Heartprints

Whatever our hands touch-
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
Smudges, showing we were there!

Oh God, wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!
Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbour
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Lord, send me out today
To leave heartprints
And if someone should say
“I felt your touch,”
May that one feeling be
YOUR loving touch
Lord, through ME.

Ruth Harms Calkin





I HOPE

I hope that I will always be for each person
what he or she needs me to be.
I hope that each person’s death will diminish me,
but that fear of my own will never diminish my joy of life.
I hope that my love for those whom I like will never lessen
my love for those whom I do not.
I hope that another person’s love for me will never
be a measure of my love for him or her.
I hope that everybody will accept me as I am,
but that I never will.
I hope that I will always ask for forgiveness from others,
but will never need to be asked for my own.
I hope that I will always recognize my limitations,
but that I will construct none.
I hope that loving will always be my goal,
but that love will never be my idol.
I hope that everyone will always have hope.
Henri Nouwen





Broken Dreams

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God
Because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving Him
In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,
"How could you be so slow"
"My child," He said, "What could I do?
You never did let go."

Lauretta P Burns




Do Not Lose Heart!

by Tom Norvell
 
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV)

Comforting words to read. Easy words to speak. Difficult words to live. Especially when your heart is heavy, when you feel like your life is wasting away, and troubles are weighing you down and seem to be so much more than momentary.

Those words may describe someone you know. They are struggling to hold on to their hope. Life has worn them out. Problems at work. Bills mounting. Broken relationships. Disappointments. Day after day they face life wondering if it will ever get better.
 
They come to you for help. They share their story with you. They pour out their heart to you. They are ready to quit. You have the words that can help. You have the words of hope. Share them.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
 
Those words may describe you. You are struggling to hold on to your hope. Life has worn you out. You have problems at work. Your bills are mounting. Broken relationships. Disappointments. Day after day you face life wondering if it will ever get better.
 
You pray. You talk with your friends and those who you have always turned to for advice. You pour out your heart to God. You are ready to quit. You have the words to help. You have the words of hope. Read them. Trust them. Believe them.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)





 All that which pleases is
but for a moment.

All that which troubles is
but for a moment.

That only is important
which is eternal.

 Milan Cathedral Inscription



1st clipart by:www.cutecolors.com