I AM

~MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN ANGEL~

~May you always have an angel by your side Watching out for you in all the things you do beautiful places.~

~Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun Giving you the strength of serenity as your guide May you always have love and comfort and courage And may you always have an angel by your side.~

~May you always have an angel by your side Someone there to catch you if you fall Encouraging your dreams,Inspiring your happiness, Holding your hand and helping you through it all.~

~In all of our days, our lives are always changing Tears come along as well as smiles Along the roads you travel, may the miles be a thousand times more lovely than lonely.~

~May they give you the kind of Christmas gifts that never, ever end: Someone wonderful to love and a dear friend in whom you can confide.~

~May you have rainbows after every storm May you have hopes to keep you warm, And may you always have an angel by your side.~

~Author Unknown~

~YOUR ANGEL~

~Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. So one day she asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"~

~God replied, "Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you."~

~"But tell me, here in Heaven, I don't do anything else but sing and smile, that's enough for me to be happy."~

~He said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy."~

~"And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the language that men talk?"~

~"Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.~

~"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"~

~God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."~

~"I've heard that on earth there are bad men, who will protect me?"~

~"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."~

~"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."~

~"Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."~

~At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly, "Oh God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."~

~God silenced all fear when He said, "Your angel's name is of no importance.You will simply call her "Mommy".~

~Author Unknown~

~I MAY NEVER SEE TO TOMORROW~

~I may never see tomorrow There's no written guarantee And things that happened yesterday Belong to history.~

~I cannot predict the future I cannot change the past I have just the present moment I must treat it as my last.~

~I must use the moment wisely For it soon will pass away And be lost to me forever As part of yesterday.~

~I must excercise compassion Help the fallen to their feet Be a friend unto the friendless Make an emply life complete.~

~The unkind things I do today May never be undone. Any friendships that I fail to win May nevermore be won.~

~I may not have another chance On bended knee to pray, And I thank God with humble heart For giving me this day.~

~Author Unknown~

~YOU ARE UNIQUE~

~Think what a remarkable, unduplicatable, and miraculous thing it is to be you! Of all the people who have come and gone on the earth, since the beginning of time, not ONE of them is like YOU!~

~No one who has ever lived or is to come has had your combination of abilities, talents, appearance, friends, acquaintances, burdens, sorrows and opportunities. No, one's hair grows exactly the way yours does. No one's finger prints are like yours. No one has the same combination of secret inside jokes and family expressions that you know.~

~The few people who laugh at all the same things you do, don't sneeze the way you do. No one prays about exactly the same concerns as you do. No one is loved by the same combination of people that love you - NO ONE! No one before, no one to come. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE!~

~Enjoy that uniqueness. You do not have to pretend in order to seem more like someone else. You weren't meant to be like someone else. You do not have to lie to conceal the parts of you that are not like what you see in anyone else. You were meant to be different. Nowhere ever in all of history will the same things be going on in anyone's mind, soul and spirit as are going on in yours right now.~

~If you did not exist, there would be a hole in creation, a gap in history, something missing from the plan for humankind. Treasure your uniqueness. It is a gift given only to you. Enjoy it and share it!~

~No one can reach out to others in the same way that you can. No one can speak your words. No one can convey your meanings. No one can comfort with your kind of comfort. No one can bring your kind of understanding to another person. No one can be cheerful and lighthearted and joyous in your way. No one can smile your smile.

~No one else can bring the whole unique impact of you to another human being. Share your uniqueness. Let it be free to flow out among your family and friends and people you meet in the rush and clutter of living wherever you are. That gift of yourself was given you to enjoy and share. Give yourself away! See it! Receive it! Let it tickle you! Let it inform you and nudge you and inspire you! YOU ARE UNIQUE!~

~Author Unknown~

~HIS WAYS ARE BEST~

~Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."~

~Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."~

~Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."~

~After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" ... and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.~

~At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.~

~When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one," and he cut it down.~

~When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.~
~The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.~

~The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.~

~Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.~

~Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.~

~Finally, someone came and got the third tree and tied two big pieces together. It was carried through the streets as people all around mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill. When Sunday came three days later, the tree came to realize that it had not been chosen simply as an instrument of death. On the contrary, it now saw the man alive and well-seated at the right hand of God, and it would stand at the top of the hill and people everywhere would look to it and think of heaven, and God, and how close to Him they could be, because Jesus had been crucified on it.~

~The moral of this story is that when things don't seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees' God-given dreams were fulfilled, just not in the way they had imagined. We don't always know what God's plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, and His ways are always best.~

~Author Unknown~

~HE IS THE REAL THING~

~God is like Allstate You're in good hands with Him~

~God is like Bayer Aspirin He works wonders~

~God is like Hallmark Cards He cares enough to give the very best~ ~God is like General Electric He brings good things to life~

~God is like Prudential He gives us a piece of The Rock~

~God is like Tide He gets the stains out that others leave behind~

~God is like VO5. . . He holds through any kind of weather~

~God is like Sears He has everything~

~God is like the US Army He wants us to be all we can be~

~God is like American Express Don't leave home without Him~

~God is like Scotch Tape You know he's there but you can't see Him~

~God is like Dial Soap Aren't YOU glad you know Him?~

~Author Unknown~

~HER SON~

~While pregnant with her Son Beneath her heart within, She'd often feel His hands Moving inside her skin.~

~He'd stretch His arm and hand And push out on her side She'd lovingly push it back With a smile so sweet and wide.~

~She could hardly wait For His upcoming birth To touch His tiny hands And welcome Him to Earth.~

~Then it finally came, The night that He was born. With joy she couldn't contain, She held Him until morn.~

~She explored His tiny fingers. She counted all His toes. She wanted to get to know Him, His ears, His cheeks, His nose.~

~The wonder of it all, At this new baby boy! She could not hold back. She wept with tears of joy.~

~She touched His tiny hand, A miniature of her own. He squeezed it tight on her finger. Such joy she had never known!~

~The time passed and He grew. As a toddler, it was grand To walk along and hold His fleshy little hand.~

~She taught Him many things. Together they spent hours. She'd take His little hand And touch it to a flower.~

~He soon developed the knack Of hugging her 'round the neck, His tiny hand patting her back.~

~As her Son grew older, His young hands also grew. He learned many ways to use them. Each day brought something new.~

~She helped Him learn to read. She helped Him learn to write. Then, as the day was ending, She'd pray with Him at night.~

~He learned to use a hammer With which to drive a nail. He'd sometimes strike His finger And let out quite a wail!~

~Her Son continued growing And soon became a Man. She loved Him just as much As when His life began.~

~His hands were now full grown, So strong, yet tender, when He, with deep compassion, Comforted a friend.~

~She was extremely grateful When His hands would fold; And bowing His head in prayer, To His Father in Heaven He'd hold.~

~She watched her Son with pride, His strong but gentle arms And hands there at His side.~

~She then thought her life was over. She suffered unspeakable loss When her Son's beloved hands Were nailed to a wooden cross.~

~But that was just the beginning. For He died and rose again. Her sorrow then was ended, And joy replaced her pain.~

~For, you see, her Son was Jesus, God coming to earth as Man, To save us from our sins According to His plan.~

~Author Unknown~

~THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS~

~From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element of the carol is a code for a religious reality which the children could remember.~

~The partridge in a pear tree is: Jesus Christ.~
~Two turtle doves are the: Old and New Testament.~

~Three French hens stand for: faith, hope and love.~

~Four calling birds are the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.~

~Five golden rings recall the: Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.~

~Six geese a-laying stand for the: six days of creation.~

~Seven swans a-swimming represent the: sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit.~

~Eight maids a-milking are the: eight Beatitudes.~

~Nine ladies dancing are the: nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5).~

~Ten lords a-leaping are the: Ten Commandments.~

~Eleven pipers piping stand for the: eleven faithful disciples.~

Finally,
~Twelve drummers drumming symbolizes the: twelve points of belief in the Apostle's Creed.~

Concentrate on the four dots in the middle of the image for about 30 seconds. Then close your eyes and tilt your head back. Keep them closed... you will see a light circle... Continue looking at the circle. What do you see?

~THE BUTTERFLY~

~A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly by taking a pair of scissors and snipping off the remaining bit of the cocoon shell.~

~The butterfly then emerged easily, but had a swollen body and small shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting cocoon shell and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were it's Creator's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.~

~Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If our Creator allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we should be if our abilities were tested with obstacles. We could never fly nor grow.~

Lessons Learned: ~I asked for Strength......My Creator gave me Difficulties to make me strong.~

~I asked for Wisdom.......My Creator gave me Problems to solve.~

~I asked for Prosperity......My Creator gave me Brain and Brawn to work.~

~I asked for Courage......My Creator gave me Danger to overcome.~

~I asked for Love......My Creator gave me Troubled people to help.~

~I asked for Favors......My Creator gave me Opportunities.~

~I received nothing I asked for, but I've received everything I need!~

~I have learned that I must keep asking for lessons from my creator and my abilities will blossom with time. I've learned not to give up so quickly as time and effort play a huge part in my growth! And finally, I've learned that if I really believe that I'm doing something without the expectation of reward, then I will achieve all my wildest dreams in this life!~

~Hopefully by sharing this message with you, you also will have the abilities to achieve your wildest dreams! Have a GREAT and WONDERFUL day!~

~Author Unknown~

~LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS~