Inspirational Reading 3

FOOTPRINTS

One night I dreamed a dream,
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the
sand, one belonging to me and one to God.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked
back at the footprints in the sand.
There was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life
This always bothered me
and I questioned the God about my dilemma
God, you told me when I decided to follow You, You
would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware
that during the most troublesome times of my life there
is only one set of footprints.
I just don't understand why, when I need You most,
You leave me.
He whispered, My precious child, I love you and will
never leave you never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints
it was then that I carried you.

~Margaret Fishback Powers~

God Loves You

I Said
"God I hurt"
And God Said I Know

I Said
"God, I cry A Lot"
And God Said
"That is Why I Gave You Tears"

I Said
"God Life Is So Hard"
"That Is Why I gave You Loved Ones"

I Said
"God My Loved One Died"
And God Said
"So Did Mine"

I Said
"God Its Such A Loss"
And God Said
" I saw Mine Nailed To A Cross"

I Said
"God, But Your Loved One Lives"
And God Said
"So Does Yours"

God Where Are They Now?
And God Said,
"Mine Is On My Right, And Yours Is In The Light"

I Said
"God It Hurts"
And God Said
"I Know"

I do believe it is true!!

A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...
I know my Master is there and that is enough."

IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's
okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today

INSPIRATION

We all need inspiration
and little lines to cheer us
When trouble overtakes us
and we feel the “dark clouds” near us -
For lines of inspiration
are like a cheery song,
They make a good day better
and they help when things go wrong -
So may this little Keepsake
reach out across the land
And touch the hearts of all who read,
and make them understand
That no one can go beyond God’s love,
for it reaches Everywhere,
And anyone can talk to God
if they go to Him in prayer -
So if this little Keepsake
brought some brightness
to your heart,
Both the writer and the sender
are glad they had a part
In sharing these
God-given lines,
so simple and so true,
And may you in turn
keep sharing them
with folks
that you know, too.

Helen Steiner Rice