Thank God For Little Things

 

Thank You, God, for little things

that often come our way ---

The things we take for granted

but don't mention when we pray ---

The unexpected courtesy,

the thoughtful, kindly deed ---

A hand reached out to help us

in the time of sudden need ---

Oh, make us more aware, dear God,

of little daily graces

That come to us with "sweet surprise"

from never-dreamed-of places.

 

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Consolation

 

There is never a day so dark and dreary

But God can make it bright.

There is never a night so black and void

But God can send his light.

So take to Him those hopeless things

That are tearing at your life...

The heart that puts its trust in God

Finds help to meet the strife.

 

~ Roxie Lusk Smith

These Are The Gifts I Ask

These are the gifts I ask
Of thee, Spirit serene:
Strength for the daily task,
Courage to face the road,
Good cheer to help me bear the traveler's load,
And, for the hours of rest that come between,
An inward joy in all things heard and seen.

These are the sins I fain
Would have thee take away:
Malice, and cold disdain,
Hot anger, sullen hate,
Scorn of the lowly, envy of the great,
And discontent that casts a shadow gray
On all the brightness of the common day.

 

~ Henry Van Dyke

Never Alone

 

Sometimes, oh Lord, when I cannot pray,

I sit very still with nothing to say.

But never-the-less, I know you are there;

I whisper your name 'cause I know you care.

You know that I'm troubled with things on my mind,

And you know I've been weak, so often unkind,

But your spirit is with me, right here in this home;

And I know that I never am walking alone.

 

~ Helen Parker

Experience

 

We must live through the weary winter,
If we would value spring.
And the woods must be cold and silent,
Before the robins sing.

 

The flowers must be buried in darkness,
Before they can bud and bloom.
And the sweetest and warmest sunshine,
Comes after the storm and gloom.

 

So the heart, from the hardest trial,
Gains the purest joy of all.
And from the lips that have tasted sadness,
The sweetest songs will fall.

 

For as peace comes after suffering,
and love is reward of pain.
So, after earth, comes heaven,
And out of our loss, the gain.

 



Thou Art Near

 

O love Divine, that stooped to share

Our deepest pang, our bitterest tear,

On Thee we cast each earth-born care,

we smile at pain while Thou art near.

Though long the weary way we tread,

And sorrow crown each lingering year

No path we shun, no darkness dread,

Our hear still whispering "Thou art near."

 

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Understanding

 

No more of light, I ask, O God,

But eyes to see what is:

Not sweeter songs, but ears to hear

The present melodies:

Not more of strength, but how to use

The power that I possess:

Not more of love, but skill to turn

A frown to caress:

Not more of joy, but how to feel

Its kindly presence near

To give to others all I have

Of courage and of cheer.

No other gifts, dear God, I ask,

But only sense to see

How best these precious gifts to use

Thou hast bestowed on me.

 



Life's Seasons

  Life is life the seasons
Each one its changes bring,
A fertile seed takes root and grows
Thus youth is like the Spring.
Maturity comes in Summer
As we work and play and sing,
In the Fall we gather harvest
From the deeds we sowed, and then,
Alas too soon it's Winter
And our eyes have grown quite dim,
Have faith no need to worry
'Tis not the end of everything
For our souls will be returned again
To Heaven, where God is king.
 

~ Louis H. Guenther

Keep Me Near Thee

 

Keep me near Thee, dearest Jesus,
Always in Thy holy sight.
Draw me ever closer to Thee
Till the coming of the night.

 

Hold my hand and lead me onward
Through the trials and stress of day:
Let me see Thee, hear Thee, feel Thee ---
In my daily toil and play.

 

Hand in Thine I can not falter
Thou art ever at my side;
And my heavy heart seems lighter
When it in Thy heart confides.  

 

Use Me Lord

 

Lord, give me courage to be true

To You in all I say and do.

Give me your love to keep me sweet

To everyone I chance to meet.

Give me your power to keep me strong.

Grant me your presence all day long.

Give me the Faith that all may see

How very real you are to me.

Give me wisdom to choose the best.

Help me perform each task with zest.

Give me vision to see your plan

Use me, Lord, wherever you can.
 

God Promised

 

God did not tell me,

Only roses would grow.

That I'd find no sorrow,

On the path I must go.

 

But He promised to be there,

Each step of the way,

Providing a way to escape,

The temptations of each day.

 

His grace all sufficient,

Daily to see me through.

He'd help me to conquer,

And be victorious too.

 

~ Dottlee Dugan Reid

Morning Prayer

 

When little things would irk me, and I grow

Impatient with my dear ones, make me know

How in a moment joy can take its flight

And happiness be quenched in endless night.

Keep this thought with me all the livelong day

That I may guard the harsh words I might say

When I would fret and grumble, fiery hot,

At trifles that tomorrow are forgot ---

Let me remember, Lord, how it would be

If these, my loved ones, were not here with me.

 

God's Design

 

Philosophers may reason why
But I won’t take the time,
I only know I’m here on earth
Because of God’s design.
So I will just continue on
And do the best I can,
And know that God will do the rest
Because He made the Plan.
 

~ Ed Kane

We Thank Thee

 

We thank Thee, Lord,
That of Thy tender grace,
In our distress
Thou hast not left us

wholly comfortless.

We thank Thee, Lord,
That of Thy wondrous might,
Into our night
Thou hast sent down

the glory of the Light.

We thank Thee, Lord,
That all Thy wondrous ways,
Through all our days,
Are wisdom, right,

and ceaseless tenderness.

 

~ John Oxenham

Blessing On All Our Days

 

May blessings be ours in the morning,
May gladness be ours in the night,
May the breezes but gently caress us
And the sun give us softly its light.
In stress and in doubt and in danger
True courage and faith may we know,
And the Home Lights of God be our beacon,
Wherever we star or we go.

 

 Brian O'Higgins

A Morning Offering

 

My God, I offer You today…

My life and all its care…

Keep me from sin till evening comes…

Help me my cross to bear…

My day is long, my work is hard…

My life seems all a-wry…

I have no time to think or pray…

And the years pass swiftly by…

O God, accept my work today…

I do it all for You…

‘Tis badly done --- complainingly…

But the best that I can do...

And You are kind and gentle, Lord…

And the faults You will not see…

Such as it is, my life anew…

I dedicate to Thee.

~ Rev. Thomas Foy

Needless Worry

 

Some of your hurts you have cured,

And the sharpest you still have survived,

But what torments of grief your endured

From evils which have never arrived!

 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yesterday's Cross

 

 The cross that pressed so heavy

Is light and sweet today;

It lost its weight this morning

When Jesus came my way.

 

The cross that looked so dreary

A day or two ago,

Has, with His presence, brightened,

He helped me lift it so.

 

It now, is light, a feather,

I laugh amid my tears,

And raise, with Him, my burden ---

All flown my anxious fears.

 

The cross that weighed so heavy,

The tears that fell so fast;

are changed to glorious rainbow

In skies, all blue at last!
 

Open My Eyes

 

God open my eyes so I may see

And feel Your presence close to me...

Give me strength for my stumbling feet

As I battle the crowd

On life's busy street.

And widen the vision of my unseeing eyes

So in passing faces I'll recognize

Not just a stranger, unloved and unknown

But a friend with a heart

that is much like my own...

Give me perception to make me aware

That scattered profusely

on life's thoroughfare

And the best gifts of God
that we daily pass by
As we look at the world
with an unseeing eye.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Autograph

 

God wrote His autograph

Upon the sky last night

In the stars I never saw

A signature so bright!

 

With the dawn again

For watchers to behold ---

He wrote His name in sunlight ---

An autograph of gold!

 

~ Marion Schoeberlein

Rest Thou My Mind

 

Rest Thou my mind in Thee, Dear Lord;
Give to me sweet repose;
Take weary flesh and troubled mind,
In peace, my eyelids close.

I've labored in Thy fields today,
the harvest fields to reap,
And now in quiet evening's hour,
Give to Thy servant sleep.

I rest in Thee, complete, secure,
For in my soul is peace,
For Thou didst wash me clean today,
and gave my soul release.

Dear God, I thank Thee here alone,
As on my bed I pray,
That Thou didst walk beside me,
throughout the heat of day.

And now, I rest in Thee alone,
Nor darkest night would fear,
For in the closing of my eyes,
I know that Thou art near.

~ Charles G. Ramsey

The Loving Thing

 

The child in me that often wished

to wipe His brow and help Him up

each time He fell,

now knows that wish is granted us

each time we do for any man

the loving thing.

 

~ Edward A. Gloeggler

Thankfuness

 

My God, I thank Thee who hast made
        The earth so bright;
So full of splendour and of joy,
        Beauty and light;
So many glorious things are here,
        Noble and right!

I thank Thee, too, that Thou hast made
        Joy to abound;
So many gentle thoughts and deeds
        Circling us round,
That in the darkest spot of Earth
        Some love is found.

I thank Thee more that all our joy
        Is touched with pain;
That shadows fall on brightest hours;
        That thorns remain;
So that earth's bliss may be our guide,
        And not our chain.

I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept
        The best in store;
We have enough, yet not too much
        To long for more;
A yearning for a deeper peace,
        Not known before.

I thank Thee, Lord, that here our souls,
        Though amply blest,
Can never find, although they seek,
        A perfect rest, ---
Nor ever shall, until they lean
        On Jesus' breast!

~ Adelaide Anne Procter

Teach Us, Lord

 

Teach us, Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest:

to give and not to count the cost;

to fight and not to heed the wounds;

to toil and not to seek for rest;

to labor and not to ask for any reward

save that of knowing that we do thy will.

 

~ St. Ignatius of Loyola

Lead Thou The Way

 

Each time I speak let what I say
Be of Thy Word,
That those who listen shall be blessed
For having heard.

Of what I do let every move
Be first a prayer,
That in my touch of other hearts
I shall not err.

And when I walk my feet shall take
Thy Chosen Way,
That those who hold my hand shall not
Be led astray!

 

~ Esther Nilsson

The Artist

 

I love to watch

God paint the dawn

In scarlet flush and gold;

 

I love to watch

Him touch the sky

In colors bright and bold.

 

I love to watch

God paint the dusk

In purple-shadowed gray.

 

Then leave His name

upon it all ---

Artist of  night and day!

 

~ Marion Schoeberlein

Prayer For A Day's Walk

 

God let me find the lonely ones
Among the throng today
And let me say the word to take
The loneliness away:
So many walk with aching hearts
Along the old highway.

 

So many walk with breaking hearts,
And no one understands;
They find the roadway rough and steep
Across the barren lands;
God help me lighten weary eyes
And strengthen nerveless hands.

 

God help me brighten dreary eyes,
And let my own grief be
A sure reminder of the grief
Of those who walk with me.
When words fail --- hands fail --- let me go
In silent sympathy.

 

~ Grace N. Crowell

Loneliness

 

Loneliness may visit,

but it never can possess,

a heart where God's love lingers

and where his spirit rests.

 

~ Dianne W. Brown

The Dreaded Task

 

I found the task

that I had dreaded so
Was not so difficult

when once begun;
It was the dread itself

that was the foe,
And dread once conquered

means a victory won.

 

~ Margaret E. Bruner

The Hardest Thing

 

The hardest thing on the road of life
Is not the length of the way,
For some it's long,
For some it's short,
The shadows at close of day.

The hardest thing and the saddest thing
That weighs upon the breast,
That brings despair,
That brings deep care,
To the one that seeks for rest,

Ah yes, dear friend, the hardest thing
Is lonesomeness we feel:
The suffering soul,
The long lost goal,
For the friends that weren't so real.

But the hardest and the saddest thing,
The lonesomeness of soul,
Is somehow gone,
Is fled from one
Who maketh Christ his goal.

He's gone before on the lonesome road;
He knows each curve and snare,
He is the way,
Eternal day;
He seeks to lead you there.

Believe in Him, reach out in faith;
Trust in His loving care.
The Christ Who died,
The Christ Who lives,
He seeks to lead you there.

~ Charles G. Ramsey