A Beautiful Thought For One Who Is Aging

We have watered the trees that blossom in the summer-time. Now let's sprinkle those whose flowering time is past. That will be the better deed, because we shall not be working for the reward. -Kalidasa

As I See It

The trouble with self-made people is that they tend to worship their creators. -Unknown

In Pursuit of Excellence

Why should we settle for mediocrity when we are capable of being good. - I do not believe that we will ever come close to perfection but I believe we should approach our times of preparation as if we can. - Do we want to be good?

No Need

There was no need for me to be anxious. The things that were troubling me turned out to be no trouble at all. Everything was as it should be. Had I been able to find this out sooner, I would have spent fewer anxious moments and would better have enjoyed the days. - Trust in God to see you through the troubling times.And while doing so,enjoy life.

Why Am I So Anxious?

Matthew 6:25-34 (NRSV)

‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin,yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

How much do I NEED?

Through Difficult Times

One thing I have learned: At the time of my greatest need, there will be someone or some ones to help me through. I must express my gratitude to these people and I must lift my voice in praise and thanksgiving.

When I can look at my life with praise and thanksgiving, I can receive the lessons that life has for me. This is a good thing. I must open all of my senses to the blessings that I have been given.

Thank you God for sending people to me that I NEED.

FOUND ON A TOMBSTONE -

What I gave, I have;
What I spent, I had;
What I kept, I lost.

When Drinking Tea

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if it is the axis on which the whole earth revolves –
slowly, evenly, without rush to the future.

Thich Nhat Hanh

O GOD THE FATHER OF FRUITFUL LIVING

O GOD THE FATHER OF FRUITFUL LIVING,
Our best image of you in Christ Jesus, Our Lord, reminds us that we are to "bear much fruit" and thus be His disciples. We do not like barren land. Neither do we like barren workers - barren animals - barren plants. Yet, we seem content with barren lives and barren souls. Our goal is fruit-bearing, and some of us are missing our goal. We are not passing the fruit test. The depth of our lives cry out for meaning and usefulness. If we are barren, help us on this day to begin anew to do your work your way and then miracles will happen in our lives and in our world. Help us to worship you and be fruitful for Jesus' sake.
Amen.

prayed by the Reverend George Zorn

LUKE 12:15

15And he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’

Let us pray.
O God, the Father of all Wisdom, give to us the ability to see and act courageously and clearly. Allow us to know with certainty what we should treasure and worship. Save us from idolizing and worshiping lifeless things that may serve us well for a moment but which have no lasting or final value. Guide us so that we may give our finest devotion and worship to you. In full surrender, let us be possessed by you and never put under the slavery of things. We hunger for the satisfaction of the fellowship we find only in walking and talking and living with you now and eternally. Forgive us for those times when we have allowed any substitute.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.


prayer prayed by the Reverend George Zorn

Freely Given?

A coerced gift has little meaning.
A gift freely given must be full of love.

Find The Good Things

Be in tune with the moment.
See - Touch - Smell - Listen
Live while you are alive.
Don't waste even one precious moment.

This Moment

This moment is good.
There is nothing bad to haunt me
and there is peace and almost quiet to heal me.
Right now I am most aware of who I am
And this is good for me and for the world.

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Opportunity Knocks and Almost Leaves

Today I am going to take a little baby, her mother, and her grandmother to the baby's doctor's appointment today in Augusta. It will be a four hundred mile round trip and not being much of a traveler, I resisted their request until I realized that this would be an opportunity for me to do a bit to help relieve at least one person’s problems with medical care. I almost let a service opportunity get away from me.

fish

I lost the picture.

My Cat

 

This is Sir Thomas Jeremy Smokey Gray. He is supposed to be my cat but it is certainly the other way around. He is not my cat. I am his human. He has trained me very well and is very pleased to be able to keep me. I am very glad. I have enjoyed being his human for the last fifteen years.

Beauty in the Herb Garden

 

FEAR NOT

Over and over God tells me not to fear.
I know that God is with me even though I seldom act like it.