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Poetry and Short Stories
Foot Prints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across
the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to him and
the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in
the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. he also noticed that
it happened at the lowest and saddest times of his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. Lord you said that once I
decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my
life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.
The Lord replied, my precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your
times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.
Author unknown
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This is my favorite poem---
The Difference
I got up early one morning
and
rushed right into the day.
I had so much to accomplish
that I didn't have time to pray.
Problems tumbled about
me
and harder came each task.
"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered,
He answered, "You didn't ask."
I wanted
joy and beauty,
but the day was gray and bleak,
I wondered why God didn't show me;
He said, "You didn't seek."
I
tired to come into God's presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly said,
"My child,
you didn't knock."
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before starting the day.
I had so much to accomplish
that I had to take time to pray.
-Darlene Estlow
The Butterfly (author
unknown)
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared. He sat
and watched the butterfly for 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. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged
easily. But it 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
happen! 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 and the
struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly
into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it acheived its freedom from the cocoon.
Sometimes struggles
are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We
would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
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Love
(Written By Karla Reed
Hi! I was thinking about the word LOVE this morning.
When we got Emma, our new big dog, I regretted making that decision. I thought, "What have I done to my life!" I didn't
like the way she jumped on us. She barked. She was dirty. She was way too rambuncious. She wasn't what I expected. And
I have a real deep seeded fear of dogs!
Brian loved Emma! He thought she was wonderful, smart, cute, playful, and everything positive!
I decided to try to "Love" Emma because Brian loved her! Brian worked with her every day. I worked with her every day.
I walked her around the field for about a half an hour. I was getting my excercise in, so it helped me out any way. I played
with her and I even taught her a few tricks. I taught her how to sit and how to shake paws! I was amazed how fast she caught
on. She would do anything for a hotdog! We even taught her to walk on the treadmill, it helped on those monsoon days!
I finally found myself enjoying how quickly she was learning and becoming eager to please. I finally started getting
better days with Emma. I can finally love Emma as our dog! Love is a choice, it isn't always easy. It's very hard sometimes.
Not just pets, but realationships with people around us. We can choose to leave people at a distance or have them part of
our lives. We choose To love them and care for them, or not.
Where I feel bitterness or unforgiving toward someone, I have learned to pray for love and kindness and forgivness toward
them! When someone just needs someone to listen to them, or needs a helping hand, we can choose to love. When someone feels
lonely or depressed, we can choose to love.
God is love. He has the the ability to help us love the unlovable. God loved us even at our very worse! I knew there
was a lesson in Emma for me somewhere! Thanks to Emma, I've learned how we have to make that effort to reach out in love!!
Love, Karla
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