comes

Through you and me .

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The Green Side

Look for the Green it is there .

With God in our lives ,

We lack nothing .

He makes us lie down 

In green pastures .

He refreshes our soul .

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Kindly

Speaking kindly to others

Is part of life's challenge 

But not just for pastors 

For all who love God 

And seek to tell others 

About Him .

May we speak His truth in love 

With every word .

The Holy Spirit will help us .

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God Knows

God knows more thoroughly

Than anyone else possibly 

Can and He cares for you ,

We can only respond ,

Lord yes our Lord ,

How majestic is your name 

In all the earth .

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Pray

Did you pray today ?

Did you pray yesterday ?

Did you pray this month ?

Did you ever pray as a family ?

He is waiting for you .

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To Grasp

I do not fully grasp forgiveness ,

But I do understand God's grace 

Is the only thing 

That can dissolve our sins completely 

And heal us from it .

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A Servant

Christ became a servant 

In order to serve us .

He made himself nothing !

So that we could receive 

Something truly great .

The gift of salvation

And eternal life .

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We Serve

As we serve on the same team ,

We can heed Paul's command 

Rejoice always , pray continually ,

Give thanks in all circumstances 

For this is God's will for you and me 

In Chrirst Jesus .

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The link

Grandparents 

Are a child's link 

To the past 

And grandchildren 

Are our link 

To the future

I believe  ,

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Seasons

There are seasons in our lives

When broken down says it all .

In such times 

It can be hard to know 

What to pray for ?

Our loving God will respond 

To our simple prayer for help .

Lord save me .

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