Quote from Forum Archives on August 4, 2006, 10:59 am

Posted by: bigguyhereagain <bigguyhereagain@...>

"A Little House Cleaning"

 

             

Last Week I threw out Worrying,
it was getting old and in the way.
It kept me from being me;
I couldn't do things my way.

 

I threw out those Inhibitions;
they were just crowding me out.
Made room for my New Growth,
got rid of my old dreams and doubts.

 

I threw out a book on MY PAST
(didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with New Goals,
started reading it today.

I threw out childhood toys
(remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
threw out the one from long ago.

Bought in some new books too,
called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.
WOW, You should've seen the dust.

I ran across an OLD FRIEND,
haven't seen him in a while.
I believe his name is GOD,
Yes, I really like His style.

He helped me to do some cleaning
and added some thing's Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE and FAITH,
Yes I placed them right on the shelf.

I picked up this special thing
and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT - its called PEACE.
Nothing gets me down anymore.

 

Yes, I've got my house looking nice.
Looks good around the place.
For things like Worry and Trouble
there just isn't any place.

Its good to do a little house cleaning,
get rid of the old things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.

Author Unknown

 

"I WON'T EVER"

 

  

 

I saw him in the church building for the first time on Wednesday.

He was in his mid-70's, with thinning silver hair and a neat brown suit.

 

Many times in the past I had invited him to come. Several other Christian

friends had talked to him about the Lord and had tried to share the good

news with him.

 

He was a well-respected, honest man with so many characteristics a

Christian should have, but he had never put on Christ, nor entered the

doors of the church.

 

"Have you ever been to a church service in your life?"  I had asked him

a few years ago.  We had just finished a pleasant day of visiting and talking.

 

He hesitated. Then with a bitter smile he told me of his childhood experience

some fifty years ago. He was one of many children in a large impoverished

family.  His parents had struggled to provide food, with little left for housing

and clothing.  When he was about ten, some neighbors invited him to worship

with them.

 

The Sunday School class had been very exciting! He had never heard such

songs and stories before!

 

He had never heard anyone read from the Bible! After class was over, the

teacher took him aside and said, "Son, please don't come again dressed

as you are now. We want to look our best when we come into God's house."

 

He stood in his ragged, unpatched overalls. Then looking at his dirty bare

feet, he answered softly, "No, ma'am, I won't ever."

 

"And I never did," he said, abruptly ending our conversation.

 

There must have been other factors to have hardened him so, but this

experience formed a significant part of the bitterness in his heart.

 

I'm sure that Sunday School teacher meant well. But did she really understand

the love of Christ?  Had she studied and accepted the teachings found in the

second chapter of James?

 

What if she had put her arms around the dirty, ragged little boy and said, "Son,

I am so glad you are here, and I hope you will come every chance you get to

hear more about Jesus."

 

I reflected on the awesome responsibility a teacher or pastor or a parent has

to welcome little ones in His name. How far reaching her influence was!

 

I prayed that I might be ever open to the tenderness of a child's heart, and that

I might never fail to see beyond the appearance and behavior of a child to the

eternal possibilities within.

 

Yes, I saw him in the church house for the first time on Wednesday.  As I looked

at that immaculately dressed old gentleman lying in his casket, I thought of the

little boy of long ago.  I could almost hear him say, "No, ma'am, I won't ever."

 

And I wept.

Author Unknown

 

Have a Blessed Weekend

Dave and Barbara

 

  

 

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