Rainbow

Finally it stopped. It's been pouring for days, for months it seems. Out of darkness, the sun slowly peaks from between the large rain clouds, stretching its light rays like a small child stretching his arms from underneath the covers of the bed. The rays gracefully reach to the ends of the drenched land, bringing it back to life. The air is still moist, as if the rain clouds sit right above the surface... dancing... waiting to be lifted. The light of the bright sun takes over... and there it is. The beautiful arches launch across the sky and then back down in perfect symmetry... each color distinct and yet perfectly blended into the next. The majestic light show captures those who will look, and yet no one sees it's beauty exactly the same.... it is unique from every eye, and perfect in every way... no beginning, and no end... a mystery... a gift.... a RAINBOW.

Lottery

I walked up to the counter. Smiled. Then I dug my hand into a simple manila envelope and out came the $95 that my co-workers had all chipped in. I was the elected ticket buyer. I guess they thought I was lucky. After watching the meat packers in Nebraska win 22 million dollars each in their work lottery pool, a few people in my office decided that they too would like to be millionaires... who could blame them. Well, the lottery jackpot was 203 million, and... suprise! suprise! We didn't win :(

Be honest. Every time you buy a lottery ticket, you can't help but let those million dollar sugar plums dance through your head. I mean, I really can't even begin to fathom that kind of money. What would I do? I would never have to work again. I could buy an amazing house, car, plane, heck! whatever I wanted! I could travel the world. I could take care of my friends and family. I could give tons of money to charity. Winning the lottery would fix all of my problems! Or would it?

What really matters to me in life? Can they be bought? What do I pursue... love of money or love of God? What a hard lesson to remember when we get so caught up in having it all. While money can do so many things... it will never send me to Heaven.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:10-11

Are you lying to my face?

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Proverbs 30:8

Risk

To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken because the greatest hazard of life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, live and love.
- Leo Buscaglia

The Trade

She walks the aisles... up and down, up and down, up and down. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but she knew that she needed to be looking. Lots of people offered to sell her things... everything had a price. As she walked the aisles, her load became heavier and heavier. She was tired, weighed down, but she didn't know how to rest. She walked alone... up and down, up and down... heavier and heavier, heavier and heavier... until finally she couldn't walk any more. The burden was too heavy for her to bear it alone, she needed help. She needed someone to help her. She took one more step, and then crumbled to the ground.

There was someone in front of her, He was strong and tall.

"Let's trade" He said, as He carefully lifted her heavy burden up and onto His broad shoulders. In return, she got His... It was light... easy... free.

"So I don't owe you anything?" she said.

"No" He replied "it's already been paid for"

Gently He helped her up and held her close... to rest... peacefully.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

Chin Up

Chin up, stand tall,
Looking straight ahead.
Don't trip, don't fall,
Feet heavy as lead.

Fire burning, under me,
Making me jump away.
Now safe, but soon enough,
More fire won't let me stay.

Stumbling block, in my path,
Keep from looking down.
Want to run, want to fly,
To land on solid ground.

More silence, no answers,
Listen for a voice to guide.
Am I ready? Will I hear Him?
Or run away to hide?

Chin up, stand tall,
Looking straight ahead.
I still hope, I still pray,
And long for worry to shed.

Leaders

Today is President's Day.

I don't want to begin to get into my political views. Everyone is entitled to their own. But today I DO want to say thank you... not to any specific man, and not for any specific title that he may have had... today I want to celebrate leadership.

leader (n.) defined as: 1. One who leads or guides. 2. One who is in charge or in command of others. 3. One who heads a political party or organization. One who has influence or power, especially of political nature.

Whether President or not, a leader must have passion. Good leaders don't just lead, they care. They have more than a spark, its a fire burning within. They are committed... their body, mind, and spirit are engaged. Leaders have an openness to possibilities and the innate belief that people want to work together to create the best future imaginable. Leaders are authentic. Leaders are not perfect. Leaders sometimes fail. Leaders admit their shortcomings to themselves, they recognize their strengths, and they live as who they are. Leaders have ethics. They have at the center of their belief a regard for human worth and dignity. They make decisions based on deeply held values and beliefs. Leaders are servants... dedicated to the service of others. Leaders lead. They don't lead to be followed, they lead because they are called to lead.

Thank you to all the past and present leaders of this country.
God Bless America.

Life Is Good!

What a great slogan! I am sure you have seen the T-shirts before, they are soft, comfy, and so TRUE! How simple... a cute picture of something that makes you happy with the words "Life is Good" written below... GOSH, that is genius! How great is that! Life IS Good and I am so glad that someone finally decided to remind us of that. With all the inappropriate logo's that we can have on our clothing, I commend whoever created such a wholesome product line.

You are blessed. I am blessed. We are blessed.

Life is Good. God is Good!

Silence

Hello?...silence... Are you there?... silence... Can you hear me? ...silence... Is there anybody out there? .... silence ...

She waits, frustrated, beaten down, longing for answers, longing for guidance.

God's here, I know he is! He always has been, and always will be, but why won't He talk to me? I need to hear His voice. People talk of these high points of prayer, you know the ones where they felt moved, or heard God loud and clear about what they should do and who they should be. I want that! Is that too much to ask? God, can I have that? Why won't you speak to me? ... listen... listen.... listen... silence... sigh.

Feeling defeated, she looked at Him. He motioned her closer, and she went. In the silence, she climbed up and into His lap. She nuzzled her head into His chest, closed her eyes, and she was silent...

Watch Bush dance!

Ok, I found something great... have you ever seen George W. Bush dance? No, not with his lovely wife in formal attire at a fancy ball, I mean REALLY dance. Ck this out for a VERY good laugh. In fact I am smiling just thinking about this link.

http://www.dancingbush.com/

God Bless America!

The Valentine

She had been working on it for days. It had to be perfect, nothing less. Her mom knocked on her bedroom door. Quickly, she placed her craft back into her backpack so that her mother couldn’t see it.

“What are you making, Honey?” Her mother asked.

Not wanting to explain what she was doing, the seven year old shook her head as she began to organize her pink and red markers on the desk, “Nothing Mom”

“Are you making a Valentine?” She asked cautiously, “Will you show it to me?”

Hesitantly, the girl reached down and pulled it out of her bag. For being made out of construction paper, it was the most beautiful valentine that her mother had ever seen. She could tell that it was made with love, the way a valentine should be. There was one thing that struck her as rather odd about the valentine. Instead of having a heart on it, or being shaped like a heart, it had a simple red and pink cross on the front made with glitter.

“It’s gorgeous, who is the valentine for? A boy in class?”

The girl nodded her head.

“You’ve never made a Valentine before? This boy must be special?”

The girl became slightly frustrated for having to explain something to her mother that seemed so simple. She spoke in a very matter of fact way. “Mom, I never made a valentine before because I couldn’t give my heart to anyone... Jesus has it.”

Smiling, the mother replied, “You are right, sweetie, Jesus does have you heart. So what makes this year different?”

The young girl paused for a moment “Well, I talked to Jesus, and He said that since He has both of our hearts, that they could be together.”


---To the man who swept me off my feet, put a sparkle in my eye, and changed my heart for all eternity. Thank you for finding me. You are my one true love, my precious Valentine. Oh yeah, and I talked to Jesus, He said that our hearts could be together…

Gay's Pink Angels

It's a bird, a plane,
No, not what you think,
Ladies flying for Gay,
And they're all about pink.

Angels from God,
Watching over their friend,
No doubt they will be there,
To fight and defend.

Every day is a battle,
But it's not the war,
Her angels lift her up,
They help her to score.

She's strong and she's brave,
But that isn't enough,
She needs all her angels,
They help her to be tough.

Pink is for strength,
Faith and love do their part,
Illness may have her body,
But God holds her heart.

-for Gay F.
Please pray for her and her pink angels!

What do I deserve?

"Grace is when God gives us what we don't deserve; Mercy is when God doesn't give us what we do deserve."

To be worthy of something... to deserve it...what does that mean? We always say things like "oh thanks, I don't deserve this gift, how nice" or "I deserve a promotion after how hard I have worked" or to a loved one "I don't deserve you" or about the wrongdoer, "they'll get what they deserve!" or to a friend in a bad relationship, "you deserve so much better than him!" So, what DO I deserve? What do I have that I don't deserve? What do I give to others that they don't deserve? What has God given to me that I don't deserve?

When things in life are good, I seem to be more thankful than when things aren't so good. I thank Him for what I get and I rarely thank Him for what I don't get. Really, when it comes down to it... I don't deserve any of it. NOTHING. I am unworthy of His love. I am unworthy of my life, and all that is in it, whether good or bad. I am unworthy of His grace, His mercy, and His love.

I don't get it?

Today at lunch I had to run some errands. As I was driving back, I saw something that you just don't see everyday and I am hoping someone has some insight.... I saw a man, walking down the interstate, bearing a very large white cross. Let me give you a min to let that set in.... Huh? You are thinking to yourself... YEAH, LIKE JESUS? What is this guys deal? What message is he trying to get across... all I can think is "Hit me, I'm walking down the highway with a large white cross!" A woman that I work with said she saw him on Monday walking in Fort Worth, which is about 40 miles west of where I saw him? So has he just been walking since then?

Orvieto

The bus was headed to Orvieto, a precious town sitting on a plateau of volcanic tuff in the Tuscan hills of Italy. The quaint town took my breath away as I stepped into the square. The narrow alleys stretched like fingers from the town center where the wonderfully gothic cathedral sat at its palm. The shops were filled with hand painted dishes and platters of the most beautiful reds and yellows. While most tourists were fascinated with the town's unique shopping and extensive system of underground caves, I was however drawn in by its simple cathedral. I took several steps backward, so as to quietly slip away from my group’s tour. I walked, slowly, back down the alley toward the cathedral, letting it grow bigger and bigger with every step that I took. Sitting atop the church was a steeple, reaching so high as if to point towards heaven. It was Sunday, and mass had started. I pushed on the massive church doors and was greeted with a cold refreshing breeze. I silently slipped in the back of the cathedral and onto the last pew. The angelic ring of voices sang out hymns of praise in the most beautiful Italian. The organ pounded through the rafters of the church and into the rafters of my heart, filling my insides with peace and joy. Those around me listened intently to the priest as he began his sermon, but I didn’t understand a single word. When his speaking came to an end, the church joined together to the recite the words that they recite each Sunday. Then the members of the church turned to those on their sides and stretched out their hands. A small Italian woman with long grey hair and a plain blue shawl turned to me, “La pace è con voi” she said. I didn’t know how to respond, so I simply nodded my head and smiled… “and also with you” I thought to myself, wishing I had the words. I had been in Italy for several days, a foreigner in a distant land, and it was this moment, sitting alone in the last pew, that I understood. It didn’t matter where I came from, what language I spoke, or what denomination I was… while I was so different from this little Italian church community, I had one thing in common with each and every one of the people there … we worship the same God ... and that was enough.

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to everyone you meet.
To make all your friends feel there is something special in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise others.
To be too large for worry,
Too noble for anger,
Too strong for fear,
And too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

-Author Unknown

Today is National Go Red for Women Day!

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association’s nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together and wipe out heart disease. Thanks to the participation of millions of people across the country, the color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

Taking care of your heart is more important than you might know. Too few people realize that heart disease is the No. 1 killer of American women — and of men. But the good news is that heart disease can largely be prevented. How you say? Well, let me tell you...

1. Eat Healthy- Healthy food habits can help you reduce three risk factors for heart attack and stroke—high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and excess body weight.
2. Get Physical- Increase your physical activity to at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week, even if you do it 10 minutes at a time.
3. Kick Butts- Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. If you smoke cigarettes (or cigars), you have a higher risk of illness and death from heart attack, stroke and other diseases. These include lung, mouth and throat cancers; chronic lung diseases and infections; congestive heart failure; and peripheral vascular disease (in the legs and arms).

Go Red For Women empowers women with knowledge and tools so they can take positive action to reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke and protect their health. Make your promise to be heart healthy — join the movement to help conquer heart disease, and encourage others to do the same.

*Information from www.americanheart.org

Fog

The fog closes in... down low, heavy, wet, and cold. She can't see. Visibility is gone. Instead there is a hazy grey, as if wearing sun glasses in a dark room. Shapes move around, but they feel distant, leaving her feeling alone and trapped. She doesn't know what is ahead and she is scared. Fear consumes her, blurring her view even more. The fog has become dense as she travels down into the valley, further away from anything she has ever known before. So much is unclear, vague. The path she walks is untraveled. Her pace slows as obstacles hinder her speed. She begins to trip, but as she starts to fall someone grabs her hand. He holds it tightly. Relief. She is not alone. She can't see, but she knows that He can. He guides her, slowly, gracefully, lovingly... like a father would. She is safe, and she trusts Him. She doesn't speak, she only listens... to the silence. He doesn't have to speak... she knows that He is with her. She moves closer to him... closer... closer... so close that they feel as one. He has taken her away. Away from fear, away from loneliness. She may be walking by herself now, through the fog, through the haze... but she feels Him there. He will be there always... He's there in her heart.

Trying

Thud... She hits the ground, face first. The wind knocked out of her. Pain throbs from her knees and wrists as she lays there trying to regain enough strength to get up again. A single tear escapes from her deep blue eyes as she sighs in disappointment. She wipes it away quickly so that no one is to see. The constant battle to stand is exhausting and the getting back up makes her wonder why she continues to try at all. But she does. She does it for Him... it's all for Him. She faces a new battle each day. She fights, and so many days she loses, like she did today. It's not the war though. Slowly, one foot at a time, she rises. With the support of those who love her, she tries her hardest. She does it for Him... it's all for Him. She's up now, and she knows she will be back down again. With hope and faith in her heart, she keeps trying, she keeps fighting, she keeps standing, standing for Him... its all for Him.

God smiles. She tries to please Him, and THAT is exactly what pleases Him the most.