A Place Of Growth In this "hurry-up" generation Patience is of short duration. Most don't want to make commitment Nor for service will consent. In service we must stretch and grow And change of thinking undergo. Most would rather look away And spend their time some other way. Service is a place of growth..... A place which we must never loathe. When we go there we will learn Humility and deep concern. Our perspective will be new. Rich understanding will accrue. We shouldn't falter or ask "Why?", But serve in love and self deny. No greater blessing can be found, For surely here does love abound..... Taking time to serve another, Neighbor, friend, boss or brother. "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 © 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Little Bird Who Flew Too Soon A Children's Poem The little bird who wanted to fly Was really not ready, but wanted to try. He fluttered his wings, but quickly he found That he could not fly, and he fell to the ground. He needed to grow some and strengthen his wings Before he could soar he should learn many things. It isn't a good thing to strike out too soon. Without good wisdom his life he could ruin. So he decided that first he would sing. If he did well, maybe strength it would bring. He hopped and he sang, yet for flying he yearned. But only with time little bird skills are learned. Then one day suddenly he found he could fly. He flew up excitedly high in the sky. There were so many places he wanted to see, So he flew and he flew, 'cause he felt fancy-free. But he got too tired that very first day. Even his feathers were blown all a-fray. He did not think about needing to rest, And wore himself out in his first flying test. He simply could not in a hurry grow And learn all the things that little birds know. He found he could not on his very first try Soar to great heights and master the sky. So he decided that patience was needed And learning from others, their lessons he heeded. He would go slower and more careful be. "This would be better and wiser," said he! "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding..." Proverbs 3:5 NKJ © 2004 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Angels On Duty My daughter drives a classic car - a 1966 Mustang. The former owner of this car didn't do the repair work on it properly. "Bucket of bolts" and "held together with bubble gum and baling wire" would be apt references here. Sometimes I wonder what keeps it running, except for the fact that I pray for my daughter and know God watches over her. She herself says that every time she gets in her car she prays, "God, get me where I'm going." Recently she was coming to my house, traveling on a freeway, and lost the water out of her radiator. She pulled off to the side, got out of her car, and started to lift up the hood of the car. Before she could get the hood up, a van with three fellows stopped. One fellew said to her, "I have a '65 Mustang. I think I can fix your problem." As he checked to see what the problem was, he found that a "cap" had broken from age, causing the water to drain out. He went to his van, came back with a "cap" and put it on her car. She didn't know what the cap was from, but it exactly fit her car. The fellows had bottled drinking water in their van, and they poured it in her radiator. Then they offered to follow her to the exit where she would leave the freeway to make sure she would get off safely. They would take no pay for helping her. What a miracle! She didn't lose more than ten minutes' time in her trip, and the car was running fine. As she told me about this, I laughingly commented, "Well, that may have been the only place in this whole metro area where the part which was needed was available (because the car is so old), and God knew right where the part was. When I later shared this story with a friend, his comment was, "Angels. It was angels...." And then I realized. God had sent angels to help her. "For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11 NKJ © 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Something To Ponder What example am I in my daily walk..... How does my life speak in the way that I talk..... Who may be watching my actions each day..... "Actions speak louder than words," so they say..... Several years ago we had some neighbors who had three small children. As we began to get to know this family, we realized that they were very, very poor. Late one summer, as the school year was approaching, I realized that the children were not going to have any new clothes for school. The family simply didn't have enough money to buy them any, So I decided to make dresses for the two girls and a shirt for the boy..... to surprise them. Now this wasn't any big thing for me to do, since I sewed all the time and had fabric on hand. For me, this was a fun project. Well, I finished the clothes, gave them to the children, and never thought any more about it. But several years later someone in my family, who wasn't a Christian, made comment about how nice she thought it was that I had done this for these children. Her statement jarred me to the very core of my being. I did not realize that this person had been watching me. We never know who may be watching us and how much effect we have on others by the way we live. We can, unknowingly, lead others to change their pattern of living just by the example we set. In this we have awesome responsibility and unending opportunity..... to serve others. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 NKJ © 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf