|
Posted on 12/10/2004 8:18:16 AM PST by JustAmy
|
Grief is like a jagged rock that you bury deep in
your pocket, its sharp edges forcing you to take
it out and examine it from time to time --
even when you do not want to.
And when it is too heavy to carry, you must
ask a friend to hold it so you can rest.
As time passes it is a little easier to take the rock out
of your pocket. It doesn't seem to weigh as much.
Now you show it to a circle of friends and,
occasionally, even a stranger.
One day you pull out the rock and surprisingly,
it doesn't really hurt as much.
For the edges are no longer jagged but
smoothed out by time, touch and tears.
-- Author unknown
Grief and pain are the price we humans pay
for the love and total commitment
we have for another person.
The more we love, the greater the pain.
But, would we have it any other way?
Memories are a gift from God,
to those left behind.
They bring comfort, joy, and laughter.
They enable one to live on forever in
the hearts of those they loved.
-- Author unknown
Read: Luke 10:38-42
Martha was distracted with much serving. —Luke 10:40
Bible In One Year: Hosea 9-11; Revelation 3
While Martha served Jesus unsparingly, her sister Mary sat at His feet, listening and learning. Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) believed that Martha's mistake wasn't her serving, but rather that she allowed it to distract her attention from Jesus. Spurgeon believed that we should be Martha and Mary in one. He wrote, "We should do much service, and have much communion at the same time. For this we need great grace. It is easier to serve than to commune."
I once met a young mother who found the grace to do both. She hungered after God and His Word but was unavoidably immersed in family life each day. Then an idea came to her. In each room she placed paper and a pencil on a high surface, away from tiny hands. As she served the Lord in household responsibilities, she also kept herself open to God. Whenever a Scripture came to mind, or something to confess, to correct, or to pray about, she jotted it on the nearest pad of paper. In the evening after the children were asleep, she gathered her pieces of paper and pondered them prayerfully over her open Bible.
This woman found a way to be Martha and Mary at the same time. May we too discover ways to serve God and to commune with Him. —Joanie Yoder
LOL! Cute. :-)
Those are beautiful and touching poems. Thank you, OESY!
Thank you for the Our Daily Bread post!
Hi Al! I hope you are doing better. You're still in our prayers!
Amen!
It is absolutley my pleasure!
The Poinsettia
With its beautiful, red, star-shape poinsettia is a favorite flower in the United States. In Central America it is called the "Flame Leaf" or "Flower of the Holy Night". Now very popular in the US, the American settlers were not quite familiar with this one only a couple of centuries back. A native of Mexico, it was brought here over a hundred years ago by Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico. Most of the poinsettias used these days come from California.
The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. It tells of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas festival. Each year a large manger scene was set up in the village church, and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. The two children loved Christmas but were always saddened because they had no money to buy presents. They especially wished that they could give something to the church for the Baby Jesus. But they had nothing.
One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for church to attend the service. On their way they picked some weeds growing along the roadside and decided to take them as their gift to the Baby Jesus in the manger scene. Of course they were teased by other children when they arrived with their gift, but they said nothing for they knew they had given what they could. Maria and Pablo began placing the green plants around the manger and miraculously, the green top leaves turned into bright red petals, and soon the manger was surrounded by beautiful star-like flowers and so we see them today.
Good evening, Al Possum.
I hope you are doing okay. Are you still able to eat and enjoy it?
Thank you for coming by this morning. You are still on my prayer list.
Have a beautiful week and a very Merry CHRISTmas.
Good evening, OESY. I hope you've had a terrific weekend.
Thank you for the wonderful Children's Memorial Day poems. They are beautiful.
Good evening, Mayor. Thank you for helping us get started on the right foot each morning.
Any news on the Mrs' trip to LA?
Have a great week.
Good evening, Tulip!
Hope you had a perfect Poinsettia Day.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
