Inspiration on the Run
Be careful what you pray....
He prayed for strength that he might achieve;
He was made weak that he might obey.
He prayed for health that he might do greater things;
He was given infirmity that he might do better things.
He prayed for riches that he might be happy;
He was given poverty that he might be wise.
He prayed for power that he might have the praise of men;
He was given weakness that he might feel the need of God.
He prayed for all things that he might enjoy life;
He was given life that he might enjoy all things.
He received nothing that he asked for, but all that he hoped for.
Prayer does not change God, but changes him who prays. - Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And which every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out-
God knows what He's about.
When God ...
Do It Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway,
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway,
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.
-Mother Theresa
Prayer
From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier, who would follow Thee.
From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.
Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God
When you thought I wasn't looking you hung my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another.
When you thought I wasn't looking you fed a stray cat, and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking you baked a birthday cake just for me,
and I knew that little things were special things.
When you thought I wasn't looking you said a prayer,
and I believed there was a God that I could always talk to.
When you thought I wasn't looking you kissed me good-night, and I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt--but that it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking you smiled, and it made me want to look that pretty, also.
When you thought I wasn't looking you cared, and I wanted to be everything I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking--I looked . . . and wanted to say thanks
for all those things you did when you thought I wasn't looking.
Mary Rita Schilke Korzan
Hope
