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Dayzee's Food For The Soul

  
(Page 3 of 30: Viewing entries 21 to 30)  
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Wed Apr 7, '10 5:15am PST 
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other . . . .
Ecclesiastes 7:14 (NIV)

What helps you most when you feel sad?” I asked a friend as we sat outside a coffee shop, enjoying the first nice day of spring and catching up with each other. Like me, she’d faced some challenges in the last year.

She fiddled with her napkin for a moment and then answered, “A friend who listens and doesn’t try to rush me into ‘happy.’”

I smiled at her choice of words.

“Sometimes I just need to talk about my feelings,” she continued, “so I want someone to listen without trying to resolve my problem or fix me—someone who will simply sit with me in my sadness for a little while.”

We fell silent for a moment and then she asked me the same question.

“What helps me most is remembering that I don’t have to be afraid of feeling sad,” I said. “I think of sadness as a place I go through on my way to somewhere else. It’s like a dark hallway I’m passing through. And I know that God has something for me to discover in that place, so I try to explore the possibilities, like greater trust or quiet rest or the surprising way I can feel both glad and sad at the same time.”

“Or that being in that place makes you a better friend to someone else who’s passing through it,” she added.

Lord, maybe our sadness is a gift from You, because as we pass through the darkness, we seek to see and know You better— and learn to walk alongside others going the same way.


By Carol Kuykendall
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Thu Apr 8, '10 5:44am PST 
The Fork
========

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness
and had been given three months to live.

As she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor
and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her
final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what
scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be
buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her
favorite Bible.

Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave
when the woman suddenly remembered something very important.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the woman continued.

"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the woman,
not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked.

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,"
said the pastor.

The woman explained.

In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners,
I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were
being cleared, someone would
inevitably lean over and say, "Keep your fork. It was my
favorite part because I knew that something better was
coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie.
Something wonderful, and with substance!

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a
fork in my hand and I want them to wonder,

"What's with the fork?"

Then I want you to tell them:
"Keep your fork...the best is yet to come,"

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the
woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he
would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman
had a better grasp of heaven than he did.

She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and
they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible
and the fork placed in her right hand.

Over and over, the pastor heard the question:

What's with the fork? And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the pastor told the people of the
conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died.

He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to
her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking
about the fork and told them that they probably would not be
able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork,
let it remind you oh so gently, that the best is yet to come.


~Author Unknown~
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Fri Apr 9, '10 4:03am PST 
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:12

This week my wife Shirley and I arrived back in Pennsylvania. I tell people in Florida that we go North early to see the daffodils—and see them I do, out our kitchen window. Their bright yellow heads dance in the cool wind, just as William Wordsworth described them in his oft-quoted poem:

A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Also in spring bloom is a saffron field of forsythia that we brought with us when we moved here from Princeton, New Jersey. Our former neighbor, Mrs. Vaughn, then in her eighties, loved forsythia. (She called it “forsigh- thia.”) Up and ready to open their eyes, too, is another transplant, our Virginia bluebells. What makes them special is that they were a gift from another neighbor, Mrs. Braden, who majored in botany and could call everything in her yard by its Latin name. The plants she gave us have multiplied, and we have passed some of them along.

A rain-dampened Shirley, who’s been weeding around some beautiful magenta tulips, just came inside, singing, “Though April showers may come your way, they bring the flowers that bloom in May.” I answer with a riff from that old hymn “Showers of Blessings.” I’m still thinking of Mrs. Braden and the blessing she was. I remember her for her kindness and generosity. Those aren’t bad traits to be remembered by at this time of year when nature everywhere speaks of God’s bountiful handiwork.

Dear Lord, in all things bright and beautiful I see Your great love and creativity.


By Fred Bauer
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Sat Apr 10, '10 6:01am PST 
Today's Power Thought:
Find Courage.

As the days grew brighter, he used the affirmation, "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart" (Psalm 27:14). The patient put his heart under God's care. God placed His healing hand upon this man's heart and renewed it.
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Sat Apr 10, '10 6:29am PST 
This reminded my mom about the time back in 1989 when she had a heart attack. She spent 6 days in the hospital 3 in intensive care. Her doctor did a heart cath checking for damage. When the results came back and he went to her room, he looked at the results, and shook his head and mom seeing this asked what was wrong. He looked at the report again and said to her," I just don't understand it, all the tests showed you had a heart attack and you should have damage ..but there isn't any. Your heart is in better shape then mine. I don't get it."
Well, mom just said that she had so many praying for her that God healed it.
She put her heart in Gods hands just like the posting said.
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Sun Apr 11, '10 7:36am PST 
“But the Lord will be a refuge for his people . . . .”
Joel 3:16 (NIV)

The Courage to Hope

Saturday, 1:30 AM: I fumbled my key into the back door lock and lugged my suitcase inside. Heartbroken, I’d just flown in from a weeklong trip; Tessa, my seven-year-old German shepherd, had died unexpectedly while I was gone. I hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye. Tears streamed down my face as I walked through the house, past the empty dog bed, the bone in the living room and the dog bowls in the kitchen.

I threw myself into bed and slept. I woke at first daylight, rolled over and reached down to pet Tessa. Nothing. Lord, it’s too empty around here.

The dawn light streaming in the window shone on my prayer chair, an antique oak-and-leather rocker. I snuggled into it and forced myself to sing along with a praise-and-worship album. Watching the sun rise over the mountains, I knew the best thing I could do would be to get a new dog. I wanted a golden retriever, and it might take six months to find a pup.

My thoughts drifted to Jim, a long-distance friend I hadn’t seen in years. He had a male golden retriever. I had a strange feeling that I ought to call him, just to see if he knew of any kennels. Jim was surprised to hear from me. When I asked about kennels, he burst out laughing. “Rebecca, I’ve got puppies that’ll be ready to go in ten days.”

Maybe, just maybe, Lord, one of those puppies is mine.

Lord, thank You for a sunrise of hope in my darkest hours.


By Rebecca Ondov
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Mon Apr 12, '10 7:36am PST 
Today's Power Thought:
Faith Can Heal.

In all the investigations I have made into successful cases of healing, there seem to be certain factors present. First, a complete willingness to surrender oneself into the hands of God. Second, a complete letting go of all error such as sin in any form. Third, belief and faith in the combined therapy of medical science in harmony with the healing power of God. Fourth, sincere willingness to accept God's answer, whatever it may be. Fifth, a substantial, unquestioning faith that God can heal.
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Thu Apr 22, '10 2:38pm PST 
I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray enough for them.

5... And lastly comes our little finger


- the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Fri Apr 23, '10 8:46am PST 
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee. . . .
Isaiah 43:2

I was driving through a rainstorm in upstate New York one Friday last spring, headed east on Route 23 toward my house in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Millie, barely a year old, was curled up in the back of the Jeep in her dog bed.

There was a crack of thunder, and lightning slashed at the Berkshire Hills ahead. Then negotiating a curve beside a nearly overflowing swamp, I felt the wheels slip from under me. Foolishly, I must have hit the brakes instead of steering with the skid. We veered off the road toward the swamp, and all of a sudden we were airborne.

The Jeep rolled once, twice, bouncing crazily down an embankment, so fast and so violently that there was no time for my mind to register it. We landed wheels down in the swamp a good twenty feet from shore and in about three feet of water. Mud and ooze caked the windshield. The passenger’s side roof was crushed; water sloshed over the floorboards.

Millie! I undid my seatbelt, pushed the door open and waded to the back of the Jeep. She was trembling with fear but otherwise unharmed. I popped the hatch. “Honey, you’re going to have to learn to swim,” I muttered, easing her out into the water and steering her toward shore, one arm under her belly. She struggled to keep her chin above the muck and paddled heroically. “Good girl!”

Cars had pulled over and people met us with blankets and looks of amazement. One woman, a total stranger, hugged me and said, “It’s a miracle you survived. I saw the whole thing. There was an angel watching over you and your dog.”

I was aware of very little when the Jeep flipped over. But Someone was in control.

I have no doubt now, God, that in my greatest need You are closer than ever.

By Edward Grinnan
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♥- Dayzee- ♥

I got THE- power!! Jesus.
 
 
Purred: Sat Apr 24, '10 5:12am PST 
Your ears will hear a voice . . . saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

My granddaughter Isabelle Grace is learning to walk. She’s done the usual things to prepare: pulled herself up, tiptoed her way around furniture, walked with her tiny hands secure in adult ones. But the other night she did it. She walked from her dad to her mom. Then from me to her PaPa. Again and again. We clapped and cheered every time she successfully covered the territory between us. But when we enlarged the space and tried for longer distances, she sat down and began to scoot.

When it comes to walking, Isabelle is still a bit tentative. If someone she loves is waiting with open arms, she toddles across the floor with sure-footed confidence. She feels safe heading for a familiar harbor. But if you try to launch her out into the deep water of the living room, scoot alert!

I can understand how Isabelle feels. Sometimes it’s hard for me, too, to keep walking. Life’s path is filled with pebbles, stones that either trip me up or find their way into my shoe. The hills are steep. And way too much of the trek has to be done in the dark. The urge to stop—to sit, hunker down, scoot—is strong. But something else is stronger: the pull of God’s loving arms reaching for me, the confident voice that says, “This is the way. Walk in it!”

So like Isabelle Grace, I dust myself off and, balancing briefly to get my footing, I step out in faith. Someone Who loves me is waiting with open arms for my safe arrival. All I have to do is keep walking.

Thank You, Father, for setting me on my feet . . . again and again and again.

By Mary Lou Carney
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  (Page 3 of 30: Viewing entries 21 to 30)  
[First 10 entry] Page Links:  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  [Last 10 entry]