Retired But Not Retired

Success

2011-08-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a better place, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; to witness to all who come across your path about the saving grace of Christ; and to be ready for His return at His coming in the air.......this is to have succeeded.

Create In Me A Clean Heart, O God

2009-05-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me,
I'm so imperfect and needing You,
Each day that goes by I can see,

Help me to love others as I should,
And forgive them as I'm forgiven,
There's nothing within me that is good,
Unless You daily change the way that I live,

I love You more than life itself,
And want desperately to see You someday,
My life must remain pure and wait for Your change,
To be with You forever alway.

Author: Elizabeth Martens

Live A Life That Matters

2009-03-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end,
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days,
All the things you've collected, whether treasured or forgotten,
Will pass to someone else;

Your wealth, your fame and temporal power, will shrivel to irrelevance,
It will not matter what you've owned, or what you were owed;
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear,

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire,
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away,
It won't matter where you came from or on what side of the tracks you lived,
At the end it won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant,
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant,

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is----
Not what you bought, but what you built,
Not what you got, but what you gave,
Not your success but your significance,
Not what you learned but what you taught,
Not your competence, but your character.
Not how many people you knew but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
Not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you,

What will matter is----
Every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched,
empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what,

Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters!

Author: Michael Josephson

Take Time for God

2009-02-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work, for bills would soon be due..
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer, and jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done, my soul could rest at ease.....
All day long I had no time to spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends, they'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do, that was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need, but at last the time, the time to die,
I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book; it was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said, your name I cannot find,
I once was going to write it down.... but never found the time.

Our Wonderful God

2009-02-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

How lovely to think about the way our Creator God planned everything
so carefully and perfectly, everything with a plan. As His highest Creation,
"we are fearfully and wonderfully made."

God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs. For example;
The eggs of the potato bug hatch in 7 days. Those of the canary in 14 days.
Those of the barnyard hen in 21 days. The eggs of ducks and geese hatch
in 28 days. Those of the mallard in 35 days. The eggs of the parrot and
the ostrich hatch in 42 days. (Notice, they are all divisible by Seven).

God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant. The four legs of this great
beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other quadruped is so made.
God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two
legs. For this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground
easily. The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first.
A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first.
How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation!
God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of sections and segments of fruits
and vegetables, as well as in the number of grains on a head of grain. Each
watermelon has an even number of strips on the rind. Each orange has an even
number of segments. Each ear of corn has an even number of rows. Each stalk
of wheat has an even number of grains. All grains are found in even numbers
on the stalks. Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number
of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even
number and the next row an odd number.
The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of
weather. The Lord specified Thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold - all even
numbers. God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times
during the day, so that Linneus, the great botanist, once said that if He had
a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature,
he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those
that were closed! Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace can arrange the life
that is entrusted to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes
and plans, and will be fragrant with His presence. Only the God-planned
life is successful. Only the life given over to the care of the Lord is safe.

On The Wings Of Prayer

2009-02-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Just close your eyes and open your heart,
And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above,
And let Him hold you secure in His love.
For life on earth grows more involved,
With endless problems that can't be solved,
But God only asks us to do our best,
Then He will take over and finish the rest...
So when you are tired, discouraged and blue,
There is always one door that is open to you,
And that is the door to the house of prayer,
And you'll find God waiting to meet you there.
And the house of prayer is no further away,
Than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.
For the heart is a temple when God is there.
As we place ourselves in His loving care.
And He hears every prayer and answers each one,
When we pray in His name--Thy will be done.
The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear
Are lifted away on the wings of prayer.

By: Helen Steiner Rice

He Is In Control!

2009-01-29T14:31:00.000-08:00

He can calm the troubled waters, when you walk in dark despair.
There is hope when you feel hopeless, knowing that the Lord is there.
Sharing in your sunshine moments, or in valleys deep and wide,
He will never, ever leave you -- He is always by your side.
There's no other friend so faithful, through the sunshine and the rain,
Through the teardrops and the laughter, in your joy and in your pain.
We could never, ever thank Him, for His love He gives so free,
Never changing...never ending, throughout all eternity.
Oh, the wonder of all wonders, as we live from day to day,
Knowing that we have a Father, who is with us all the way.

By Gertrude B. McClain

Are You Dancing With God?

2008-12-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

G U I D A N C E - When I meditated on the word “Guidance”, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word “Guidance”. When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". .. "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance. As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. Once again, I became willing to let God lead. My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life. This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. If God has done anything for you in your life, please share this message with someone else. Interceding in prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards; so let's continue to pray for one another. And I Hope You Dance.................!

The Sun Will Shine Again

2008-12-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow
And as I go along life's way,I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,'Cause my cup has overflowed.
Haven't got a lot of riches,And sometimes the going's tough
But I've got loving ones all around me, and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'cause my cup has overflowed.
I remember times when things went wrong, my faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again .

God Opens Doors No One Can Close

2008-08-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

When God leads you to the edge of the cliff, trust Him fully and let go;
Only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He'll catch you when you fall,
Or He'll teach you how to fly! 'The power of one sentence!

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close.
Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing...

Life Is A Theater

2008-08-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

Life is a theater - invite your audience carefully.

Not everyone is holy enough and healthy enough to have a front row seat in our lives.
There are some people in your life that need to be loved from a distance. It's amazing
what you can accomplish when you let go, or at least minimize your time with draining,
negative, incompatible, not-going-anywhere relationships/friendships/fellowships!

Observe the relationships around you. Pay attention to: Which ones lift and which
ones lean? Which ones encourage and which ones discourage? Which ones are on a
path of growth uphill and which ones are going downhill? When you leave certain
people, do you feel better or feel worse? Which ones always have drama or don't
really understand, know and appreciate you and the gift that lies within you?

The more you seek God and the things of God -- the more you seek quality, the
more you seek not just the hand of God but the face of God - the more you seek
things honorable -- the more you seek growth, peace of mind, love and truth around
you, the easier it will become for you to decide who gets to sit in the FRONT ROW
and who should be moved to the balcony of your life.

You cannot change the people around you... but you can change the people you are
around! Ask God for wisdom and discernment and choose wisely the people who sit
in the front row of your life.

The Battle Is Not Ours

2008-07-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

The battle is not ours, we look to God above,
For He will guide us safely through, and guard us with His love.

I will not be afraid, I will not run and hide,
For there is nothing I can't face, when God is at my side.

You Are Never Alone

2008-06-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Do you feel the waters rising
That would try to overtake your soul?
There is one who will be there for you,
And will keep you safe in the fold.

No flood shall overtake you
If in his arms you remain,
He calmed yesterday's troubled waters,
Today, He can still do the same.

He still walks on the waters,
In the midst of all your storms,
And he still speaks "peace be still",
As he keeps you safe from harm.

Though life has many problems,
And everyone has cares along the way,
If we lean on the arms of Jesus,
There will always be a better day.

You Are Blessed!

2008-06-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head
And a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare,
Especially in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people
In the world that cannot read anything at all.

You are so blessed in more ways than you may even know.
Pass it on to someone else today.

The Power Of Words

2007-11-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 16: 24 ...........................
"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."
Oh, what power in our words, spoken as we go our way.
Words can comfort, words can heal,
And words can bring a brighter day.
Words are "matters of the heart" revealed,
Words are "thoughts of the mind"once concealed.
"Right Words" have healing power,
To touch lost sheep wandering out in the cold,
"Wrong words" have power to bring.....
Pain and sorrow to a weary soldier's soul.
Warriors in life's battle............
Can be wounded in their fight.
Warriors in God's army who once
Fought with strength and might.
Weary soldiers must go running......
To the Father when they fall down.
He will pick them up and hold them,
Give them "shoes of peace".................
To stand on heaven's higher ground.
Words from the Saviour minister......
As they go straight to the heart,
Words of wisdom......words of life,
Give life's weary soldiers a brand new start.
The Father looks down from up above,
Speaking words of instruction and love;
Then they are carried by heaven's"Holy Dove".

Arthor Unknown

On The Wings Of Prayer

2007-10-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

An Open Door

2007-09-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

May I never be too busy,
When someone comes to call,
To sit awhile and give a smile,
And not act bored at all.

If, by some chance, he needs help,
For a sad and lonely heart,
I'll lend an ear and offer cheer,
Before he must depart.

If I can't solve his problem,
I can, perhaps, ease the pain,
By being kind, so he will find,
He's welcome back again.

Author: Marjorie S. Branson

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Blessings

2007-09-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

I waited for the sunshine,
The clouds were dark and gray,
I prayed that God would hear me,
And cast me not away;

It seemed as if forever,
I cried to Him in vain,
Then it happened oh so quickly,
Came the best and greatest change;

It wasn't what I asked for,
In my selfish soul-torn way,
But much better than I hoped for,
All my fears He did allay;

So my friend do not be anxious,
He will answer in His time,
And send blessings by the millions,
You alone could never find.

Author: Kathryn Wiesenhoefer

Reason, Season Or For Life

2007-09-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

**When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support,
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your
part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship
to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

**Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow
or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe
it, it is real. But only for a season!

**LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order
to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put
what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that
love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

What Wilt Thou Have Me To Do?

2007-08-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Lord, what wilt Thou that I should do? What is my task?
This question, leaping from my heart, I kneel to ask.
What place of duty can I fill? Where can I go?
To lighten, in Thy holy name, another's woe?
So many hearts are torn today, so many weep;
So many souls are passing now, through waters deep;
So many bear their loads alone, without Thy grace;
So many have not found in Thee a resting place.
'Mid scream of shells and roar of guns men bleed and die;
Gaunt hunger stalks through many lands,where children cry;
Whole nations groan beneath the lash Of conqueror's sway;
Were ever miseries so rife as in this day?
In such a world, with needs so vast, what can I do?
Fill Thou my heart with love like Thine, with pity, too.
Here are my hands, my feet, my all; lead Thou the way,
Where I may do Thy works again, "while it is yet day."

By Thomas O. Chisholm

The Day Christ Returns

2007-08-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

You are in your car driving home. Thoughts wander to the game you want to see or meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above you.

A trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets?

You don't know, but you want to know. So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up.
As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has become a parking lot.
Car doors are open, and people are staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents are searching the clouds. And what they see, and what you see, has never before been seen. As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None. From whence came the light begins to tumble a river of color spiking crystals of every hue ever seen and a million more never seen. Riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains one myriad at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky.
North.
South.
East.
West.
Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, Holy, holy, holy. The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver- bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship. Presently the movement stops and the trumpets are silent, leaving only the triumphant triplet: Holy, holy, holy. Between each word is a pause. With each word, a profound reverence. You hear your voice join in the chorus. You don't know why you say the words, but you know you must. Suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns and there He is.
JESUS
Through waves of light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a billowing cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are surrounded by his declaration: I am the Alpha and the Omega. The angels bow their heads. The elders remove their crowns. And before you is a Figure so consuming that you know, instantly you know: Nothing else matters. Forget stock markets and school reports. Sales meetings and football games. Nothing is newsworthy.. All that mattered, matters no more....

For Christ Has Come...........................!!

Please let me know the exact time you read this. It is mystical--honest. This morning when the Lord opened a window to Heaven, he saw me, and he asked: My child, what is your greatest wish for today? I responded:"Lord please; take care of the person who is reading this message, their family and their special friends. They deserve it and I love them very much. "The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginnings but not its end. This message works on the day you receive it. To some it may sound dumb, but the person who sent this to me was impressed with its timing. Let us see if it is true.
ANGELS DO EXIST, but sometimes, since they don't all have wings we call them....... FRIENDS, SUCH AS YOU.

By Max Lucado

Someone Cares

2007-08-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Someone cares and always will, The world forgets but God loves you still,
You cannot go beyond His love, no matter what you're guilty of,
For God forgives until the end, He is your faithful, loyal friend,
And though you try to hide your face, there is no shelter any place,
That can escape His watchful eye, for on the earth and in the sky,
He's ever present and always there, to take you in His tender care,
And bind the wounds and mend the breaks, when all the world around forsakes...,
Someone cares and loves you still, and God is the someone who always will.

Author: Helen Steiner Rice

Prayers are the Stairs to God

2007-08-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

Prayers are the stairs we must climb every day,
If we would reach God there is no other way,
For we learn to know God when we meet Him in prayer,
And ask him to lighten our burden of care. '
So start in the morning and, though the way's steep,
Climb ever upward‘til your eyes close in sleep—
For prayers are the stair that leads to the Lord,
And to meet Him in prayer is the climber's reward.

Author: Helen Steiner Rice

Our Circle Of Friends

2007-08-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

* Many people will walk in & out of your life, only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
* To handle yourself, use your head; To handle others, use your heart.
* Anger is only one letter short of danger.
* If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
* Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people.
* He loses money, loses much; He loses a friend, loses much more; He loses faith, loses all.
* Beautiful young people are accidents of nature.
* Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
* Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.

* Friends, you and me .... You brought another friend .. And then there were 3 .....
......We started our group .... Our circle of friends .... There is no beginning or end ...

Here By Accident?

2007-08-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

We are not here by accident; we are on this earth to make a difference in the lives of others around us. Oh, let me today make a positive impact on someone else's life, let their life be made better because they came across my path today, that is my prayer.

Author: Elizabeth Martens