Forgiveness is Sweet

It was so hard to forgive
Those who hurt and did me wrong,
The ones who lied, and those who tried
To snuff out my victor's song.

I took the shame and sorrow
They heaped upon my soul,
I bent and broke in pieces,
No longer strong and whole.

My self esteem was zero,
I felt worthless, stained with dirt,
I bowed beneath the burden
Unsure, defamed, and hurt.

But then I met the Savior,
And saw the way He came
To mankind meek and lowly,
Shaped of a different frame -

Earthly beauty did not matter
Neither wealth nor fame,
But just to please the Father,
This man with God's own name.

I took His life unto me
Gave Him what had been mine
I no longer had to worry
If men were cruel or unkind.

I asked for His forgiveness,
And shared it with those in need
Of forgiveness for their mortal selves
For sinful word or deed.

As I granted this grace, forgiveness,
I gained a blessed relief,
My spirit grew strong with honor,
My heart grew full of peace.

I now seek only God's opinion;
Is He pleased with me?
For He alone is worthy
To judge and require a change in me.

- Donnabelle Jamoralin

Enduring the Storms of Life

Sometimes it's hard to take
The bitter with the sweet
to face the raging storms of life
And not give up in defeat.

Sometimes we rely on worldly things
To help us reach our goals
We build our hopes upon the sand
And the storms beat on our souls.

But if we put our trust in God
We're building on his rock
And all the storms of life can't harm
Anyone who's in His flock.

we will endure the storms of life
With faith and trust in His love.
For He will set his lighthouse
To guide us from above.

Then whatever challenges we face
Whatever be our plight
He will guide us safely home
If we only follow in His light.

Don't Ever Stop Dreaming Your Dreams

Don't ever be reluctant
to show your feelings - 
When you're happy,
give in to it.
When you're not, live with it.

Don't ever be afraid
to try to make things better,
you might be surprised at the results.

Don't ever take the weight
of the world on your shoulders.
Don't ever feel threatened by the future;
Take life one day at a time.

Don't ever feel guilty about the past;
What's done is done.
Learn from mistakes you might have
made.

Don't ever feel that you are alone --
There is always somebody there
for you to reach out to.

Don't ever forget that you can achieve
So many of the things you can imagine,
It's not as hard as it seems.

Don't ever stop loving,
Don't ever stop believing,
Don't ever stop dreaming your dreams.

Build a Box of Friendship

Into a box of friendship
To ensure that it is strong
First a layer of respect
On the bottom does belong.

Then to the sides attach
In the corners where they meet
Several anchors full of trust
Devoid of all deceit.

The height of friendship can be
Measured by the sides of four\
So make them all a larger cut
And the box will hold much more.

Now fill it up with courtesy
Honor and esteem
Understanding, sympathy
And passion for a dream.

Add to that your honesty
Emotions, joy and love
And since they're so important
Place them up above

But leave the box wide open
So all can see inside
To learn what makes a friendship work
From the box you built with pride.

As a Man Soweth

We must not hope to be mowers,
And to gather the ripe gold ears,
Unless we have first been sowers
And watered the furrows with tears.

It is not just as we take it,
This mystical world of ours,
Life's field will yield as we make it
A harvest of thorns or of flowers.

- John Woflgang Von Goethe

ASAP (Always Say A Prayer)

There's work to do, deadlines to meet,
You've got no time to spare
But as you hurry and scurry,
ASAP - Always say a prayer.

In the midst of family chaos
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest,
ASAP - Always say a prayer.

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take an breather,
ASAP - Always say a prayer.

God knows how stressful life is,
He wants to ease our cares.
And He'll respond to all your needs,
ASAP - Always say a prayer.

ANGER AND LOVE

Anger seeks revenge
Love seeks healing

Anger spouts lies
Love speaks truth

Anger shouts loud
Love whispers softly

Anger rips at the soul
Love saves the soul

Anger causes others pain
Love causes others joy

Anger lays down the law
Love breaks down strongholds

Anger is senseless in its methods
Love strives to make sense
of a senseless world

Anger echoes carelessness
Love reflects from a caring heart

Anger solves problems only in the mind
Love works wonders in heart, body,
and soul

Anger ruins the world
Love saves the day

Anger darkens the spirit
Love brightens the world.