GREAT GOLF SHOT By Marion Smith

Every once in a while I hit a great golf shot. I feel so good as the ball flies down the fairway, arching beautifully before landing in the perfect spot. Or perhaps I sink that long putt that no one would have thought possible .”Yes, I would say to myself…those shots are in me, but they only seem to come out once in awhile!”

There is something else within me, and He is the Holy Spirit. God gave Him to live within my heart when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He produced fruit in my life- love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. I am now wondering if this beautiful fruit of the Spirit only comes out of me once in awhile—just like that good golf shot! I hope not! I pray this fruit would constantly be evident in my life, showing others (and reminding myself) there IS something special about a person when she (or he) is indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

If you are a Christian, you too have the fruit of the Spirit. Is it ripe and ready to be shared with others?

GOING FOR IT By Sally I. Kennedy

"Take charge! Take heart! Don't be anxious or get discouraged. God, my God, is with you in this 1 Chronicles 28:20

Shoot the Falls! The cry of the brave ones, up at the top of the waterfall. Kayaks were poised in position, with college kids were queing up to ride down the rapids.

I thought of how cool this was, and then thought of how it really is like anything we take on.

Maybe you would

1. Prepare. - ahead of time. Not last minute. It took noah awhile fo build the ark, wouldn't have worked to start building it when it started raining

2. Wait for the right conditions - GOD opens the door, his timing is the perfect timing.

3. Have support - prayer support, and scripture that lines up in agreement with our actions.

Then you could

4. Be confident: - know that God has gone before you. It is He who actually puts the desire in you, as well as helps you perform it and He will have gone ahead of you: (Phil. 2:13 it is God who works in you, (both) to will and to act according to his good purpose. )

And then

5. Go for it - after all, God will have gone ahead of you (Deut. 31:6) So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

So, whatever "it" is.... prepare, wait on God's timing, get support, be confident, and GO FOR IT!

MAJOR AND MINOR By Sally I. Kennedy

The Lord made you; He formed you in the womb and he will help you. Isaiah 44:2

Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? If God cares so wonderfully for (these).... he will certainly care for you. Matthew 6:26.30


By late morning I had finally gotten outdoors. Armed with a pair of trusty clippers, I was ready to tackle the overgrown bushes in the back yard. I was getting into it and having fun chopping and trimming. All of a sudden I realized I was hot as a firecracker and about to have a heat stroke. I threw all the branches in a pile and jumped in the water to cool off.

That was when I noticed the bracelet my husband had given me was no longer on my wrist. I was angry with myself for wearing it to do yard work.

Carefully I moved the cuttings, one by one, watching for the bracelet to fall. All the while, I was looking at where I'd been working. It would be nearly impossible to spot it in the high grass or the flower bed rocks.

I said to God, "Lord, you know everything. So you know where EVERYTHING is. Therefore, you know where my bracelet is. It is not the biggest thing in the world, but it is sentimental to me. I should have taken it off, but I didn't. Now, I'm asking you to show me where it is, and - to please let it be in plain view."

I finished moving the whole trash pile, sighed, and looked up. There, on the decking, was the lost bracelet. It was perfectly curled on a narrow piece of wood between two wide cracks.

I thought, God is SO nice! He not only loves me, but He likes me! He shows me in the most real ways. Maybe He dispatched an angel to lay it there for me to find.

In the big picture, it's a pretty minor thing to lose a bracelet. It's major, though, when God so clearly reveals his caring in the ordinary things and our everyday lives. And if God takes care of minor things like this, how much more then will He take care of us, and the important, major issues in our lives?!

IS GOD REAL? Author Unknown

God are you real ??????
The little child whispered,
"God, speak to me"
And a meadowlark sang.

But the child did not hear.
So the child yelled,
"God, speak to me!"
And the thunder rolled across the sky

But the child did not listen.
The child looked around and said,
"God let me see you"
And a star shone brightly

But the child did not notice.
And the child shouted,
"God show me a miracle!"
And a life was born

But the child did not know.
So the child cried out in despair,
"Touch me God,
and let me know you are there!"

Whereupon God reached down
And touched the child.
But the child brushed the butterfly away
And walked away unknowingly.

I HAVE MOVED Author Unknown

Can't remember if I told you all, but: I have moved out from 1 Beggars Alley, located at 2 Poverty Lane at the corner of Bleak and Buster Circle. As of today, I have a brand new home.

My new address is: Living Well on 3 Abundance Drive, located at the corner of Blessings Street and Prosperity Peak. No longer! will I allow my self to travel on Begging Peter to pay off Paul route, located at a dead end intersection called I Don't Have, it connects with Borrowers Junction.

I no longer hang out at Failure's Place, near Excuses Avenue, next to Procrastination Point. I've moved on to an Upscale community called Higher Heights with unlimited potential and opportunities for me to succeed.

Look at me. Each day that I'm awake, I am thankful to be a product of my new environment. All my clothes are tailor made. I'm dressed in life's finest. Let me introduce you to all of them: Divine Favour, Conceive, Believe, Act on Faith, Be Persistent, and Always be Prepared to Achieve.

Life is good because God is good! Care to change your address? There are many vacancies!

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS

I AM WELL BLESSED AND SO ARE YOU!!!!!

'DON'T TELL GOD HOW BIG YOUR STORM IS, TELL YOUR STORM HOW BIG OUR GOD IS'

THE LORD'S PRAYER Author Unknown

I cannot pray "OUR," if my faith has no room for others and their need.

I cannot pray "FATHER," if I do not demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.

I cannot pray "WHO ART IN HEAVEN," if all of my interests and pursuits are in earthly things.

I cannot pray "HALLOWED BE THY NAME," if I am not striving for God's help to be holy.

I cannot pray "THY KINGDOM COME," if I am unwilling to accept God's rule in my life.

I cannot pray "THY WILL BE DONE," if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.

I cannot pray "IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN," unless I am truly ready to give myself to God's service here and now.

I cannot pray "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD," without expending honest effort for it or if I would withhold from my neighbor the bread I receive.

I cannot pray "FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US," if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot pray "LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION," if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.

I cannot pray "DELIVER US FROM EVIL," if I am not prepared to fight with my life and my prayer.

I cannot pray "THINE IS THE KINGDOM," if I am unwilling to obey the King.

I cannot pray "THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY," if I am seeking power for myself and my own glory first.

I cannot pray 'FOREVER AND EVER," if I am too anxious about each day's affairs.

I cannot pray "AMEN," unless I honestly say "Not MY will, but THY will be done, so let it be.

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask Him. Matthew 6:7-8

"If God Talked Out Loud..." by Clyde Lee Herring pg.. 13-21.
1977 Broadman Press
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 76-27479.

HUGS Author Unknown

No moving parts, no batteries.

No monthly payments and no fees;
Inflation proof, non-taxable,
In fact, it's quite relaxable;
It can't be stolen, won't pollute,
One size fits all, do not dilute.

It uses little energy,
But yields results enormously.

Relieves your tension and your stress,
Invigorate your happiness;
Combats depression, makes you beam,
And elevates your self esteem!

Your circulation it corrects
Without unpleasant side effects

It is, I think, the perfect drug:
May I prescribe, my friend,... the hug!

(and, of course, fully returnable!)

CAMOUFLAGE By Sally I. Kennedy

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Hebrews 4:13

We were on the back porch. A holiday morning, not much stirring yet.
I was slowly waking, cradling my steaming coffee mug, when my husband
asked, "Do you see what's in the tree there?"

I strained to look, and all I saw was healthy, green fronds. I
noticed how tall the coconut palm was getting. But I didn't see what
he was talking about.

"Sit here", he said. "There's something blocking your view over
there."

Perfectly camouflaged, the iguana lay draped over a top branch. I
zoomed in the lens, and was once-again amazed, at the mimic, nature
can come up with.

"He's so concealed by his coloring and marks", I thought. However,
Ben saw him, then I did as well. Sometimes I cover things up, put a
smokescreen over them. But nothing in all of this world, including my
heart, is hidden from God.

Our very thoughts are known to Him, and they are not even a
surprise.

He doesn't say, "Hmmmm, imagine that, what she's thinking"....or, "Gee,
look what he just did!" No news to the Lord, who knew us before we
were even born (Psalm 139).

And, He loves us anyway. You may have heard this, and it is true:
there is nothing you could ever do that would make God love you more,
and there is nothing you could ever do that would make God love you
less. He loves you. Period. Forever. Unconditionally. Just as you
are. Forever and ever.

That is definitely good news.

SMOOTH STONES By Sally I. Kennedy

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Revelation 22:1

One of the earliest sunday school stories I recall hearing is the one
about David and Goliath. David, shepherd boy, who comes up against
the gigantic warrior, Goliath. And with just a slingshot and a few
little stones.

What a hero! He zaps the enemy in one fell blow, straight to the
head. Here's the story, from the Bible (17th chapter of 1st Samuel):

Then he took his (shepherd's) staff in his hand, chose five smooth
stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag
and, with his sling in his hand...David said to the Philistine(giant),
"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come
against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of
Israel, whom you have defied. ..This day the LORD will hand you over
to me, and I'll strike you down ... All those gathered here will know
that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle
is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands." ..Reaching
into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the
Philistine on the forehead. So David triumphed ...without a sword in
his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

The stones David selected were smooth. Not big, heavy boulders. Small
stones that had been continually washed by the river waters. They were
more fit for use against the enemy than rougher, larger, more rugged
stones.

David knew. He had spent a lot of time outdoors, by himself, taking
care of the flocks of sheep for his father. And he'd had plenty of
time to practice with his slingshot. He knew how to do it.

In our journeys, as we are constantly washed by the waters of life, we
too become more smooth. More fit to be used. As I was thinking of
this, I coudn't help but think that it would be good for me to quit
struggling so often, and just go with the flow. Smooth stones are
just fine, especially when they're part of God's master plan.

MID-LIFE CRISIS Melanie Schurr

It is known that sometime between our late thirties and early fifties, many men and women will undergo that much frowned upon stage in life fondly known as "mid-life crisis." Being a woman in her late thirties, I freely admit I am currently passing this time-honored threshold, hopefully,with style and grace, (My husband and children might disagree!). While the sudden flood of emotions has, most certainly,
caught me off guard, personally, I see little, if any, negativity in this private time of reassessment and reflection.

Here's what Frederic Hudson, Ph.D., president of the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara, California, and author of "The Adult Years" has to say on the matter: "A soulful search for what is truly important is worth our precious time and effort and love and attention. We should feel honored that we are allowed this mid-life checkup, that we receive this wake-up call."

How true this is! How blessed we should feel that, as thinking and feeling human beings, we are given the opportunity to use our God-given abilities to ponder, question, reevaluate, and ultimately, grow!

To me, mid-life crisis is a time to stand back and look where one's life is heading. It is a time of recognizing our own mortality and coming face to face with our past and present hopes and desires, sometimes, even dealing with disappointment.

If YOU are going through a mid-life crisis or just any difficult period of reassessment and questioning, then NOW is a good time to also reevaluate your relationship, or lack thereof, with Jesus Christ. While mortality, career, and family are certainly important topics to reflect upon, none other is as significant as our very salvation.

10 LITTLE CHRISTIANS Author Unknown

10 Little Christians standing in line
1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9
9 little Christians stayed up very late
1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8
8 little Christians on their way to Heaven
1 took the low road and then there were 7
7 little Christians chirping like chicks
1 disliked music, then there were 6
6 little Christians seemed very much alive
but one lost his interest then there was 5
5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore
but one stopped to rest, then there were 4
4 little Christians each busy as a bee
but one got his feelings hurt, then there were 3
3 little Christians knew not what to do
1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2
2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done
differed with each other, then there was 1
1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true;

but brought his friend to Bible study -- then there were 2

2 earnest Christians, each won one more
that doubled the number, then there were 4
4 sincere Christians worked early and late
Each won another then there were 8
8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before
In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1,024

In this little jingle, there is a lesson true,
You belong, either to the building-, or to the wrecking-crew!

EARTHLY TREASURES Author Unknown

Knowing he would die soon, a rich man had all his assets converted into gold bars, put them in a big bag on his bed, draped his body over the bag of gold, and breathed his last. When he woke up, he was at the gate of Heaven.

Saint Peter met him at the gate and with a concerned look on his face said, "Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! But unfortunately, you can't bring that in."

"Oh please, sir," said the man. "I must have it. It means everything to me."

"Sorry, my friend," said Saint Peter. "If you want to keep that bag, then I'm afraid you'll have to go to, you know, the other place. You don't want to go there, believe me."

"Well, I won't part with this bag."

"Have it your way," returned Peter. "But before you go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you're willing to trade eternal life for?"

"Sure," said the man. "You'll see. I could never part with this."

Saint Peter looked in the bag and with a puzzled look on his face said to the man, "You're willing to go to hell for... pavement?"

Where to take it from here...

What's coming between you and God? Your money? Your possessions? Your status? Your friends? Your fun? You may be sure that none of it can compare with what God has prepared for you (1 Corinthians 2:9). "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26).

THE DESIGNER by Warren Kramer

It's a late summer night on the Oregon coast on a full-moonlit night. It's so bright, it's almost like day. Huge rock formations along ashimmering beach are so beautiful I just have to stop. Walking along this beach, eyeing the rock formations, the beach, the moon, the starry sky, I'm struck with an incredible thought. This couldn't possibly have just happened!

Let me explain. All my adult life I'vebeen a professional graphic designer. Most people don't understand what that is. They say, You're a cartoonist? No, I design things for print-like this brochure. But this doesn't have any cartoons in it. Did you take these photographs? " No, a commercial photographer did. Well, did you do this lettering? No,that's type set on my computer. Well, did you print it? NO, a printer did! Well, what did you do?

I DESIGNED it! Someone has to decide what size and color it's going to be, what to use for photos or artwork, how to crop them, where to put them on the page, what type style to use and how big, how many columns to use for the body copy, how to fold it, how to make it inviting to read, what kind of paper to use, whether it will self-mail or go in an envelope and how to design the envelope! In short, someone has todecide the best way to communicate in print. It doesn't just happen! Bingo! The same thing people had been doing to me for years, I had been doing to the Great Designer.

A printed piece doesn't just happen without being designed and produced. Whether it's done haphazardly by Joe Printer or thoughtfully by a professional designer, it must be designed and produced or it doesn't exist. In the same way, this beautiful coastline couldn't have just happened without a Designer. Clearly, the universe has design.

Plants are designed to take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, animals and humans are designed to breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This is design. How could it have design without a Designer? How couldit exist without the Great Designer?