God Made Them All

There is a purpose in this world
For every living thing -
For flowers and trees and animals,
And birds upon the wing.

God made them all, the great and small,
The mighty and the meek,
And we should treat them on and all
With kindness when we speak.

For all that God created
is precious in His sight
From the songbirds in the morning
To the creatures of the night.

How dreary daily life would be
Without these living things,
From the nuzzle of a kitten
To an eagle's golden wings.

We must love them and protect them,
And treat them with respect,
For surely we might lose them
If we treat them with regret.

~ Clay Harrison

...and God saw
all the things
that He had made,
and they were
very good.
Gen 1:31

Not Just Hello

Life can be so beautiful
And it can be so sweet,
If only we are interested
In people whom we meet.

If only we extend our thoughts
Beyond a mere hello,
And strive a bit unselfishly
To help a friendship grow,

Just to linger there a while
And be most gracious then,
And set a certain time and place
Where we shall meet again.

"Hello" is such a happy word
And yet so very small,
That it can vanish swiftly from
The moments we recall.

So let us try to cultivate
Each person whom we meet,
Our dearest friend may be the one
We incidentally meet.

~ James J. Metcalfe

Message Written in the Sky

From the rising of the sun
in all attendant glory
the gift wrappings of the day
unfolding nature's story.

With brightness softly fusing
into clouds afloat in space
dewdrops too with seas reflecting
dawn's majestic face.

The Lord has touched the fringes
of earth's obedient sky,
in the gliding of the morning
when thoughtful hearts draw nigh.

Till daylight's azure dome
puts on resplendent robes,
and God with golden grace
crowns this little globe.

As pink and mauve dim slowly
softly closing of the day,
He turns on His chandeliers
to shine the gloom away.

The Almighty Creator says
Open your eyes and see,
beyond life's toil and weariness
Come, children, turn to me.

I've sent the glimpse of beauty
as a token of My love,
Let sunrise and sunset find you
remembering to look above.

~ Elaine Hardt

This Is All I Ask

Lord, show me the way
I can somehow repay
The blessings You've
given to me...
Lord, teach me to do
What You most want me to
And to be what You
want me to be...

I'm unworthy I know
But I do love You so -
I beg You to answer my plea...
I've not much to give
But as long as I live
May I give it completely to
Thee!

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Used with permission of
The Helen Steiner Rice Foundation
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Gifts of God

Let us join, together,
And offer thanks and prayer
To Him who made the earth and sky
For all of us to share;
And let us pay Him homage -
For wonders that we see -
That He has willed us to enjoy,
Unto Eternity:

He made the mountains by the sea
That reach for Heaven's majesty
And sowed the seeds of flowers and trees
That shade the sun and scent the breeze;
He gave us lakes and brooks and streams,
By which to lay and dream our dreams,
And sandy shores on which to play
And build new castles every day;
He gave us gifts of wood and stones,
With which to build and warm our homes,
And flora-fauna to adore
And harvest for our Winter store;
He gave us fields of fertile soil
To bear reward for sweat and toil
And plains and prairies, mounts and hills,
For us to roam and climb, at will;
he made the sun to give us light
And stars to light our way at night
And - for little boys and girls to race -
He gave them butterflies to chase.
But of His noblest gifts of worth,
He gave us love to sow on earth
And Ten Commandments to obey
To win new life, on Judgment Day.

~ Michael Dubina

My Home

My home is such a cozy place
So warm and filled with love,
Though just a humble little place
It's blessed by God above.

When cares of life are bothering me
And I feel so alone,
I close the door... The world outside,
And seek my Father's throne.

There on my knees I seek God's face
(or just there in my bed,)
He takes away the cares of life
And gives me peace instead.

The door of home is open wide
To family and friends,
We gather around the table for
The bounty that God sends.

Sometimes I sit and read a book
Or telephone a friend,
Here in my warm and cozy
There's no need to pretend.

Oh, thank You God for this my home,
And make me more aware,
That many have no happy home
With folks that pray and care.

Then help me keep an open door
And heart so full of love,
My home may be a welcome place
That's blessed by God above.

~ Gertrude B. McClain

He Loves You!

It's amazing and incredible,
But it's as true as it can be,
God loves and understands us all
And that means you and me -

His grace is all sufficient
For both the young and old,
For the lonely and the timid,
For the brash and for the bold -

His love knows no exceptions,
So never feel excluded,
No matter who or what you are
Your name has been included -

And no matter what your past has been
Trust God to understand
And no matter what your problem is
Just place it in his Hand -

For in all of our unloveliness
This great God loves us still,
He loves us since the world began
And what's more, He always will!

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Nobility

True worth is in being, not seeming, -
In doing, each day that goes by,
Some little good - not in dreaming
Of great things to do by and by.

For whatever men say in their blindness,
And spite of the fancies of youth,
There's nothing so kingly as kindness,
And nothing so royal as truth.

We get back our mete as we measure -
We cannot do wrong and feel right.
Nor can we give pain and gain pleasure,
For justice avenges each slight.

We cannot make bargains for blisses,
Nor catch them like fishes in nets;
And sometimes the thing your life misses
Helps more than the things which it gets.

For good lieth not in pursuing,
Nor gaining of great nor of small,
But just in the doing, and doing
As we would be done by, is all.

~ Alice Cary

In Sunshine or Rain

He walks with me in sunshine bright,
When skies are blue and all is right.
And when I tread dark valley deep,
My Loving Lord my steps doth keep.

In darkest night my Lord is near;
He whispers, "peace," dispelling fear.
And when my heart knows dark despair,
He calms my soul, my sorrows share.

In joy or grief my Lord abides,
And ever in my heart resides -
How blest am I that Christ doth deign
To walk with me, sunshine or rain!

~ Kathryn Thorne Bowsher

God is Always There

At times you reach the bottom
Of sorrow and despair,
And know not where to turn for aid
To help your burdens bear.

There's always One who's standing by
At any hour of day,
To be your closest friends and guide
And help your fears allay.

One who will comfort and sustain
And always understand,
And give you faith and inner strength
And lend a helping hand.

Look forward to each new born day
With courage born anew.
And bear in mind God's always there
To help you see it through.

~ Harold F. Mohn

Light Shining Out of Darkness

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall beak
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

~ William Cowper

Forgive Me, Lord

Forgive me Lord, for all my wrongs,
I need Your help, to keep me strong.
I need Your love from day to day,
To show me how, to find my way.

The night is dark, and I am sad,
I pray to Thee, to make me glad.
In heaven above, I hope to be
To worship You, for eternity.

For all my sins, I feel contrite,
A deep desire, to set things right.
In humble prayer, I ask Your grace,
My only dream, in heaven, a place.

And thru my life stay by my side,
In all my needs, be Thou my guide
To help me find, in faith above,
That peace of mind, which comes with love.

~ Francis X. Wadland

The Lesson of the Years

The years have taught me many things
But none so sure as this:
That shelter, solace, joy and strength
Are always where God is.

So now when hope and courage fail,
And only fear is strong,
My heart will sing as in the past
An unforgotten song.

God is my refuge and my strength
I will not be afraid,
And though the night be wild and dark
I'll meet it undismayed.

The Prayer Perfect

Dear Lord! Kind Lord!

Gracious Lord! I pray

Thou wilt look on all I love,

Tenderly today!

Weed their hearts of weariness;

Scatter every care

Down a wake of angel-wings

Winnowing the air.

Bring unto the sorrowing

All release from pain;

Let the lips of laughter

Overflow again;

And with all the needy

O divide, I pray,

This vast treasure of content

That is mine today!

~ James Whitcomb Riley

Things that Never Die

The pure, the bright, the beautiful

That stirred our hearts in youth,

The impulses to wordless prayer,

The streams of love and truth,

The longing after something lost,

The spirit's yearning cry,

The striving after better hopes -

These things can never die.

The timid hand stretched forth to aid

A brother in his need;

A kindly word in grief''s dark hour

That proves a friend indeed;

The plea for mercy softly breathed,

When justice threatens high,

The sorrow of a contrite heart -

These things shall never die.

Let nothing pass, for every hand

Must find some work to do,

Lose not a chance to waken love -

be firm and just and true.

So shall a light that cannot fade

Beam on three from on high,

And angel voices to thee -

"These things shall never die."

~ Charles Dickens

Song of a Good Samaritan

I cannot sail across the seas

to work with people there -

but, still, I know it's up to me

to give and gladly share.

I may not follow jungle paths

or teach in distant lands -

But, still, there are some people here

who need my loving hands.

I'll never chant by calm lagoons

beneath a full-moon sky -

but, still, I shall fulfill my goal

if I, before I die,

forget to walk horizon's edge

in seeking destiny

and help the person I can see

who is in front of me.

~ Eugene G.E. Botelho

The Blessings of Trust

Trust gives a purpose
To our earthly life.
Makes it rewarding,
And well worth the strife.
The virtue of trust
Can free us from care,
The lever of trust
Can lift from despair.
Trust calms troubled minds
In times of distress,
It serves as a balm
To soothe and to bless.
It's a safety valve
For our emotions,
It controls our acts
In great commotions.
It's a dynamo
Of Divine Power
That brings strength to us
In our weakest hour.
It sheds an aura
Of love and of peace,
It makes discontent
And resentments cease.

~ Sister Mary Gemma Brunke

Desert Sand

My life was a desert full of sand,
The sun burned down to scorch the land,
No vegetation grew in me,
Just stones, and sand, and misery.

But then there came a healing rain:
God set my gloomy heart aflame,
And, from the burning sand, there grew
Green grass, and flowers of every hue.

He watered it with magic love,
And turned my heart to look above,
And, in the sunshine of His smile,
My empty life became worthwhile.

He caused the sand, once in repose,
In love, to blossom like the rose,
The barren earth to sprout, and grow,
Where e'er His Living Waters flow!

~ W.R. Goodman

The Light - The Way

I felt the world had turned me down
And life had left me low;
Though I looked on every side,
My eyes could find but woe.

My friends were gone, and all alone
I argued with despair;
Until I grew so weak and worn
And life was filled with care.

All hope was gone, and as I walked
In darkness and defeat,
I cried, "I quit! There's now way out!"
And death I did intreat.

But in the middle of my darkness
A gentle voice did say:
"Come unto me - no need to fear
I am The Light - The Way.

Though trouble walks on every side,
I shall dwell within
To strengthen and protect you
And keep your heart from sin."

The choice was mine, to live or die,
To lose, or ever win;
Without a word, I fell at His feet,
Such peace there came within.

Somehow I knew that I could be
Whatever He should bid,
And on my feet I stood and said,
"I shall not die, but live!"

Now when I'm tested, tossed and tried,
I still can hear Him say,
"Come unto me, no need to fear,
I am The Light - The Way."

~ Barbara Thompson Young

Gethsemane

Forlorn I was, as I knelt to pray,
I could not drive my care away;
It seemed that life was all in vain,
Sunshine gone, just freezing rain.

I cried for mercy in my strife,
That God would bless my daily life,
That somehow I could find the way
To hold my troubles all at bay.

Then I heard a voice, and tenderly,
"Is this then, your Gethsemane?"
And then I knew the love He bore
Would guide my veering ship to shore.

I knew my cares were pretty small,
In Gethsemane He gave His all,
And who was I to kneel, and feel
His love could not all sorrow heal?

I thanked Him with a grateful heart,
And rose to make a better start,
With faith to walk the path He trod,
In joy to rest in the Lap of God.

I knew that from this day till death
I'd sing His praise with every breath,
For how could I linger in Gethsemane
With His gentle hand to quicken me?

~ W.R. Goodman

Comfort

When your heart is sad and lonely,
And your friends seem far away,
Turn to Him Who is all holy,
And He'll drive your cares away.

When a dear one seems to fail you,
When for friendship true you long,
Confide in Him Who is all true,
And He'll right your every wrong.

Jesus' heart is your true refuge,
To Him you can always flee,
Even when your hopes are sinking,
He will then a True Friend be.

He will soothe your lonely spirit,
He will love and bless and say,
"Come to Me and I will comfort
You, today, and every day."

The Way

A loving word,
A cheerful smile,
A kindly thought or two...
A helpful hand,
A ready step,
They help,
my friend, they do.

A patient heart,
A thoughtful deed,
A willingness to cheer...
And endless day
Of service, friend,
These things
make life most dear.

Be kind, do good,
Have loving thoughts
Throughout the livelong day,
Think right, serve God,
Be friend to all,
And you have
found The Way!

~ Esther Nilsson

God at Our Side

God is forever at our side
Wherever we may be,
In every happy moment and
In time of tragedy,

In every disappointment and
Each wonderful surprise,
And all the lonely moments that
Are filled with tears and sighs.

In every shadow on the path
Where we may walk today,
And to the farthest corner of
The world where we may stray.

God hears our every whisper, and
He listens to each prayer,
And so we have no reason to
Be sad or to despair.

God is forever at our side
We have no need to fear,
As much as we have faith in Him
And we are real sincere.

~ James J. Metcalfe

Talk it Over With God

You're worried and troubled
about everything,
Wondering and fearing
what tomorrow will bring -
You long to tell someone
for you feel so alone,
But your friends are all burdened
with cares of their own -
There is only one place
and only one friend
Who is never too busy
and you can always depend
That He will be waiting
with arms open wide
To hear all your troubles
that you came to confide -
For the heavenly Father
will always be there
When you seek Him and find Him
at the Altar of Prayer.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Prayers Are the Stairs to God

Prayers are the stairs
We must climb every day,
If we would reach God
There is no other way,
For we learn to know God
When we meet Him in prayer
And ask him to lighten
Our burden of care -
So star in the morning
And, though the way's steep,
Climb ever upward
'Til your eyes close in sleep -
For prayers are the stairs
That lead to the Lord,
And to meet Him in prayer
Is the climber's reward.

~ Helen Steiner Rice

Beyond Today

If we could see beyond today
As God can see,
If all the clouds should roll away,
The shadows flee;
O'er present griefs we would not fret,
Each sorrow we would soon forget,
For many joys are waiting yet
For you and me.

If we could know beyond today
As God doth know,
Why dearest treasures pass away,
And tears must flow;
And why the darkness leads to light,
Why dreary days will soon grow bright,
Some day life's wrong will be made right,
Faith tells us so.

If we could see, if we could know
We often say,
But God in love a veil doth throw
Across our way.
We cannot see what lies before,
And so we cling to Him the more,
He leads us till this life is o'er,
Trust and obey.

There's a Reason

For every pain that we must bear,
For every burden, every care,
There's a reason.

For every grief that bows the head,
For every teardrop that is shed,
There's a reason.

For every hurt, for every plight,
For every lonely pain-racked night,
There's a reason.

But if we trust God as we should,
It all will work out for our good.
He knows the reason.

...We know that for those who love
God all things work together unto
good...
Romans 8:28

He Is There

He is there, when problems
surround your life..
He is there, when your troubles
bring worry and strife...
He is there, in the darkest
hour of need...
He is there, when all seems lost,
if only you'll heed...
He is there, just listen for
His word, feel His touch...

He is there, just because He
loves you so much...
He is there to calm all the
fear and the care...
He is there, and you can know
that He'll always be there...
He is there, in your heart
to comfort and uplift...
He is there, now and always,
your greatest gift.

~ Susan E. Muldoon

Your Blessing

Your blessing, God, is like a gift
Of silver and of gold
And sometimes it is almost more
Than I have strength to hold.
Sometimes You shower so much joy
And happiness on me
That life is like a paradise
Of perfect ecstasy.
And that is why I do not mind
The lightning and the rain
Or any hail or thunderbolt
That shakes my window-pane.
I have my disappointments and
My share of earthly grief
But always I remember, God
That there is some relief.
Because when I have said my prayer
I hear Your soft reply
And when I lift my eyes I see
A rainbow in the sky.

~ James J. Metcalfe