"A friend owes kindness
to one in despair..."
Job 6:14 (NAB)

"So do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.
Today's trouble is enough for today."
Matthew 6:34 (NRSV)

"No one has power over the wind
to restrain the wind... "
Ecclesiastes 8:8 (NRSV)

"The LORD will guide you continually...
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail. "
Isaiah 58:11 (NRSV)

"And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly.
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God? "
Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

"Behold, I am with you and will
keep you wherever you go... "
Genesis 28:15 (NKJV)

Regardless of the circumstance,
Regardless of the fear,
Regardless of the pain we bear,
Regardless of the tear,

Our God is ever in control,
Performing as He should,
And He has promised in His Word
To work things for our good.

But as a loving Father would,
he sometimes lets us cry
To cleanse the hurt out of our heart,
To wash it from our eye.

Yet gently gathers the tears
Within His hands to stay
Until He turns them into pearls
and gives them back someday.
(Glenda Fulton Davis)

...it is righteousness-
To believe in God
And the Last Day,
And the Angels,
And the Book,
And the messengers.
Koran -s.ii. 77

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace!
That where there is hatred, I may bring love.
That where there is wrong,
....I may bring the spirit of forgiveness.
That where there is discord, I may bring harmony.
That where there is error, I may bring truth.
That where there is doubt, I may bring faith.
That where there is despair, I may bring hope.
That where there are shadows, I may bring light.
That where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort,
....than to be comforted.
To understand, than to be understood.
To love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.

There is a time for everything,
and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to embrace, and a time to be
far from embraces,
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to reap, and a time to sew;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate:
A time for war, and a time from peace.
Ecclesiates 3:1-8

Who provides for the raven his food
When his young ones cry unto God?
Job 38:41

Remember ye implored
The assistance of your Lord,
And He answered you:
"I will assist you
With a thousand of the angels,
Ranks on ranks."
Koran -s. viii. 9

My Dear Father in Heaven.
* YES? - -
Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.
* But you called Me.
Called You? I didn't call You.
I'm praying... My Dear Father in Heaven...
* There, you did it again.- -
Did what?
* Called me. You said,
"My Dear Father in Heaven."
Here I am. What's on your mind?
But I didn't mean anything by it.
I was just, You know,
saying my prayers for the night.
I always say my prayers. It makes me feel good,
kind of like getting my duty done.
* Oh. All Right. Go on.
I'm thankful for my many blessings...
* Hold it. How thankful?
What?
* How thankful are you for your "Many blessings?"
I'm... well... I don't know. How should I know?
It's just part of the prayer. Everyone always said
that I should express my thanks.
* Oh well. You're welcome. Go ahead...
Go ahead?
* With the prayer.
Oh yeah. Let's see... bless the poor and the sick
and the needy and the afflicted...
* Do you really mean that?
Well, sure I mean it.
* What are you doing about it?
Doing? Who, me? Nothing. I guess.
I just think that it would be kind of nice if
You got control of things down here like
You have up there,
so people don't have to suffer so.
* Have I got control of you?
Well I go to church, I pay my tithing, I don't...
* That isn't what I asked you.
What about your temper?
You have a problem there,
and your friends and family suffer.
And then there's the way you spend
your money... all on yourself.
And how about the kinds of books you read?
Stop picking on me.
I'm just as good as some of the rest
of those I see every Sunday at church.
* Excuse Me. I thought you were praying for me
to bless the needy. If that is to happen,
I'll have to have help from the ones
who are praying for it...
like you.
All right. I guess that I have a few hang-ups,
now that You mention it.
I could probably mention some others.
* So could I.
Look, Father. I need to finish up here.
This is taking a lot longer than usual.
Bless the missionaries to be led to the doors
of the honest in heart.
* You mean people like Ralph?
Ralph?
* Yes, the guy around the corner.
"That" Ralph... but he smokes and drinks
and never goes to church.
* Have you ever looked in his heart lately?
Of course not. How can...
* I have. I looked.
And it's one of those honest hearts
you were just praying about.
O.K. then, get the missionaries over there.
Do you think I like having a
non-member for a neighbor?
* Aren't you supposed to be a missionary?
I thought I made that pretty clear.
Hey, wait a minute.
What is this? Criticize "me" day?
Here I am, doing my duty,
keeping your commandments to pray.
And all of a sudden you break in and start
reminding me of all my problems.
* Well, you called Me. And here I am.
Keep on praying. I'm interested in this next part.
You haven't changed the order around have you?
... Go on...
I don't want to.
* Why not?
I know what You'll say.
* Try Me and see.
Please forgive me of all my sins...
and help me to forgive others.
* What about Bill?
See. I knew it. I knew you'd bring him up. Listen Lord,
he told lies about me, and I got fired.
All my co-workers think I'm a first class creep,
and I didn't do anything.
I'm going to get even with him!
* But your prayers. What about your prayers?
I didn't mean it.
* Well, at least you're honest.
I guess you enjoy carrying that load
of bitterness around, don't you?
No, I don't.
But I'll feel better as soon as I get even.
* Do you want to know a secret?
What secret?
* You won't feel better. You'll feel worse.
Listen to me.
You forgive Bill and I'll forgive you.
But Lord, I can't forgive Bill.
* Then I cannot forgive you.
No matter what?
* No matter what.
But you're not through with your prayer yet.
Go on.
Oh all right...
please help me to control my feelings
and not yield to temptations.
* Good. Good. I'll do just that.
But you stop putting yourself
in all those places
where you can be tempted.
What do you mean by that?
* Quit hanging around the magazine racks
and spending so much time in front of the tube.
Some of that stuff is going to get to you
sooner or later.
You'll find yourself involved in
some terrible things before long...
and don't use me for an escape hatch either.
An escape hatch? I don't understand.
* Sure you do. You've done it lots of times --
you find yourself in a crisis situation,
then you come running to me.
"Lord, help me out of this mess
and I promise I'll never do it again."
It's amazing how the quality and intensity
of your prayers improve when you are in trouble.
Do you remember some of those bargains
you tried to make with me?
Well I don't think... Oh... yeah...
like the time Mom's visiting teacher
saw me coming out of that movie about...
Oh brother...
* Do you remember your prayer. I do.
"Oh God. Don't let her tell
my mother where I've been.
I promise I'll go to nothing but
"G" rated movies from now on.
She didn't tell your mother, but you
didn't keep your promise. Did you?
No Lord, I didn't. I'm sorry.
* So am I. Go ahead and finish your prayer.
Wait a minute. I want to ask you a question.
Do you always listen to my prayers?
* Every word. Every time.
Then how come you never talked back to me before?
* How many chances have you given me?
There's not enough time between your "Amens"
and your head hitting the pillow
for me to draw a breath.
How am I supposed to give an answer?
You could, if you really wanted to.
* No. I could if *you* really wanted Me to.
Child, I always want to.
Father, I am sorry. Will you forgive me?
* I already have.
And thanks for letting me interrupt.
I get lonely to talk to you sometimes.
Goodnight. I love you.
Good night, and I love You too.