Grateful

GRATEFUL FOR THESE GIFTS
By Heather, Alberta Canada

~ Early wake-ups = Children to love.

~ House to clean = Safe place to live.

~ Laundry = Clothes to wear.

~ Dishes to wash = Food to eat.

~ Grocery shopping = Money to provide for us.

~ Toilets to clean = Indoor plumbing.

~ Lots of noise = People in my life.

~ Sore & tired in bed = I'm alive.

~ Be kind to each other = Endless love for all of you.

If Only I'd Known... Thomas Carlyle

If Only I'd Known... Thomas Carlyle

Author Unknown

Thomas Carlyle lived from 1795 until 1881. He was a Scot essayist and historian. During his lifetime he became one of the world's greatest writers. But he was a human and humans make mistakes.On October 17, 1826, Carlyle married his secretary Jane Welsh. She was an intelligent, attractive and somewhat temperamental daughter of a well-to-do doctor. They had their quarrels and misunderstandings, but still loved each other dearly.

After their marriage, Jane continued to serve as his secretary. But, after several years of marriage, Jane became ill. Being a hard worker, Carlyle became so absorbed in his writings that he let Jane continue working for several weeks after she became ill. She had cancer, and though it was one of the slow growing kind, she finally became confined to her bed. Although Carlyle loved her dearly, he very seldom found time to stay with her long. He was busy with his work.

When Jane died they carried her to the cemetery for the service. The day was a miserable day. It was raining hard and the mud was deep. Following the funeral Carlyle went back to his home. He was taking it pretty hard. He went up the stairs to Jane's room and sat down in the chair next to her bed. He sat there thinking about how little time he had spent with her and wishing so much he had a chance to do it differently.

Noticing her diary on a table beside the bed, he picked it up and began to read it. Suddenly he seemed shocked. He saw it. There, on one page, she had written a single line. "Yesterday he spent an hour with me and it was like heaven; I love him so." Something dawned on him that he had not noticed before. He had been too busy to notice that he meant so much to her. He thought of all the times he had gone about his work without thinking about and noticing her. Then Carlyle turned the page in the diary. There he noticed she had written some words that broke his heart. "I have listened all day to hear his steps in the hall, but now it is late and I guess he won't come today."

Carlyle read a little more in the book. Then he threw it down and ran out of the house. Some of his friends found him at the grave, his face buried in the mud. His eyes were red from weeping. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He kept repeating over and over again, "If I had only known, if I had only known." But it was too late for Carlyle. She was dead. After Jane's death, Carlyle made little attempt to write again. The historians say he lived another 15 years, "weary, bored and a partial recluse."

If Only I Had Known... For to miss love; is to miss life.

List to live by

                 
                       * The most destructive habit: Worry
                         * The greatest Joy: Giving
                          * The greatest loss: Loss of self-respect
                           * The most satisfying work: Helping others
                            * The ugliest personality trait: Selfishness
                             * The most endangered species: Dedicated leaders
                              * Our greatest natural resource: Our youth
                                * The greatest "shot in the arm": Encouragement
                                  * The greatest problem to overcome: Fear
                                   * The most effective sleeping pill: Peace of mind
                                    * The most crippling failure disease: Excuses
                                     * The most powerful force in life: Love
                                      * The most dangerous pariah: A gossiper
                                     * The world's most incredible computer: The brain
                                        * The worst thing to be without: Hope
                                         * The deadliest weapon: The tongue
                                          * The two most power-filled words: "I Can"
                                           * The greatest asset: Faith
                                            * The most worthless emotion: Self-pity
                                             * The most beautiful attire: SMILE!
                                              * The most prized possession: Integrity
                                             * The most powerful channel of communication: Prayer
                                                * The most contagious spirit: Enthusiasm
                                                 * The most important thing in life: GOD

The Will of God

Are you burdened?  Is someone close to you struggling?  Are you hurting - financially, emotionally, in your marriage, in your relationships, with your family, with your job, etc.  Whatever you're facing today, remember......

The will of God will never take you,
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply you,
Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you,
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

"Everything happens for a purpose. We may not see the wisdom of it all now but trust and believe in the Lord that everything is for the best."

The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.

Author Unknown