The House Behind the Weeds

Just two little boys walking down a dusty lane

They came upon this old white house

With broken window panes.

The paint was faded, the shine was gone

The grass had grown so high

Still, they made their little feet

To see what was inside.

They opened up the squeaky door

And then it came to light

This must have been an old church house

Once upon a time.

Dirty, dusty wooden pews

A pulpit that still stood

A bible laid upon it

Though the pages weren’t too good.

An offering plate and song books too

Were lying on the floor

They must have left this old church fast

The day they closed these doors.

And over in the corner

A piano was still there

It must have played a pretty tune

But I guess nobody cared.

So little Bill looked up at Tommy

And Tommy looked at Bill

Why Don’t we clean this old church up,

and get these old pews filled?”

They took a rag and wiped the dust

To try and make things shine

And then they took the offering plate

And put in it their Last dime.

They took a broom and swept the floor

And picked up broken glass

They got it all so nice and neat

And then they mowed the grass.

They lifted up the old church sign

And stood it by a tree

Right down by that old dirt road

Where everyone could see.

They ran back home, to find Daddy gone

But their Momma was inside

Just to find her hurt again

Where Daddy had made her cry.

“Don’t cry Momma, wipe those tears,”

Little Bill and Tommy smiled

“Cause we have a big surprise for you

Just down the road a mile.”

Hand in hand they tugged at her

Until they made her run

“What Is it Bill, Oh Tommy,

Just what have you two kids done?”

And then they came upon the house

Once hidden by the weeds

And there it stood a country church

Just like it used to be.

“But what is it, Mother? What’s with your tears?

We thought this would bring you joy.”

“Yes, but hush kids now and listen close

My Two sweet precious boys.”

They both got quiet and stood real still

For the words, they heard so true

Was Daddy praying in the church

With his head bowed on the pew.

“Forgive me, Lord! Forgive me, Lord!

Though I’m not worthy of Your love

Shine down on this sinner man

Sweet Salvation from above.”

“For I’ve been out in the world, You know

Living my life all wrong

Until I came upon this church;

the place where I belong.”

“I never noticed it before.

All those times I passed it up

I guess I wasn’t looking, Lord.

Or maybe I was drunk.”

“Bless oh Lord, yes, bless oh Lord.

The one who made me see

This little church that used to hide

Behind all those tall weeds.”

And then he raised his head and stood

With his hands high in the air

To find two, dirty, tear-faced boys

With Momma standing there.

They ran up to him, hugged him tight

As their tears fell on the floor

“Don’t worry kids, I’m not the Dad,

the one you’ve known before.”

Things are different for us now

So keep on those pretty smiles

And let’s go gather people in

To walk down these church aisles.”

Then Bill looked up at Tommy

And Tommy looked at Bill

“Come on brother, let’s get to work

To get these old pews filled.”

“For we need no special blessing

For cleaning up this church

cause, God gave us back our Daddy

And that’s more than gold is worth.”

Sunday morning, pews all filled

And smiles on every face

Especially two little country boys

The ones who found this place.

Though it was hidden back in the weeds

And so far out of sight

Nothing’s ever hard to find

If you’re walking toward God’s light.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: We walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. – 1 John 1:7

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Searching for A Vessel

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 lustre 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 house 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 its self;

Nor the one who is narrow to sit on the shelf;

Nor the one who is bigmouthed and shallow and loud;

Nor one who displays his contents so proud;

Not 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

Meditation: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. – 2 Corinthians 4:7

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

I Found Jesus There

The surgeon sat beside the boy’s bed; the boy’s parents sat across from him. “Tomorrow morning,” the surgeon began, “I’ll open up your heart…”

“You’ll find Jesus there,” the boy interrupted.

The surgeon looked up, annoyed. “I’ll cut your heart open,” he continued, “to see how much damage has been done…”

“But when you open up my heart, you’ll find Jesus in there.” The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly.

“When I see how much damage has been done, I’ll sew your heart and chest back up and I’ll plan what to do next.”

“But you’ll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there. You’ll find Him in my heart.”

The surgeon had had enough. “I’ll tell you what I’ll find in your heart. I’ll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I’ll find out if I can make you well.”

“You’ll find Jesus there too. He lives there.”

The surgeon left. The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery: “…damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis:” here he paused, “death within one year.”

He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. “Why?” he asked aloud. “Why did You do this? You’ve put him here; You’ve put him in this pain, and You’ve cursed him to an early death. Why?”

The Lord answered and said, “The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow.”

The surgeon’s tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. “You created that boy, and You created that heart. He’ll be dead in months. Why?”

The Lord answered, “The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for he has done his duty: I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb.”

The surgeon wept.

The surgeon sat beside the boy’s bed; the boy’s parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, “Did you cut open my heart?”

“Yes,” said the surgeon.

“What did you find?” asked the boy.

“I found Jesus there,” said the surgeon.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. – Romans 5:10

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Symptoms of Inner Peace

Below are common symptoms of inner peace:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

* A loss of interest in judging other people.

* A loss of interest in judging self.

* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

* A loss of interest in conflict.

* A loss of ability to worry (this is a very serious symptom).

* Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

* Frequent attacks of smiling.

* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

Health Check-up by God

I went to the Lord’s Clinic to have my routine check-up and I confirmed I was ill. When Jesus took my blood pressure, He saw I was low in tenderness. When He read my temperature, the thermometer registered 40 degrees of anxiety.

He ran an electrocardiogram and found that I needed several “love bypasses” since my arteries were blocked with loneliness and could not provide for an empty heart.

I went to orthopaedics because I could not walk by my brother’s side and I could not hug my friends since I had fractured myself when tripping with envy.

He also found I was short-sighted since I could not see beyond the shortcomings of my brothers and sisters.

When I complained about deafness, the diagnostic was that I had stopped listening to Jesus’ voice talking to me on a daily basis.

For all of that, Jesus gave me a free consultation thanks to His mercifulness, so my pledge is to, once I leave this clinic, only take the natural remedies He prescribed through his words of truth:

* Every morning take a full glass of gratitude.

* When getting to work, take one spoon of peace.

* Every hour, take one pill of patience, one cup of brotherhood and one glass of humility

* When getting home, take one dose of love

* When getting to bed, take two caplets of clear conscience

Do not give in to sadness or desperation for what you are going through today.

God knows how you feel…

God knows exactly, and with perfection, what is being allowed to happen to you in your life at this precise moment.

God’s purpose for you is simply perfect.

He wants to show you things that only you can understand by living what you are living, and by being in the place you are now.

* May God give you…

* For every storm, a rainbow

* For every tear, a smile,

* For every care, a promise,

* And a blessing in each trial.

* For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share,

* For every sigh, a sweet song,

* And an answer for each prayer.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” – Matthew 11:29-30

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

No More With Me

“I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I’ll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I’ve gotten impatient and upset. I’ve huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere. Perhaps I’m more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old man’s shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I’ve seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there’s a pile-up of angry people behind them. You can’t stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on-goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me! I don’t mean to hold you up,” he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was apologizing to everyone when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him.

I saw me.

By the time I got to him, he was just about steady on his feet.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was more,” he said.

“No, sir. No more with me,” I said. This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But…no more with me. Count me out.

This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

“My friend, can I help you with those things?” I asked.

Hesitant at first, he finally said, “Well, yes, thank you!”

I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

“So what are you shopping for, sir?”

“Oh, just a little something for my neighbour. She’s a young mother raising kids on her own. She’s always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother’s Day…” he said, stopping suddenly as he searched the inside pocket of his sports coat.

“Do you need something?” I asked.

“Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me,” he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and handed me a business card that read:

“John A. Pomicter

Friend to all…enemy to no one!

I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!”

“That’s for you,” he said. “Thanks for stopping to help an old man.”

“My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I’ll be part of the solution. No more with me!”

“Then this was meant to be,” he said smiling.

“You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let’s go get some chocolates, my friend.”

— Author Unknown

Meditation: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32

You will succeed in Jesus Name!

The Rancher and the Agent

A DEA Agent stopped at a ranch in Texas and talked to an old rancher. He told the rancher, “I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs.”

The rancher said, “Okay, but don’t go into that field over there…”, as he pointed out the location. The DEA Agent verbally exploded and said, “Look, mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me!”

Reaching into his rear back pocket, the arrogant officer removed his badge and proudly displayed it to the rancher. “See this badge?! This badge means I can go wherever I want… On any land! No questions asked, no answers given! Do you understand old man?!”

The rancher nodded, apologized, and went about his chores.

Moments later the rancher heard loud screams, he looked up and saw the DEA agent running for his life, being chased by the ranchers big Santa Gertrudis Bull. With every step, the bull was gaining ground on the officer, and it was likely that he’d, sure enough, get gored before he reached safety. The officer was clearly terrified. The old rancher threw down his tools, ran as fast as he could to the fence, and yelled at the top of his lungs.

“Your Badge! Show Him Your Badge!”

As hilarious as this story may seem, there is a profound lesson for us there on humility and lowliness. That you are representing a higher institution or occupying a privileged office does not give you license to look or talk down at others who are not so endowed.

No matter how high you may be in any setup, humility is key.

— Author Unknown

Meditation: Before destruction, the heart of a man is haughty, And before honour is humility. – Proverbs 18:12

You will succeed in Jesus Name!