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When We Risk It All
We can't blame others when love dwindles away--
For we knew from the start it never promised to stay.
It's just one of those things where the stakes are high--
And sometimes it's forever, and sometimes it's good-bye.
When you love the right way, you will never lose--
No matter what you signed up for from the start.
You can only give what you've got to give--
And if that's not enough, then you must continue to live.
Life will go on and broken hearts will heal--
You must continue on your quest, for that's the deal.
Throw your heart into life and never stall--
For the greatest risk is to risk nothing at all.
Yes see, love is the only thing that we know--
That can be divided and divided but continue to grow.
And life isn't long enough to lock away our heart--
Just because life may have forced two people apart.
We will continue to love and continue to lose--
We will continue to pick and continue to choose.
And then one day we will just risk it all--
Take the chains off our hearts and dismantle the wall.
The last time we love will be the forever--
And never again will our hearts be forced to sever.
We'll never have doubts that it'll go away--
Because this time, it'll be here to stay.
But until then we must endure all the pain--
For we only see sunshine if we can wait through the rain. |
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Wouldn't it be fun to have a yellow shirt!
The baggy yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets
trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. It was faded
from years of wear, but still in decent shape. I found it in
1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, rummaging
through bags of clothes Mom intended to give away.
"You're not taking that old thing, are you?" Mom said when she
saw me packing the yellow shirt. "I wore that when I was
pregnant with your brother in 1954!"
"It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class,
Mom. Thanks!"
I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object.
The yellow shirt became a part of my college wardrobe. I loved
it. After graduation! , I wore the shirt the day I moved into my
new apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the
yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of
my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois.
But that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had
worn it when she was pregnant, 15 years earlier.
That Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had given
me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it
to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her "real" gifts, she
said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again.
The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and
Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated
the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its
bottom. The shirt!
And so the pattern! was set.
On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom
and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long it took for her to
find it, but almost two years passed before I discovered it under
the base of our living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was
just what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The walnut
stains added character.
In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three children, I
prepared to move back to Illinois. As I packed, a deep
depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my
own. I wondered if I would find a job.
I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I
read, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy
whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be
standing up."
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was
the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned on me. Wasn't my
mother's love a piece of God! 's armor? My courage was renewed.
Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the shirt back to
Mother. The next time I visited her, I tucked it in her bottom
dresser drawer.
Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A year later I
discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning
closet. Something new had been added. Embroidered in bright
green across the breast pocket were the words "I BELONG TO PAT."
Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and
added an apostrophe and seven more letters. Now the shirt
proudly proclaimed, "I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER." But I didn't
stop there. I zig-zagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend
mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington, VA. We
enclosed an official looking letter from "The Institute for the
Destitute," announcing that she was the recipient of an award
! for good deeds. I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the box. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our wedding,
Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage to avoid practical
jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our
honeymoon suite, I reached for a pillow in the car to rest my
head. It felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in
wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was a note:
"Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother."
That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room and
found the verses:
"I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart.
And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives.
So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you:
I am going away, but I will come back to you again.
If you really love me, you will be very happy for me,
for now I can g! o to the Father, who is greater than I am.
I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do,
you will believe in me."
The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for three
months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's disease. Mother
died the following year at age 57.
I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave.
But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the
love-filled game she and I played for 16 years. Besides, my
older daughter is in college now, majoring in art. And every
art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.
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AWESOME
This is almost overwhelming when you think about it.
Moses and the people were in the desert, but what was he going to do with them?
They had to be fed, and feeding 2 or 3 million people requires a lot of food.
According to the Quartermaster General in the Army, it is reported that Moses would have to have had 1500 tons of food each day Do you know that to bring that much food each day, two freight trains, each at least a mile long, would be required!
Besides you must remember, they were out in the desert, so they would have to have firewood to use in cooking the food. This would take 4000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains, each a mile long, just for one day. And just think, they were forty years in transit.
And Oh yes! They would have to have water. If they only had enough to drink and wash a few dishes, it would take 11,000,000 gallons each day and a freight train with tank cars, 1800 miles long, just to bring water!
And then another thing! They had to get across the Red Sea at night. Now, if they went on a
narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and would require 35 days and nights to get through. So there had to be a space in the Red Sea, 3 miles wide so that they could walk 5000 abreast to get over in one night.
But then, there is another problem..............each time they camped at the end of the day, a campground two-thirds the size of the state of Rhode Island was required, or a total of 750 square miles long... think of it! This much space for camping.Do you think Moses figured all this out before he left Egypt? I think not!
You see, Moses believed in God. God took care of these things for him.
Now do you think God has any trouble taking care of all your problems? |
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DADDY'S EMPTY CHAIR ~
A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father.
When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows.
An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the old fellow had been
informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me, he said.
'No, who are you?" said the father. The minister told him his name
and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up,"
"Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?"
Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this,
not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray.
At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head."
I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued,"until one day four years ago,
my best friend said to me, "Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation
with Jesus. Here is what I suggest." "Sit down in a chair;
place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair.
It's not spooky because he promised, 'I will be with you always'.
"Then just speak to him in the same way you're doing with me right now."
"So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though
If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown
or send me off to the funny farm."
The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey.
Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.
Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.
Did he die in peace?" he asked. Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock,
he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek.
When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead.
But there was something strange about his death.
Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head
on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"
The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said,
"I wish we could all go like that." |
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The Opposite Sex & Dating |
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What a Girl Wants
Dear Boy,
I do not know who you are, or where or when we will meet, but I do hope it is soon.
I pray that when we meet and fall in love, you will love me, for me, and not hope for someone who is thinner or prettier. I hope you won’t compare me to girls who may have brighter smiles. I hope that you will make me laugh, take care of me if I get sick, and be trustworthy.
I hope you will remember I prefer roses to daisies, and that my favorite color changes with my mood. Please know that my eyes aren’t blue, they’re brown, with flecks of green.
Please know that I might be too shy to kiss you first, but please don’t be afraid to kiss me. I won’t slap you or push you away. I’m sure your kisses will be perfect. When we go on a date, please don’t stress about where to take me; what’s important is that I’ll be with you.
And please, don’t be afraid or threatened of my father. All he wants is the best for me. And all I want is the best for you.
If I cry, please know it isn’t because of you, just hold me close, and I’ll heal quickly. And, if it is because of you, I’ll heal just the same.
And if we decide to break up, please understand that I may be bitter, but I’d like to be your friend if you’ll let me. I promise to remember that you have feelings too, even though you’ll never admit it, and when you are ready we’ll have a friendship.
Please tell me if anything I do bothers you, or if something just doesn’t sit right. I would like you to always be honest with me. If I have a bad day, I hope you will shower me with confidence and smiles.
I hope you don’t think I’m asking too much of you. I hope you understand that I’m a little bit nervous and very scared. I wish I could tell you how or when we will meet, and if we will be in love forever. Every relationship is a new game of cards, and… (sigh)… I’ve never been good at cards. But I will try my best to be kind and love you dearly for all that you are, without expecting too much from you. Thank you for listening; this is all that I ask.
Yours always,
Your Princess
What Every Guy Wants
Dear Girl,
I feel that the time has come for me to have a girlfriend. I know you’re out there somewhere. Don’t worry, I’ll find you.
And when I do, I hope that you will love me for me, not because I’m my sibling’s younger brother. I hope you won’t be embarrassed when my clothes don’t match, or be annoyed when I want to watch the Lakers on ESPN, instead of Friends.
I hope that you will remember I play soccer, not football, and I play midfield, not defense, and that every weekend I live with my dad.
I pray that you’ll love me despite of my tendency to forget birthdays, and if your parents invite me to dinner, please write their names really small on my hand so I can use it as a reference.
Please know that I will constantly act strong and in control, but inside I am actually lost and confused. (Just don’t tell my friends.) Please don’t worry if I hurt myself biking. Instead, be there to mend my wounds with kisses.
Understand that loving each other means being together, but not all of the time. We should never bail on our friends. Also understand that I may at times act jealous and overly protective, but only because I have insecurities not because you are doing anything wrong.
And if we fall out of love with one another, please don’t hate me. And if I cry in front of you, please don’t laugh at me. Please know that I am sensitive… in a manly, tough kind of way.
Please be honest with me without being hurtful. After all, I am a boy. And I promise to always be honest with you, because you deserve honesty. And I promise to open doors for you and buy your ticket when we go to the movies.
And no, you aren’t fat, so please don’t constantly ask. And you don’t need makeup either. Oh, and don’t be upset if you cut your hair and I don’t notice. I will love you even in Levi’s and a T-shirt.
I hope you don’t think I’m asking too much of you. I just want to be happy making you happy. I’m coming to find you, so don’t go anywhere. Stay where you are, whoever you are.
Yours Always,
Your Prince
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-TO THE WORLD YOU MAY BE ONLY ONE PERSON, BUT TO ONE PERSON, YOU MAY BE THE WORLD!-
ONE AT A TIME
Making a difference
A young man was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along, he began to see another man in the distance. As he grew nearer, eh noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the ocean water. Time and again he kept hurling things out into the ocean.
As this young gentleman approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.
This man was puzzled. He approached the man and said, “Good evening, friend. I was wondering what you are doing.”
“I’m throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it’s low tide right now and all of these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don’t throw them back into the sea, they’ll die up here from lack of oxygen.”
“I understand,” the man replied, ”but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can’t possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many. And don’t you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast? Can’t you see that you can’t possibly make a difference?”
The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and as he threw it back into the sea, he replied, “Made a difference to that one!”
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MOTHER SAYS…
Throughout centuries, mothers have given their children plenty of good advice and noble quotes. Here’s a small sampling…
PAUL REVERE’S MOTHER: I don’t care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY’S MOTHER: I don’t mind your having a garden, Mary, but does it have to be growing under your bed?
MONA LISA’S MOTHER: after all the money your father and I spent on braces, that’s the biggest smile you can give us?
HUMPTY DUMPTY’S MOTHER: Humpty, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a hundred times not ot sit on that wall. But would you listen to me? Nooooo!
COLUMBUS’S MOTHER: I don’t care what you discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!
BABE RUTH’S MOTHER: Babe! How many times have I told you- quit playing ball in this house! That’s the third window you’ve broken this week!
MICHELANGELO’S MOTHER: Mike, can’t you paint on the walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?
ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S MOTHER: again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can’t you just wear a baseball cap like all the other kids?
BARNEY’S MOGTHER: I realize strained plums are your favorite, but you’re starting to look purple.
MARY’S MOTHER: I’m not upset that your lamb followed you to school, but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you.
BATMAN’S MOTHER: It’s a nice car, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?
GOLDILOCKS’S MOTHER: I’ve got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know about this, Goldie?
ALBERT EINSTEIN’S MOTHER: But Albert, it’s your senior picture. Can’t you do something about you hair? Styling gel, mousse, something…?
JONAH’S MOTHER: That’s a nice story, but now tell me where you’ve really been for the last three days.
SUPERMAN’S MOTHER: Your father and I have discussed it, and we’ve decided you can have your own telephone line. Now will you quit spending time in all those phone booths?
THOMAS EDISON’S MOTHER: Of course I’m proud you’ve invented the electric light bulb. Now turn off that light and go to bed! |
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Topics out of the ordinary!
