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Bringing A Blessing
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Oftentimes throughout the day
As I work or when I pray,
God will bring someone to mind.
This is not by chance, I find.
I may need to make a call
Or say a prayer, however small.
For God will show me how to "bless"
If I am willing to say "yes".
Someone might just have a need
And God will have me intercede.
Or maybe I should "bless" that one.....
Blessing others can be fun!
These are only little things,
But great results this practice brings.
In spreading joy through words I pray,
Someone will be blessed each day.
"Let each of you look out not only for his own
interests, but also for the interests of others."
Philippians 2:4 NKJ
© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf
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A Heart Of Love
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A Heart Of Love.....
Speaks gently,
Sees clearly,
Listens, and is able to hear.
A Heart Of Love.....
Is not weak, but strong,
Does not fear, but is quietly confident,
Gives, without expecting return.
A Heart Of Love.....
Forgives.... and is free,
Shows mercy,
Is patient and forbearing.
A Heart Of Love
Is joyous,
Has peace, and
Is very full of Jesus.
"Love... bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never fails."
I Corinthians 13:7-8 NKJ
© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf
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He Is My Strength
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If something has knocked the wind from your sails,
Or hope for the future suddenly pales,
Jesus will be there in your situation.
He is the One to rebuild your foundation.
What is before you just may not seem clear,
But He knows your heart and what you hold dear.
He will bring strength and the courage you need
As He carefully guides you in how to proceed.
As you fix your eyes on His purpose for you,
Your weakened foundation He'll start to renew.
He'll cause you to have very strong underpinning.
In Him is your hope for a fresh, new beginning.
"My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength
of my heart and my portion forever."
Psalm 73:26 NKJ
© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf
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One Small Kitten
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One day I was sitting by the window sewing when all of a sudden there was a major "eruption" in the persimmon tree just outside the window. I just caught a glimpse of two animals racing up the tree, but because they were moving so fast I didn't know exactly what I had seen.
As I went outside to look, I discovered that our cat had chased a young kitten up the tree. Then the cat jumped from the tree over onto the roof of the room where I had been sewing, and she was sitting there, just waiting and daring that kitten to come down. The poor kitten was so scared that it wasn't moving.
I went back to my sewing, but then I had a humorous thought... Our dog's very favorite pastime was chasing cats. (He never did catch one, but he really loved the "chase"). I called upstairs to our two children to tell them about the kitten in the tree. I thought they might get a few laughs watching the dog's reaction if he saw a cat but couldn't chase it. I suggested they hold him up to the window, which was eye level with where the kitten sat in the tree, just to see what he would do.
They held him up to look, and immediately he let out a long barrage of barking, and his legs were flailing the air wildly... he was "running in mid-air". Well,this had the desired effect on the kids. It was a funny, funny moment, and I could hear much laughter up there.
But I hadn't pre-thought the effect on the poor kitten. Even though the dog was inside the house, he was only a distance of about six feet away from the kitten. When he started barking I saw the kitten, with the cat very close behind, come down the tree faster than he went up. I'm sure the kitten had not expected to encounter a dog while up in the tree. Now he was really running.
I never saw that kitten in our yard again, and I couldn't blame him if he didn't come back. If he did, probably the dog would have chased him away. The surprise in all this was that our "gentle" cat was now acting like a watch-dog. We had not seen her chasing other cats before. Afterward I felt really guilty for causing the poor kitten more fright than he already had experienced.
© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf
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