Happy Dance

~~Written for my dear friend Lampwicke~~

Thank you my friend, for being there for me.
You came in obedience to me at a time I was so low,
I didn't even ask you , you just appeared with hands
held out to me in offer of friendship and help.

You knew my reluctance to ask for help, for the Holy Spirit
already showed you that. So you came to me instead, you
even made me feel like I was helping you.

I know it was the Holy Spirit that was sending you, for the
timing was so perfect.
And I knew that as I took the hand of friendship that was
offered me, my God smiled, He had waited a long time for
this to be.

I talked so much about my life and about all those fears of
mine. The times I hurt and was so alone.

You helped me see that all those times, there was always
me and Him right there. Never was I ever all alone.

Everything had a purpose, a reason for my life. To make
me into the woman I am today. To show me now how
to live my life in the Spirit........For that's how He created me!

So thank you my friend for being there, for showing me what
a friend can be... I treasure the truth you helped me to see.

Praise my God ... He healed me and set me free.

In His Love

Les

 I've been wondering about my life Lord, and what it’s all about
it seems just lately it’s all about change Lord, when I see this body and all its limitations I know this wont always be.

I can see now Lord, that bit by bit and day by day, the change that’s happening in me.

The flesh that fought my spirit is much quieter these days. The change is happening quickly; that much I now can see, from flesh now to the spirit this exchange was always meant to be.

There’s still the physical pain I feel, and the emotions that still run strong, but more and more I run straight to You, knowing that Your Word is never wrong.

You are changing me, and the change is very real, it’s all about faith Lord, and not the way I feel.

This physical body is changing now to what You intended it to be. Exchanging this flesh for one of spirit, to walk and live in faith, and grow in You so strong.

This world we live in is but a place to learn and grow, for our destination is Heaven and eternity with You.

This time I now have left Lord, I give it all to You. Please use me Lord, and live through me, Your will, not mine be done.

I've been wondering about my life Lord and what it’s all about.

It’s all about You, Lord... It’s about Your love and forgiveness and healing and salvation and eternity. It’s all about YOU.

I love You Lord is what I want to shout!

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.

In His Love

Les

When I stand before my God,
and He shows the plan He had for me,

The plan for my life as it should have been.
If I had let Him have His way - and then I see.

How I ran from Him here,
and I ignored Him there,
And I would not yield to His will,

Will I see pain in my Saviours eyes,
even though He loves me still,
Would He have me rich
and I stand there poor
stripped of all but His Grace?

While my memory runs through my mind,
down the paths I cannot retrace,

Lord of the years that are left to me now,
I give them into Your Hand,

Take me and break me and mould me,
To the person that you have planned!

In His Love

Les

My God, I came back to thank You.
I am sorry for the times I forgot.
It was not that I was not thankful you know,
but I was so lost in my selfishness, I just forgot!

I came to you for my healing, and when You healed me,
I was so excited, I was lost in the wonder of it all, I so
wanted to go back and make up for those lost times with You.
But my God I just forgot to come back and thank You properly.

Today my God, I remembered what I needed to do; I came
back to You, to say thank You.
Back to that peaceful, quiet place where You were waiting.
I came to You, holding out my heart to You, full of thankfulness to You.

You accepted my offering with pleasure and love;
You said nothing about all the times I had forgotten before.
Then my God You gave me back my heart, not empty, but overflowing with Your love to me.

And then I was healed again!

Psalm 92:1 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Thy name,
Oh most high;"

Les

A poem about the Redwoods in Muir Woods San Francisco

Here, sown by the Creator's hand, In serried ranks, the Redwoods stand; No other clime is honoured so. No other lands their glory know, The greatest of Earth's living forms, Tall conquerors that laugh at storms;  Their challenge still unanswered rings, Through fifty centuries of kings.

The nations that with them were young, Rich empires, with their forts far-flung, Lie buried now-their splendour gone; But these proud monarchs still live on, So shall they live, where ends our day, When our crude citadels decay; For brief the years allotted man, But infinite perennials span.

by Joseph Strauss

The Master was searching for a vessel to use;
On the shelf there were many which one would He choose?

"Take me, cried the gold one I'm shiny and bright,
I'm of great value and I do things just right.

My beauty and luster will outshine the rest
And for someone like you, Master, gold would be the best!"

The Master passed on with no word at all;
He looked at a silver urn, narrow and tall;

"I'll serve you, dear Master, I'll pour out your wine
And I'll be at your table whenever you dine,

My lines are so graceful, my carvings so true,
And my silver will always compliment you."

Unheeding the Master passed on to the brass,
It was wide mouthed and shallow, and polished like glass.

"Here! Here!" cried the vessel, I know I will do.
Place me on your table for all men to view."

"Look at me", called the goblet of crystal so clear.
"My transparency shows my contents so dear,

Though fragile am I,I will serve you with pride,
And I'm sure I'll be happy in your home to abide."

The Master came next to a vessel of wood,
Polished and carved, it solidly stood.

"You may use me, dear Master", the wooden bowl said.
"But I'd rather you used me for fruit, not for bread!"

Then the Master looked down and saw a vessel of clay,
Empty and broken it helplessly lay.

No hope had the vessel that the master might choose,
To cleanse and make whole, to fill and to use.

Ah! This is the vessel I've been hoping to find,
I will mend and use it and make it all mine.

I need not the vessel with pride of itself;
Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;

Nor the one who is big mouthed and shallow and loud;
Nor one who displays his contents so proud;

Nor the one who thinks he can do all things just right;
But this plain earthy vessel filled with my power and might

Then gently He lifted the vessel of clay.
Mended and cleansed it and filled it that day.

Spoke to it kindly "There's work you must do.
Just pour out to others as I pour into you."

Author Unknown

Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life,
in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may make me patient, not irritable. That it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less true, less kind, less noble for having been a fellow traveler in our journey toward Eternal Life.

As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper from time to time, a word of love to Thee. May my life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity.

AMEN!

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


Robert Frost (1874–1963).

I asked for health,
that I might do greater things,
I was given infirmity,
that I might do better things ...

I asked for riches,
that I might be happy,
I was given poverty,
that I might have the praise of men,
I was given weakness,
that I might feel the need of God ...

I asked for all things,
that I might enjoy life,
I was given life,
that I might enjoy all things ...

I got nothing that I asked for -
but everything I hoped for,
almost despite myself,
my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men,
most richly blessed.

Author unknown.