On The Sunny Side

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

The Optimist Creed

I Love This Song

Worthy is the
Lamb who was slain
Holy, holy is He
Sing a new song
to Him who sits on
Heaven’s mercy seat
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing
praise to the King of kings
You are my everything
and I will adore You
Clothed in rainbows
of living color
Flashes of lighting
Rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor
strength, glory, and power be
To You the only wise King
Filled with wonder
awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power,
breath and living water
Such a marvelous mystery
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing
praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You,
I will adore You
Phillips,Craig,and Dean

It’s By Design

“…Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will…”

“…We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose…”

Ephesians 1:11 , Romans 8:28

And I Know He Watches Me

This is, and will always be, a very special day for me. It is my dear grandmother’s birthday, and if she were still with us, she would have turned 100 years old today. She introduced me to Jesus as a young child, and has made a profound difference in my life, so I’m posting her favorite hymn in honor of her today. ” I love you Grandma, and I thank God that because of Jesus, and His precious sacrifice for us, I’ll see you again one beautiful day.”  :)

His Eye Is On The Sparrow 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Write the Vision, Watch it Happen

“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, so he may run that reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:

though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.”

Habakkuk 2:2-3

Just Relax

“My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14

We Can’t… God Can

Why things happen as they do
we do not always know,
And we cannot always fathom
why our spirits sink so low.
We flounder in our dark distress,
we are wavering and unstable,
But when we’re most inadequate,
the Lord God’s always able-
For though we are incapable,
God’s powerful and great,
And there’s no darkness of the mind
God cannot penetrate…
And while He may not instantly
unravel all the strands
Of the tanglesd thoughts that trouble us,
He completely understands-
And in HIs time, if we have faith,
He will gradually restore
The brightness to our spirits
that we’ve been longing for.
So remember there’s no cloud too dark
for God’s light to penetrate
If we keep on believing
and have faith enough to wait.
  Helen Steiner Rice

Evidence

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunrise

My oldest daughter has recently reminded me of how amazing it can be to just watch the sun come up in the morning. So often, the beautiful, breath-taking colors, go unnoticed each morning, (and I’m ashamed to say it) but, mostly by me.  My daughter has actually been getting up earlier just to see the sun rise and this has prompted me to stop and think… Am I so caught up with what’s coming up in the day ahead to appreciate whats right in front of me?   I’m so glad that she brought this to my attention, because it has given me the opportunity to reflect and regroup.

I reflect on how each sunrise brings me a brand new day.. It puts me a day ahead of where I was yesterday, and all the other yesterdays.  I reflect on the fact that there are so many other people who are no longer here to appreciate the sunrise of another day, and that I could have been one of them.

I stop to regroup and think about what’s really important, by changing my focus. This new day is a chance for me to focus outward rather than inward. Today I will focus on the circumstances and needs of others; my family, my friends, and the people who will cross my path. Taking the focus off of me will in turn make my problems seem smaller for the moment, while I  experience the many little joys and surprises that lie right in front of me… like the sunrise!

Word to the Weary

Jesus said:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer;

I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33