[JustAmy]

11-12-04
Graphic by MamaBear

Beauty of Our Friendship

Friendship is a Priceless Gift
that cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
than a mountain made of Gold.

For gold is cold and lifeless,
it can neither see nor hear
And in the time of trouble
it is powerless to cheer--

it has no ears to listen
Nor heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
or reach out a helping hand

So when you ask God for a gift
be thankful if HE sends
not diamonds, pearls or riches
But The Love of Real True Friends.

- Helen Steiner Rice -

[The Mayor]

November 12, 2004

Gloom Index

Read: Acts 16:16-31

At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. —Acts 16:25

Bible In One Year: Jeremiah 51-52; Hebrews 9

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Gray skies, blue mood. It's common enough to produce what some have called the "gloom index." That's a way of describing the amount of cloudy weather a region can expect during a winter season.

A related idea is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The theory is that weather-sensitive people experience a certain amount of cloud-induced melancholy.

Other factors might be figured into a gloom index. Think about what Paul and Silas endured (Acts 16). Any one of their troubles was enough to ruin the sunniest day. Imagine the irritations of dealing with greedy profiteers who had turned a demon-possessed girl into a sideshow (vv.16-17). Think about the pain of confronting an angry mob and furious judges (v.22), of receiving a whipping and imprisonment (v.23), and of having your feet locked in stocks (v.24).

But Paul and Silas rose above it (v.25). How did they do that? They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they had a sense of mission. They were motivated by a desire to obey God and spread the message of Christ.

Like them, we can rise above the mood swings prompted by our circumstances. By being strong in the Spirit, we can overcome the gloom index. —Mart De Haan

God often sends me joy through pain,
Through bitter loss, divinest gain;
Yet through it all—dark days or bright—
I know my Father leads aright. —Conklin

God's Son can brighten our darkest days.

[.45MAN]

Good morning to you all!

[Conspiracy Guy]

Morning!

[JustAmy]

Thank you for this adorable Welcome Graphic.

I hope you are having a very nice day.

[tuliptree76]

Good morning, Amy!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so much for this precious poem and graphic!

[Victoria Delsoul]

Morning all. Yep, I'm taking it easy today... just hangin' around. ;-)

Scooby Doo, My Hero

Scooby Doo, he is my hero
For it is very plain to see,
Not afraid to show emotion
Can be brave, when needed be.
Always hungry, always eating
Would leap buildings for a treat.
Can be loving, can be gentle
As a doggie, he is so sweet.
When faced with fear, he starts to shiver
And backs off as in retreat,
But to protect those meddling teenagers,
He would be impossible to defeat.
So if you have in your life, a Scooby,
Please be patient, and be kind
For he is a special someone
And he is a friend of mine.

-- Pauline Hamblin

[Grzegorz 246]

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Saturday! TGIS!

Have a cup while you Freep !