Serenity Prayer

"God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those
who are bound into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell
in a dry land." Psalm 68:6

It's all about love. That's the sum total of the human experience.
Of course we define love in many different ways, but when it
comes down to it, we are all looking for the same thing -- a love
that passes understanding -- one that is pure and satisfying
beyond description. It's beyond the physical, though that is
were many stop in their search. The physical is simply a
shallow imitation if what we all desire. We want that eternal love,
one that transcends time and space. There is only one place to
find that kind of love -- in the Father's arms.

The prodigal son found that out. When he was in the pig sty
(a rough place for a young Jewish boy), he knew that what
he had experienced, what he thought was love, was nothing.
When the money was gone, the love was gone. He realized
that his father's servants felt more love than he did. He would
have been satisfied with the love his father gave the servants.
Still, when he approached home, his father saw him, ran to
him, put his arms around him and gave that lost son all that
he wanted and needed. The prodigal found perfect love in the
arms of his father.

David says that God places the lonely in a family. The lonely,
like the prodigal, have mostly given up on ever finding perfect
love. They have convinced themselves that second or third best
or none at all in the love category is all they are worthy of. But
the Father has other plans. He wants to give them all that He
has for them. He desires above all else to provide perfect love --
His love. All they have to do is start out for home and the Father
will come running to them.

Perhaps you know of some lonely people. Do you shun them,
or do you give them love? Do you cross the street and tell your
children to look the other way, or do you feed them? How do
you look at the homeless, the downtrodden, the poor, the filthy,
the addict? They are people that Jesus died for. If God was
willing to pay that price, don't you think you should be able to
give them some of the Father's love -- share the love He has
freely given you? Don't be stingy with your love, give it away!
The Father will give you much more in return -- guaranteed!

"I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you
with my eye upon you." ~Psalm 32:8

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10

If we believe that God's grace has saved us, then we can believe that God is
meaning to keep us in the way that we should go. Even a human rescuer would
not save us from drowning only to place us in other deep and dangerous
waters. Rather, he would place us on dry land, there to restore us. God,
who is our rescuer, would certainly do this and even more. God can complete
the task God sets out to do God will not throw us overboard. We can depend
on God.

I pray that I may trust God to keep me in the way. I pray I may rely on God
not to let me go.

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Thomas a Kempis

When spiritual comfort is sent to you by God, take it humbly and give thanks meekly for it. But know for certain that it is the great goodness of God that sends it to you, and not because you deserve it.
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SUNLIGHT AND FLOWERS
By: Joseph J. Mazzella

Have you ever stopped to look at the flowers in the morning?
It always amazes me to see how closed up and protected
they are. Their petals are folded in and their heads are
drooped from the cold and darkness of the night before.
As the sun begins to rise, however, you start to notice a
change in them. Slowly their heads begin to lift as they
respond to the warming rays. Then their petals begin to
unfold and grow towards the light. It is a beautiful thing
to behold. It is so glorious to watch the warmth and light
of the sun bring new life and beauty to the flowers of the
Earth.

Many people are like these flowers. They may seem cold
and closed off. Their heads may be bowed in despair against
the dark things in life. With only a little warmth and a little light,
however, they begin to come alive once again. This warmth can
be a simple smile, a kind word, or a gentle touch. This light can
be a joy filled laugh, a sweet letter, or just hearing how much
they are loved. Just these few, small things can bring life, beauty,
and happiness back into the hearts of these people. Just these
few, small things can make them flowers blooming with love and
delight once again.

All of us should strive then to be the sunshine in each other’s lives.
If we truly want those around us to blossom in love and grow in joy
then we have to give them our light and our warmth. God gives His
light, love, warmth, and joy free of charge. It is only right then for us
to choose it, welcome it into our hearts, grow in it daily and then
share it with the whole world. By passing on God’s love and light
and by sharing our own warmth and joy we can touch and help
the lives of countless others. By being a ray of sunshine to the
world around us we can help it grow into a flower garden of delight
and a greenhouse of love and joy.

"From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any
God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who
gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways." ~Isaiah 64:4-5

We can be expectant. We can constantly expect better things. We can
believe that what God has in store for us is better than anything we ever
had before. The way to grow old happily is to expect better things right up
to the end of our lives and even beyond that. A good life is a growing,
expanding life, with ever-widening horizons, an ever-greater circle of
friends and acquaintances, and an ever-greater opportunity for
usefulness.

I pray that I may wait with complete faith for the next good thing in store
for me. I pray that I may always keep an expectant attitude toward life.