By Sis. Shirley Tarpley
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 was not only the deadline for the United States budget crisis to be resolved and National Day Out in the U. S.; it was also my 70th Birthday. As I reflect on my life, I am grateful to God for all of His blessings to me, my family, my friends and my neighbors. This left me with things to think about and consider.
A Christian Week: Monday is Wash Day: Lord. Help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve You with perfect humility through the week ahead. Tuesday is Ironing Day: Dear Lord, help me to iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice that I have collected through the years so that I may see the beauty in others. Wednesday is Mending Day: O God, help me to mend my ways so that I will not set a bad example for others to follow. Thursday is Cleaning Day: Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart. Friday is Shopping Day: O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so that I may gain eternal happiness for myself and all others in need of love. Saturday is Cooking Day: Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with clean and sweet bread of human kindness. Sunday is The Lord’s Day: O God, I have prepared my house for You. Please come into my heart so that I may spend the day and the rest of my life in Your presence.
Why God Gave Us Friends: God knew that everyone need companionship and cheer; He knew that people need someone whose thoughts are always near; He knew they needed someone kind, to lend a helping hand; Someone to gladly take the time to care and understand. That’s why God gave us friends.
God knew that we all need someone to share each happy day; To be a source of courage when troubles come our way. Someone to be true to us, whether near or far apart. Someone whose love we’ll always hold and treasure in our hearts. That’s why God gave us friends.
Everything I Need to Know about Life, I Learned from Noah’s Ark:
One: Don’t miss the boat. Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat. Three: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark. Four: Stay fit; when you’re 600-years-old, someone may ask you to do something really big. Five: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. Six: Build your future on high ground. Seven: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs. Eight: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. Nine: When you’re stressed, float a while. Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.
Be kinder than necessary when you meet others, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
May your troubles be less; may your blessings be more; and may nothing but happiness come through your door!
Patience and Prayer: When we offer up our prayers to God, we want answers without delay. But, sometimes God will take His time and answer in His own way.
Learn to have more patience and wait for Him to speak. We know not what we’ll hear from Him, but His guidance we should seek. Don’t pray for earthly things, the Bible says to seek yea first the Kingdom of God … and don’t forget to thank God for His care. Thank Him for His constant love and for always being there. Thank God for the hope we have through His wonderful salvation plan, the plan He masterminded before He ever created man.
Be patient and wait on the Lord, He’ll answer all our prayers. Just accept His answer and obey His will, and we can overcome our earthly cares.
