Bringing Out the Best

 

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?  It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

Matthew 5:13 NRSV

Thought for the Day:  I can use my faith to bring out the best in others. (Upper Room, July)

Beyond the Galaxies

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

Psalm 8:3-4 NRSV

"Peace I Leave with You"

 "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in  my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:26-27 NIV

Shores Waterfront Park - The Tire Swing

 The Tire Swing

An old tire hanging
From the big ash tree,
Was always swinging
With my friends and me.

With an old piece of rope,

We hung it high,

All in the hope,

We could touch the sky.

We swung on that swing,

From dawn to dusk,

To that tire we would cling,

With all our trust.

Swinging up high,

Into the air,

Straight up our feet would go,

Without a care.

The days we spent,

In the shade of that tree,

Swinging for the sky,

So happily.

By Juan Olivarez 6/27/10

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14 NIV

Faith is tasting the Saltiness of our Tears

Sometimes

faith is building an ark

when there is no rain,

dipping seven times in a muddy river

when you have open wounds,

 or marching in circles

and shouting praises

when your enemy is ready to do battle.

And sometimes

faith is

tasting the sweetness of God

in the saltiness of our tears.

Stacy L Sanchez

www.heartprintsofgodcom

Broken Things

 God uses broken things.  It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grains to give bread, broken bread to give strength.  Quote:  Vance Havner

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18 

Out of the Deep Waters

Then the channels of the sea were seen.  
The foundations of the world were uncovered, 
At the rebuke of the Lord, 
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.  
He sent from above, He took me, 
He drew me out of many waters.
He reached down from on high and took hold of me; 
He drew me out of deep waters.

2 Samuel 22:16-17

"I am with you always...'

 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20

The Bread of Life

 

And Jesus said to them; "I am the bread of life  He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who  believes in me shall never thirst."

John 6:35

Do Not Conformed to this World

 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God--what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2

The Word Became Flesh

 

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

Things that Cannot be Seen

 

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched-they must be felt with the heart."

~Helen Keller

The Binding Thread of Grief

 

When my daughter departed this earth everything brushed against the raw wounds of my grief, reminding me of Crystal.  A tilt of the head, a laugh, fragrance of candles, the beach, walking the neighborhood, places where she ate, attended daycare, schools, playgrounds, the Nutcracker Ballet, and the list goes on.  Even drawings of children who resemble her attracts my attention.  It often brings tears to my eyes and sometimes it's difficult to bear but I also can't let them go.  These binding threads of grief is gradually, bit by bit, becoming gifts of loving memories that can never be taken away.  So there is hope where loving memories can also bring smiles.  The binding thread of grief also brings treasures.  Crystal's artwork lifts my spirit and I use it to bring smiles to the lonely, isolated and elderly through non profit groups The Angel Card Project and Kind Cards for Cool Kids.  I used her artwork and added graphics and text for Valentines and mailed the cards to 100 people around the country.

"Blessed are the Poor In Spirit"

 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

~Matthew 5:3 NIV

Shadow and Sunlight

"Each substance of a grief hath twenty shadows."
William Shakespeare

The beach and the river reminds me of Crystal's spirit.  The reminder is also a shadow.  Reminders are everywhere of the loss of our beautiful daughter.  It is also sunlight--wonderful, life giving sunlight.  There is no shadow without sunlight behind it.  It's like a bridge that connects the two worlds:  Shadow and sunlight.

On the Peaceful Shore

In my heart, I'm Celebrating your life at the river, relinquishing your hand and watching you cross over to that peaceful shore.  You are on the other side, safe and at peace waiting for the day your love ones too can cross over to the other side.

She's In the Sun, the Wind, the Rain - Celebratiom of Life Crystal Michelle Fallin

 

She's in the sun, the wind,

the rain, she's in the air you

breathe with every breath

you take.  She sings a song

of hope and cheer,  there's no

more pain, no more fear.

You'll see her in the clouds

above, hear her whisper

words of love.  You'll be

together before long, until

then listen for her song.

by Cindy Martino

Loving Memory

Crystal Michelle Fallin

June 19, 1984 Newnan, Georgia

August 18, 2019 St. Martin Island

"Beside the Still Waters"

The Lord is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David (Psalm 23)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.  He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul.  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;  thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

"There Is Another Sky"

There is another Sky

by Emily Dickinson

There is another sky,

Ever serene and fair,

And there is another sunshine,

Though it be darkness there;

Never mind faded forests, Austin,

Never mind silent fields -

Here is a little forest,

Whose leaf is ever green;

Here is a brighter garden,

Where not a frost has been;

In its unfading flowers

I hear the bright bee hum:

Prithee, my brother,

Into my garden come!

"A Cloud Withdrew From the Sky"

A Cloud Withdrew from the Sky


A Cloud withdrew from the Sky
Superior Glory be
But that Cloud and its Auxiliaries
Are forever lost to me

Had I but further scanned
Had I secured the Glow
In an Hermetic Memory
It had availed me now.

Never to pass the Angel
With a glance and a Bow
Till I am firm in Heaven
Is my intention now.                         

By Emily Dickinson