A Morning Prayer

Another day has come;
   O! help me, God, I pray,
To full forget the bitter things
   That happened yesterday.

And give me strength, Oh Lord,
   Each issue so to meet,
That I may face Thee unashamed
   Before the Judgment seat.

Help me to rule myself
   And kindly let me live,
To all my work, to all mankind,
   My very best to give.

And should, in Thy great plan,
   This day my labors end,
Forgive my sins, my soul receive,
   For Jesus' sake, Amen.

                     ~ Dr. P.B. Hill

Never Alone

I walked the fields alone today;
   I needed time to think and pray . . .
But, nature, artful from the start,
   Soon soothed my troubled mind and heart.
A myriad things were there to see:
   A broken fence, a gnarled old tree;
A butterfly with golden wings,
   A sparrow's nest of sticks and strings;
The ground squirrel's burrow, freshly made;
   The beauty of the sun and shade;
A weed, a bee, a porcupine,
   A pungent honeysuckle vine.
And, as I walked the fields today
   God traveled with me all the way!

              ~ Lerwill Christian Andersen

Sunrise

Night is no match
   for the rays of the sun
That gently push back the dark,
   Then spread 'cross
the vast expanse of the sky
   Awakening the sparrow and lark.

Our souls are like night
   when we know not our God;
It's only when touched by His Son,
   That we truly awaken
to the meaning of life
   And want His will to be done.

                      ~ Margaret Peterson

Believe and Pray

In trial and adversity
Let not your faith grow dim,
But say a fervent prayer to God
And keep your trust in Him.
Let hope not wither on the vine
Of sorrow and despair,
Remember God knows everything
And He is everywhere.
However dark the day may seem
Or frightening the night,
All troubles fade and disappear
And life turns out all right
Provided you maintain your faith
And do not yield to fear
The while you pray for courage with
A heart that is sincere . . .
Resign yourself most humbly now
To do God's holy will
And He will surely bless you and
Your least request fulfill.

         ~ James J. Metcalfe

Take Time to Be Kind

Kindness is a virtue
   given by The Lord,
It pays dividends in happiness
   and joy is its reward . . .
For, if you practice kindness
   in all you say and do,
The Lord will wrap His kindness
   around your heart and you . . .
And wrapped within His kindness
   you are sheltered and secure
And under His direction
   your way is safe and sure.

            ~ Helen Steiner Rice

A Psalm of Gratitude

Sing a psalm of gratitude
   To the Lord on high
Thank Him for His goodness
   In all the years gone by!
Without His Love sustaining
   All life would fade and die,
So sing a psalm of praise and love
   To God Who reigns on high.
All glory, praise, all honor
   To our God be given
Creator of all mankind,
   Great God of earth and heaven.
To You I give my love, my all,
   While life is left in me.
O, let me sing Your praises, Lord,
   With You eternally.

               ~ Rev. Thomas Foy

The Road Before Us

At times we find life's highway
   A rough and weary road
As we strive to balance
   An extra heavy load.

But God will not abandon
   Anyone along the way
Who invokes His providence,
   Nor their confidence betray.

We can follow in His footsteps
   When we do a kindly deed
For a trusting friend or neighbor
   In his humble hour of need.

Life's highway will be fruitful
   If we always keep in sight
The hope and strength within us
   Through His love and guiding light.

           ~ Catherine Janssen Irwin