~INTERVIEW WITH GOD~

~"That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.~

~That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.~

~That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.~

~That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived."~

~God's hands took mine and we were silent for a while and then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"~

~God replied with a smile,"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved.~

~To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.~

~To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. All will be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis!~

~To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.~

~To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.~

~To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.~

-To learn that there are persons who love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.~

~To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.~

~To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally different.~

~To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them, and likes them anyway.~

~To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."~

~I sat there for awhile enjoying the moment. I thanked Him for His time and for all that He has done for me and my family, He replied, "Anytime. I'm here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and I'll answer."~

~Author Unknown~

~THE COCOON~

~So to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.~

~Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of it's life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.~

~What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.~

~Sometime struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!~

~Remember what we struggle with makes us strong!~

~Author Unknown~

~I'LL DO BETTER TOMORROW, I PROMISE~

~You see, Mommy came to tuck me in, Like she does every night. I was trying to play a trick on her, Since she can't see without the light.~

I was going to close my eyes And pretend to be asleep. But when I heard her crying, I didn't dare let out a peep.~

~She started talking to you, God. Did You hear the things she said? Could You hear what she was saying As she stood beside my bed?~

~Why would Mommy be so sad? I wondered just what I had done, And then I began to remember it all As she named them one by one.~

~This morning we worked in the garden, But, honest, I really didn't know That if I picked all those little yellow blooms The tomatoes wouldn't grow!~

~Charlie and I were trying to be helpers, 'Cause I know that's what Mommy needs, But I don't think she was too happy with us When we pulled up carrots instead of weeds.~

~Mommy said we should stop for the day, She decided we had helped quite enough. I sure had worked up an appetite I didn't know gardening was so tough!~

~We had peanut-butter and jelly for lunch, And I shared too much, I guess.. But I didn't realize until I was done That Charlie had made such a mess.~

~Mommy said she needed a nap, She had one of her headaches today. She told me to keep an eye on my sister And find something quiet to play.~

~Well, God, do You remember all those curls You gave my little sister Jenny? We played barber shop very quietly And now, well, she doesn't have any.~

~Boy, was Mommy mad at me I had to go sit on my bed. She said never to cut "people hair" again. I guess I'll practice on Charlie instead.~

~We sat and watched poor old Albert, I just knew he must be so bored Going round and round in the same place all day, Wouldn't You think so, Lord?~

~I didn't think it would hurt to let him out for a while. I mean, mice need exercise, too. By the way, have You seen Albert lately? He's been sort of missing since two.~

~Mommy sent us outside for the rest of the day. She said we needed fresh air. But when Daddy came home she told him She was trying to get something out of her hair.~

~We thought Mommy needed cheering up, So we decided to brighten her day. But, God, did You see the look on her face When we gave her that pretty bouquet?~

~We had gotten a little bit dirty, So Mommy said to get in the tub. "Use soap this time," she reminded, "and please don't forget to scrub."~

~Charlie didn't like the water too much, But I lathered up real good. I knew Mommy would be so proud of me For cleaning up like I should.~

~I went downstairs to the table, But during dinner it started to rain I'd forgotten to turn off the water, it seems, And I hadn't unplugged the drain!~

~I decided right then it was just about time To start getting ready for bed, When Mommy said, "It's sure been a long day," And her face began turning all red.~

~I lay there listening to Mommy As she told You about our day. I thought about all of the things I had done And I wondered what I should say.~

~I was just about to tell her That I'd been awake all along, And ask her to please forgive me For all of those things I'd done wrong.~

~When suddenly, I heard her whisper, "God, forgive me for today For not being more understanding When those problems came my way ...~

~For not handling situations In the way You wanted me to For getting angry and losing my temper, Things I know You don't want me to do.~

~And, God, please give me more patience, Help me make it through another day, I'll do better tomorrow, I promise In Jesus' name I pray."~

~Wiping her eyes, she kissed me And knelt here beside my bed. She stroked my hair for a little while "I love you, precious," Mommy said.~

~She left the room without ever knowing That I'd been awake all the time. And God, could we make it our little secret? You know, just Yours and mine?~

~I'm sorry I was so much trouble today, I really didn't mean to be ... Daddy says it's tough being a kid sometimes, But I think it's harder on Mommy than me.~

~Well, goodnight, God. Thanks for listening. It's sure nice to know You're there. I feel so much better when I talk to You 'Cause You always hear my prayer.~

~And I'll do better tomorrow, I promise Just You wait and see! I'll try not to be so much trouble again, But, God, please give more patience to Mommy just in case, for me?~

~Author Unknown~

~IT'S IN THE VALLEYS I GROW~

~If I always stayed on the mountain top And never experienced pain, I would never appreciate God's love And would be living in vain.~

~I have so much to learn And my growth is very slow, Sometimes I need the mountain tops, But it's in the valleys I grow.~

~I do not always understand Why things happen as they do, But I am very sure of one thing. My Lord will see me through.~

~My little valleys are nothing When I picture Christ on the cross He went through the valley of death; His victory was Satan's loss.~

~Forgive me Lord, for complaining When I'm feeling so very low. Just give me a gentle reminder That it's in the valleys I grow.~

~Continue to strengthen me, Lord And use my life each day To share your love with others And help them find their way.~

~Thank you for valleys, Lord For this one thing I know The mountain tops are glorious But it's in the valleys I grow!~

~Author Unknown~

~MOVING THOUGHTS~

~When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.~

~The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.~

~It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.~

~Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.~

~Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.~

~There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!~

~Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.~

~May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.~

~Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.~

~Happiness lives for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss and ends with a tear.~

~The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.~

~When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.~

~Author Unknown~

~MY GOD IS NO STRANGER~

      ~It seems that I pass Him So often each day, In the faces of people I meet on my way.~

~He's the stars in the heavens, A smile on some face, A leaf on a tree, Or a rose in a vase.~

~He's winter and autumn, And summer and spring. In short, God is every Real, wonderful thing.~

~I wish I might meet Him Much more than I do. I would, if there were More people like you.~

~Author Unknown~