Love Gifts Page 2

  drifting down on angels’ wings

  Or petals dropping soundlessly

  from a lovely full-blown rose,

  So God comes closest to us

  when our souls are in repose …

  So let us plan with prayerful

  care to always allocate

  A certain portion of each day

  to be still and meditate …

  For when everything is quiet

  and we’re lost in meditation,

  Our souls are then preparing

  for a deeper dedication

  That will make it wholly

  possible to quietly endure

  The violent world around us,

  for in God we are secure.

  WİDEN MY VİSİON

  God, open my eyes so I may see

  And feel Your presence close to me.

  Give me strength for my stumbling feet

  As I battle the crowd on life’s busy street,

  And widen the vision of my unseeing eyes

  So in passing faces I’ll recognize

  Not just a stranger, unloved and unknown,

  But a friend with a heart that is much like my own.

  Give me perception to make me aware

  That scattered profusely on life’s thoroughfare

  Are the best gifts of God that we daily pass by

  As we look at the world with an unseeing eye.

  A SURE WAY TO A HAPPY DAY

  Happiness is something we create in our minds,

  It’s not something you search for and so seldom find.

  It’s just waking up and beginning the day

  By counting our blessings and kneeling to pray.

  It’s giving up thoughts that breed discontent

  And accepting what comes as a gift heaven-sent.

  It’s giving up wishing for things we have not

  And making the best of whatever we’ve got.

  It’s knowing that life is determined for us

  And pursuing our tasks without fret, fume, or fuss …

  For it’s by completing what God gives us to do

  That we find real contentment and happiness, too.

  THANK YOU, GOD, FOR EVERYTHİNG

  Thank You, God, for everything—

  the big things and the small—

  For every good gift comes from

  God, the Giver of them all,

  And all too often we accept

  without any thanks or praise

  The gifts God sends as blessings

  each day in many ways.

  And so at this time we offer up a prayer

  To thank You, God, for giving

  us a lot more than our share.

  First, thank You for the little

  things that often come our way—

  The things we take for granted

  and don’t mention when we pray—

  The unexpected courtesy,

  the thoughtful, kindly deed,

  A hand reached out to help us

  in the time of sudden need.

  Oh make us more aware,

  dear God, of little daily graces

  That come to us with sweet surprise

  from never-dreamed-of places.

  Then thank You for the miracles

  we are much too blind to see,

  And give us new awareness of

  our many gifts from Thee.

  And help us to remember that

  the key to life and living

  Is to make each prayer a prayer of thanks

  and each day a day of thanksgiving.

  IT’S A WONDERFUL WORLD

  In spite of the fact we complain and lament

  And view this old world with much discontent,

  Deploring conditions and grumbling because

  There’s so much injustice and so many flaws,

  It’s a wonderful world, and it’s people like you

  Who make it that way by the things that they do.

  For a warm, ready smile or a kind, thoughtful deed

  Or a hand outstretched in an hour of need

  Can change our whole outlook and make the world bright

  Where a minute before just nothing seemed right.

  It’s a wonderful world and it always will be

  If we keep our eyes open and focused to see

  The wonderful things man is capable of

  When he opens his heart to God and His love.

  HE LOVES YOU!

  It’s amazing and incredible,

  but it’s as true as it can be—

  God loves and understands us all,

  and that means you and me.

  His grace is all-sufficient for

  both the young and old,

  For the lonely and the timid,

  for the brash and for the bold.

  His love knows no exceptions,

  so never feel excluded,

  No matter who or what you are,

  your name has been included …

  And no matter what your past has

  been, trust God to understand,

  And no matter what your problem is,

  just place it in His hand …

  For in all our unloveliness this

  great God loves us still—

  He loved us since the world began,

  and what’s more, He always will!

  GOOD MORNİNG, GOD

  You are ushering in another day,

  untouched and freshly new,

  So here I am to ask You, God,

  if You’ll renew me, too …

  Forgive the many errors

  that I made yesterday

  And let me try again, dear God,

  to walk closer in Thy way …

  But, Father, I am well aware

  I can’t make it on my own,

  So take my hand and hold it

  tight for I can’t walk alone.

  LOOK ON THE SUNNY SİDE

  There are always two sides—the good and the bad,

  The dark and the light, the sad and the glad …

  But in looking back over the good and the bad,

  We’re aware of the number of good things we’ve had,

  And in counting our blessings,

  we find when we’re through

  We’ve no reason at all to complain or be blue …

  So thank God for the good things

  He has already done,

  And be grateful to Him for the battles you’ve won,

  And know that the same God who helped you before

  Is ready and willing to help you once more,

  Then with faith in your heart,

  reach out for God’s hand

  And accept what He sends,

  though you can’t understand …

  For our Father in heaven always knows what is best,

  And if you trust His wisdom,

  your life will be blessed …

  For always remember that whatever betide you,

  You are never alone, for God is beside you.

  COUNT YOUR GAİNS, NOT YOUR LOSSES

  As we travel down life’s busy road

  Complaining of our heavy load,

  We often think God’s been unfair

  And gave us much more than our share

  Of daily little irritations

  And disappointing tribulations.

  We’re discontented with our lot

  And all the bad breaks that we got.

  We count our losses not our gain,

  And remember only tears and pain.

  The good things we forget completely,

  When God looked down and blessed us sweetly.

  Our troubles fill our every thought,

  We dwell upon the goals we sought,

  And wrapped up in our own despair,

  We have no time to see or share

  Another’s load that far outweighs

  Our little problems and dismays …

  And so we walk with heads h
eld low,

  And little do we guess or know

  That someone near us on life’s street

  Is burdened deeply with defeat,

  And if we’d but forget our care

  And stop in sympathy to share

  The burden that our brother carried,

  Our minds and hearts would be less harried

  And we would feel our load was small—

  In fact, we carried no load at all.

  FATHERS ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE

  Fathers are wonderful people

  too little understood,

  And we do not sing their praises

  as often as we should …

  For, somehow, Father seems to

  be the man who pays the bills,

  While Mother binds up little

  hurts and nurses all our ills …

  And Father struggles daily

  to live up to “his image”

  As protector and provider

  and “hero of the scrimmage” …

  And perhaps that is the reason

  we sometimes get the notion

  That fathers are not subject

  to the thing we call emotion,

  But if you look inside Dad’s heart,

  where no one else can see,

  You’ll find he’s sentimental

  and as “soft” as he can be …

  But he’s so busy every day

  in the grueling race of life,

  He leaves the sentimental stuff

  to his partner and his wife …

  But fathers are just wonderful

  in a million different ways,

  And they merit loving compliments

  and accolades of praise,

  For the only reason Dad aspires

  to fortune and success

  Is to make the family proud of him

  and to bring them happiness …

  And like our heavenly Father,

  he’s a guardian and a guide

  Someone that we can count on

  to be always on our side.

  DAİLY PRAYERS DİSSOLVE YOUR CARES

  I meet God in the morning and

  go with Him through the day,

  Then in the stillness of the night

  before sleep comes I pray

  That God will just take over all

  the problems I couldn’t solve,

  And in the peacefulness of

  sleep my cares will all dissolve.

  So when I open up my

  eyes to greet another day,

  I’ll find myself renewed in strength

  and there will open up a way

  To meet what seemed impossible

  for me to solve alone,

  And once again I’ll be assured

  I am never on my own.

  For if we try to stand alone we

  are weak and we will fall,

  For God is always greatest when

  we’re helpless, lost, and small,

  And no day is unmeetable if

  on rising our first thought

  Is to thank God for the blessings

  that His loving care has brought …

  For there can be no failures,

  or hopeless unsaved sinners

  If we enlist the help of God

  who makes all losers winners …

  So meet Him in the morning and

  go with Him through the day

  And thank Him for His guidance

  each evening when you pray,

  And if you follow faithfully

  this daily way to pray

  You will never in your lifetime

  face another “hopeless day.”

  MY GARDEN OF PRAYER

  My garden beautifies my yard and

  adds fragrance to the air,

  But it is also my cathedral and

  my quiet place of prayer.

  So little do we realize that

  the glory and the power

  Of Him who made the universe

  lies hidden in a flower!

  THANK GOD FOR LİTTLE THİNGS

  Thank You, God, for little things

  that often come our way—

  The things we take for granted

  but don’t mention when we pray—

  The unexpected courtesy,

  the thoughtful, kindly deed—

  A hand reached out to help us

  in the time of sudden need—

  Oh make us more aware,

  dear God, of little daily graces

  That come to us with “sweet surprise”

  from never-dreamed-of places.

  BRİGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE

  We cannot all be famous or

  be listed in “Who’s Who,”

  But every person, great or small,

  has important work to do …

  For seldom do we realize the

  importance of small deeds

  Or to what degree of greatness

  unnoticed kindness leads …

  For it’s not the big celebrity in

  a world of fame and praise,

  But it’s doing unpretentiously

  in undistinguished ways

  The work that God assigned to us,

  unimportant as it seems,

  That makes our task outstanding

  and brings reality to dreams …

  So do not sit and idly wish for

  wider, new dimensions

  Where you can put in practice

  your many good intentions,

  But at the spot God placed you,

  begin at once to do

  Little things to brighten up the

  lives surrounding you …

  For if everybody brightened up the

  spot on which they’re standing

  By being more considerate and a

  little less demanding,

  This dark old world would very

  soon eclipse the evening star

  If everybody brightened up the

  corner where they are.

  IT TAKES THE BİTTER AND THE SWEET

  TO MAKE A LİFE FULL AND COMPLETE

  Life is a mixture of sunshine and rain,

  Laughter and teardrops, pleasure and pain—

  Low tides and high tides, mountains and plains,

  Triumphs, defeats, and losses and gains—

  But always in all ways God’s guiding and leading

  And He alone knows the things we’re most needing—

  And when He sends sorrow or some dreaded affliction

  Be assured that it comes with God’s kind benediction—

  And if we accept it as a gift of His love,

  We’ll be showered with blessings from our Father above.

  HOW GREAT THE YİELD FROM A FERTİLE FİELD

  The farmer plows through the fields of green,

  And the blade of the plow is sharp and keen,

  But the seed must be sown to bring forth grain,

  For nothing is born without suffering and pain,

  And God never plows in the soul of man

  Without intention and purpose and plan …

  So whenever you feel the plow’s sharp blade

  Let not your heart be sorely afraid,

  For like the farmer, God chooses a field

  From which He expects an excellent yield …

  So rejoice though your heart be broken in two—

  God seeks to bring forth a rich harvest in you.

  THE HOUSE OF PRAYER

  Just close your eyes and open your heart

  And feel your cares and worries 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’s always one door that is opened 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 farther 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.”

  And the burdens that seemed too heavy to bear

  Are lifted away on the wings of prayer.

  GREAT FAİTH THAT SMİLES IS BORN OF GREAT TRİALS

  It’s easy to say “In God we trust”

  when life is radiant and fair,

  But the test of faith is only found

  when there are burdens to bear …

  For our claim to faith in the

  sunshine is really no faith at all,

  For when roads are smooth and days

  are bright our need for God is so small …

  And no one discovers the fullness

  or the greatness of God’s love

  Unless they have walked in the darkness

  with only a light from above …

  For the faith to endure whatever

  comes is born of sorrow and trials

  And strengthened only by discipline

  and nurtured by self-denials …

  So be not disheartened by troubles,

  for trials are the building blocks

  On which to erect a fortress of faith,

  secure on God’s ageless rocks.

  ANYWHERE IS A PLACE OF PRAYER IF GOD IS THERE

  I have prayed on my knees in the morning,

  I have prayed as I walked along,

  I have prayed in the silence and darkness,

  and I’ve prayed to the tune of a song.

  I have prayed in the midst of a triumph,

  and I’ve prayed when I suffered defeat,

  I have prayed on the sands of the seashore

  where the waves of the ocean beat.

  I have prayed in a velvet, hushed forest

  where the quietness calmed my fears,