There is work to do, lines to meet;
You’ve got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

In the midst of family chaos,
‘Quality time’ is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He’ll respond.
ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.
(By Lisa Engelhardt)
Copyright: Abbey Press, St. Meinrad, IN. 47577
http://www.abbeypress.com/textlink

So many times I've asked Him
"Lord, how much longer will it be,
to take away the burdens
that seem to envelope me?"

But yet, I will wait
for that’s what He wants me to do,
To put my faith and hope in Him
the One who holds the truth

However long it takes
even though I groan and pray,
If the waiting takes a lifetime
I will wait on Him each day

For His plan is not mine
and His ways are not my ways,
But He's the One who knows for sure
What's in store for me today

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and take heart and wait for the Lord.
by Tami Martindale

Count your blessings instead of your crosses; 
Count your gains instead of your losses. 

Count your joys instead of your woes; 
Count your friends instead of your foes. 

Count your smiles instead of your tears; 
Count your courage instead of your fears. 

Count your full years instead of your lean; 
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean. 

Count your health instead of your wealth; 
Love your neighbor as much as yourself. 

Author unknown

Whatever our hands touch...
We leave fingerprints.
On walls,
On furniture,
On door knobs, dishes and books.
Smudges, showing we were there!

Oh Lord, please, wherever I go today...
Help me leave Heartprints.
Heartprints of compassion,
Understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.

I shall go out today... to leave  Heartprints...
And if someone should say,
"I felt your touch!"
May that one feeling be
Your loving touch,
Lord, through me!

May my heart touch.
My lonely neighbor, with a smile,
A worried mother, with peace,
A runaway child, with safety,
A homeless person, with warmth,
And my dear friends, with love.

~Author unknown~

I knelt to pray but not for long;
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done,
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They’d laugh at me I’d fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry;
No time to give to souls in need,
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes,
For in His hands God held a book -
It was the Book of Life.

God looked into His book and said,
“Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down…
But never found the time.”
Author Unknown

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
Yet through lack of faith and appreciation
Of His love and kindness, I have known want.

He had me lie down in green pastures,
But my tempestuous soul could not be satisfied.
He led me beside still waters,
But the sparkling stream seemed more exciting,
So following it, I lost my way.

The green fields which looked so beautiful and alluring
Were rocky and grass thin.
The stream which sparkled and rippled so musically
No longer held charm for me,
As I was beginning to long for the still waters and
Green pastures and my Shepherd. --But I was lost.

My eyes were dim from weeping,
And my ears dull to the tender call of the Shepherd,
Whose love for the lost has never ceased.

At last I heard Him calling,
Faintly at first, so I followed the sound of the sweet voice,
And I found my Shepherd waiting with outstretched hands
To receive a wayward child.
And he restored my soul.

So now, through the green pastures and by the still waters of His love,
I may again, for His name sake, find the paths of righteousness.
When I approach the veil of the shadows I need have no fear,
For the light of Thy presence will disperse the shadows,
And Thy rod and Thy staff support me -- So what have I to fear?

Thou hast prepared a table with the bread of heaven
And the cup of salvation which runneth over;
And Thou hast seated me even in the presence of my enemies.

Holding the cup in Thy nail-scarred hands,
Thou has annointest my head with the oil of Thy love.
Surely the God of mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The Bible and the TV Guide
On the table side by side.
The Holy Bible and the TV Guide.
One is well worn, but cherished with pride
(not the Bible but the T.V. Guide)
One is used daily to help folk decide.
No! it isn’t the Bible, it’s the T. V. Guide.
As pages are turned, what shall they see?
Oh what does it matter, turn on the T.V.
Then confusion reigns, they can’t all agree.
On what they should watch on the old T.V.
So they open the book in which they confide
(not the Bible but the T. V. Guide)
The Word of God is seldom read.
Maybe a verse before they fall into bed.
Exhausted and sleepy and tired as can be.
Not from reading the Bible but from watching T.V.
So then back to the table, side by side
Is the Holy Bible and the T.V. Guide.
No time for prayer, no time for the Word.
The plan for salvation is seldom heard.
Forgiveness of sin so full and free.
Is found in the Bible and not on T.V.

(Author Unknown)

Men read what you write,
Whether faithless or true;
Say, what is the Gospel
According to YOU?
-Gilbert

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning…to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1930 – 1998)
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth… 
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars…the house…the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard…
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile.
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Copyright by Linda Ellis
(See website below for more of Linda's Poetry))
Linda Ellis of Linda's Lyrics

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with Pride.
I'm confessing that I Stumble
And need Someone to be my Guide.

When I say...."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be Strong.
I'm professing to be Weak
And Pray for Strength to Carry On.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of Success.
I'm admitting I have Failed
And cannot ever Pay the Debt.

When I say...."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be Perfect,
My Flaws are too Visible.
But God believes I'm Worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of Pain.
I have my share of Heartaches
Which is why I Seek His Name.

When I say...."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to Judge.
I have no Authority.
I only Know I'm Loved.
(Author unknown)

A Friend is one who is not hard to
find when you are penniless. 

A friend is one who makes your grief
less painful, your adversity more bearable.

A friend is one who joyfully sings with you 
when you are on the mountaintop,
and silently walks beside you through the valley.

A friend is one with whom you are comfortable,
to whom you are loyal, through whom 
you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.

A friend is one who warms you with
their presence, trusts you with their secrets,
and remembers you in their prayers.

A friend is one who gives you a spark of 
assurance when you doubt your ability to 
fulfill your noblest aspiration, climb your 
special mountain, or reach your secret goal.

A friend is one who helps you bridge
the gaps between loneliness and fellowship,
frustration and confidence, despair and hope, 
setbacks and success.

A friend is one who is available to you,
understanding of you, and patient with you.
A friend is no less a gift from God than 
is a talent; no less a treasure than life itself.

A friend is also someone who listens.
THANK YOU FOR BEING MY FRIEND!
(Copied from e-mail - author unknown)

I love a peaceful Sunday,
The quiet that's in the air,
The serene and happy feeling,
The comfortable rocking chair.

The smell of delicious coffee,
The ham and hotcakes to bake,
No hurried schoolday rushing,
No scampering, no lunches to make.

The papers piled high on the table,
You can read to your heart's delight,
With an old soft robe and slippers on,
And the sun shining warm and bright.

I love a quiet Sunday,
With peacefullness in the air.
Let's count our blessings, go to church,
And say a little prayer.
Marguerite Halker

You lived next door to me for years,
We shared our dreams, our joys and tears,
A friend to me you were indeed,
A friend who helped me when in need.

My faith in you was strong and sure,
We had such trust as should endure.
No spats between us ever rose,
Our friends were like – and so, our foes.

What sadness, then my friend, to find,
That after all, you weren’t so kind,
The day my life on earth did end
I found you weren’t a faithful friend.

For all those years we spent on earth,
You never talked of second birth.
You never spoke of my lost soul
And of the Christ who’d make me whole!

I plead today from hell’s cruel fire,
And tell you now of my least desire –
You cannot do a thing for me;
No words today my bonds will free.

But do not err, my friend, again –
Do all you can for souls of men.
Plead with them now quite earnestly,
Lest they be cast in hell with me!

(Author unknown)

~Take time to smell the roses.
~Take a nap on Sunday afternoons.
~Drink eight glasses of water a day.
~Never deprive someone of hope -
it might be all they have.
~Be thankful for every meal.
~Don’t be afraid to say - “I’m sorry”.
~Don’t take good health for granted.
~Don’t interrupt.  Don’t tailgate.
~Improve your performance by - 
improving your attitude.
~Wave at the children on the school bus.
~Listen to your children.
~Leave everything a little 
better than you found it.
~Leave the toilet seat in the down position.
~Keep it simple. Keep good company. 
Keep your promise
~Be kinder than necessary.
~Take good care of those you love.
~Make it a habit to do nice things 
for people who will never find out.
~Wear outrageous underwear under 
the most formal business attire.
~Vote.
~Judge your successes by 
the degree that you’re enjoying 
peace, health, and love.
~Be a good loser. Be a good 
winner. Be romantic.
~Live so that when your children 
think of fairness, caring, and integrity, 
they think of you.
~Enjoy real maple syrup.
~Never refuse homemade brownies.
~Never give anyone a fruitcake.
~Remember other people’s birthdays.
~Sing in the shower.
~Don’t nag.
~Don’t expect money to 
bring you happiness.
~Be forgiving of yourself and others.
~Never give up on anyone - 
Miracles happen every day.
~Say “thank you” a lot. Say “please” a lot.
~Don’t postpone joy.  Stop blaming others.
~Take care of your reputation…
it is your most valuable asset.
~Count your blessings.
~Marry only for love. Call your mother.
~Do more than is expected. Be 
there when people need you.
~Be someone’s hero. Support your community.
~Support it generously with your time and money.
(Author Unknown)

When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high;
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit -
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are;
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit.

Author Unknown to me

A careful man I ought to be,
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear he'll go the selfsame way.
Not once can I escape his eyes;
Whate'er he sees me do he tries.
Like me he says he's going to be, 
That little chap who follows me.
I must remember as I go
Through summer sun and winter snow,
I'm molding for the years to be--
That little chap that follows me.
(Author unknown to me)