Precious Moments

    The moments I spend with You, God,
are more precious than gold to me,
    for it's You who keeps my ship afloat
on life's ever turbulent sea.

    When the waters are dark and foreboding,
and storm clouds loom ahead--
    if I turn to You, the waters are blue,
with bright, sunny skies instead.

    Without You, God, I am nothing,
a ship without a sail,
    a life without a purpose,
my efforts--of no avail!

    You are the light that guides me
across life's turbulent sea,
    and each moment I spend with You--
is more precious than gold to me!

                     --Doris A. Orth

Always a Way

There's always a way, but we have to try,
Though life is a gift to you and I,
We can't expect to merely sit,
With never an effort to merit it.
There's always a way, though the going's rough,
And only our best is good enough,
We haven't the time to count each loss,
If the bridge is out, we swim across.

There's always a way, life's not in vain,
Though joy may be the twin of pain,
Whichever way we chance to go,
The Master walked it first, you know.
He simply wouldn't put us here,
And then withdraw His tender care,
Whatever His dear Love may ask,
He makes us equal to the task.

For it is true He walks beside
Us through each dawn and eventide,
Though bones may bend and sight grow dim,
No thing's impossible for Him.
And so whenever walls may rise,
To block the sunlight from our eyes,
That is the time for us to say,
"Dear Lord, please help me find the way."

                   --Grace E. Easley

Resolve

Build on resolve, and not upon regret,
  the structure of thy future.
Do not grope among the shadows of old sins,
  but let thine own soul's light
  shine on the path of hope
  and dissipate the darkness.

Waste no tears upon the blotted record of lost years,
  but turn the leaf and smile, oh, smile,
  to see the fair white pages that remain for thee.

Prate not of thy repentance, but believe the
  spark divine dwells in thee: let it grow.

That which the upreaching spirit can achieve
  the grand and all-creative forces know;
  they will assist and strengthen as the light
  lifts up the acorn to the oak tree's height.

Thou hast but to resolve, and lo! God's whole
  great universe shall fortify thy soul.

                                 --Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Love Divine, All Love Excelling

In a myriad of miraculous ways
God shapes our lives and changes our days,
Beyond our will or even knowing
God keeps our spirit ever growing. . .
For lights and shadows, sun and rain,
Sadness and gladness, joy and pain,
Combine to make our lives complete
And give us victory through defeat. . .
"Oh, Love Divine, All Love Excelling,"
In troubled hearts You just keep dwelling,
Patiently waiting for a "prodigal son"
To say at last, "Thy will be done."
                              --Helen Steiner Rice

Today

With words that speak in deepest praise,
  I thank God for His loving ways;
For strength of body, limb, and mind,
  The joy in doing what I find.
I thank God for my home and friends,
  And other blessings that He sends.
I may not see with perfect eyes,
  But each new day holds glad surprise!
I thank God for what comes to me,
  And trust Him more--what is to be.
                   --Roxie Lusk Smith

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

     This carol was first published in 1827, but even then
it was introduced as "an ancient carol, sung in the streets
of London." In fact, old London had municipal watchmen
who were licensed to perform certain tasks, including the
singing of Christmas carols. This was one of their songs.

     In A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Ebenezer
Scrooge hears this song sung joyously in the street and
tells the singer he'll hit him with a ruler unless he stops
singing. Of course that was not the intended response to
this carol. The point is that joy reigns on Christmas Day
because of God's great gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. We
can "rest merry" in the knowledge that Christ has paid
our penalty for going astray and has set us free from the
power of evil.
                        --Wm. J. Petersen & Randy Petersen

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Savior
Was born upon this day,
To save us all from Satan's power
When we were gone astray.

   O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy;
   O tidings of comfort and joy!

In Bethlehem in Jewry
This blessed babe was born,
and laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn:
The which His mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn.

From God our heavenly Father
A blessed angel came,
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same,
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name.

The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks afeeding
In tempest, storm, and wind,
And went to Bethlehem straightway,
The blessed babe to find.

Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
and with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.

--Traditional English Carol (18th Century)

The Flame of Hope

The flame of hope is more than just a candle
Shining brightly in some darkened place;
It is the torch of confidence eternal
Burning within man's breast, quickening his pace.

And, ever as the years march up and onward,
The flame grows brighter with each passing day;
No tyrant of the soul, however forceful,
Can cleave its wall and mine that hope away.

The flame of hope held high is everlasting,
The waves of time may dash and cast their spray,
But the shining promise of yet another morrow
Dismisses any doubt about today.

Our Lady in the Harbor stands as proof then
That that great torch stretched to the sky above
Will burn forever. . . This great expectation
Is what the whole of life is made up of!

                             --Georgia B. Adams