Strength

Strength

February 14th, 2012

I have it.  Not all the time.  And not even in the most important moments.  But I have strength.  I know I do.

It's just that sometimes my strength,

my courage,

my determination…

get buried under a heap of doubt and fear.

I'm so grateful, when I'm trapped under that mound, trying to find my way up and out, that good friends follow promptings to be a source of strength.  I'm grateful they remind me that I'm strong.  When I forget, they remember.  When I can't see it, they do.

This reminder came today.

I printed it immediately.

…and hung it in a place where I can read it every day.

Hilary Weeks

P.S.  And just in case you need to hear that you have strength…

You. Do.

I'm Possible

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.  

- unknown

"We perhaps need to snatch happiness in little pieces, learning to recognize the elements of happiness and then treasuring them while they last."

  

"Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us — even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will."

"There seems to be something inside each of us that resists being told or pushed or pulled. But if someone puts an arm  around us and walks alongside us, we are  likely to follow along..."

"Worry is wasting today's time to clutter up tomorrow's opportunities with yetserday's troubles."

   

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."
unknown –
"God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it." -Unknown
unknown

"Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death."
unknown

   

Nothing is impossible the word itself says, I'm Possible.

One word frees us of all weight and pain in this life. That word is love

  

He opened His arms

One of the first children I met in Zambia was a little boy named Kennedy. At three years old, Kennedy had lost both of his parents to AIDS and was found living alone with his six year old brother and ten year old sister. When I thought of those three children struggling to survive and the millions of others across Africa in similar circumstances, I felt an overwhelming hopelessness and said to myself, "No amount of money can fix this."

I was curious to see how Kennedy and the others would react to Phillip, the man playing Christ. We decided to drop Phillip off several hundred yards from the "farm" and then drive in and set up our cameras. We told the children we had a wonderful surprise for them. When Phillip came into view the children instinctively ran to him and threw their arms around him. Everyone except Kennedy.

When Phillip saw this little boy standing apart from the others, he walked over and knelt down. As he opened his arms this little soul ran to him and threw his arms around his neck. He began speaking as fast as he could. Phillip looked for help to understand. One of the others translated.

"My mom and dad died. They are in heaven. Have you seen them? Are they ok?"

At that moment I knew it wasn't hopeless. I realized that the Savior could fix not only the problems of Africa, but of the whole world…and we can be His hands to do it. For the first time in my life I felt what Isaiah meant when he said, "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces." To Kennedy and all who struggle to understand why, I promise that God has not forgotten you. That the time is coming when He will come in power and glory and when He will keep his promise and wipe away all of our tears.

"Look what I found"

The Park Bench

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree. Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, for the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren't enough to ruin my day, A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, with it's petals all worn, not enough rain, or to little light. Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away. But instead of retreating he sat next to my side and placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise, "It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too. That's why I picked it; here it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead. Not vibrant of colors, orange, yellow or red. But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave. So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need." But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, he held it mid-air without reason or plan. It was then that I noticed for the very first time that weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very best one. You're welcome, he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the impact he'd had on my day. I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree. How did he know of my self-indulged plight?

Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight. Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see the problem was not with the world; the problem was me. And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that's mine. And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose and breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose. And smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in his hand about to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

" I did."

Oatmeal Kisses

The baby is teething-the children are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat dinner without him. Okay, one of these days you'll shout: "Why don't you grow up and act your age!" and they will, or "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!"...and they won't.

You'll straighten up their rooms neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spreads tucked and smooth ... toys displayed on the shelves...hangars in the closet...animals caged, and you'll say outloud: "Now I want it to stay that way!" and it will...You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in it and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for company." and you'll eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around, no pantomimes, no demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it. No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, knotted shoestrings, or tight boots.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point, no babysitter for New Year's Eve, washing clothes only once a week, no P.T.A. meetings, carpools, blaring radios, Christmas presents out of toothpicks and paste. No more "Wet Oatmeal Kisses". No more toothfairy giggles in the dark, or knees to heal.

Only a voice crying..."Why don't you grow up?"... and the silence echoing ......."I did."

Remember to Breathe