50 A SINGLE STITCH by Susan Coolidge
one stitch dropped as the weaver drove
his nimble shuttle to and fro,
in and out, beneath, above,
till the pattern seemed to bud and grow
as if the fairies had helping been;
one small stitch which could scarce be seen,
but the ONE STITCH DROPPED PULLED THE NEXT ONE OUT,
and a weak place grew in the fabric stout;
and the perfect pattern was marred for aye
by the one small stitch that was dropped that day.
ONE SMALL LIFE IN GOD'S GREAT PLAN,
how futile it seems as the age roll,
do what it may or strive how it can
to alter the sweep of the infinite whole!
a single stitch in an endless web,
a drop in the ocean's flood and ebb!
but the pattern is rent where the stitch is lost,
or marred where the tangled threads have crossed;
and EACH LIFE THAT FAILS OF ITS TRUE INTENT
MARS THE PERFECT PLAN THAT ITS MASTER MEANT.
A LITTLE WORD -Author unknown
a little word in kindness spoken,
a motion or a tear,
has often healed the heart that's broken!
and made a friend sincere.
a word-a look-has crushed to earth,
full many a budding flower,
which had a smile but owned its birth,
would bless life's darkest hour.
then deem it not an idle thing,
a pleasant word to speak;
the face you wear, the thoughts you bring,
a heart may heal or break.
51 OTHERS by C.D.Meigs
Lord, help me live from day to day
in such a self-forgetful way,
that even when I kneel to pray
my prayers will be for others.
Help me in all the work I do
to ever be sincere and true,
and know that all I do for You
must needs be done for others.
Let self be crucified and slain
and buried deep and all in vain
may efforts be to rise again,
unless to live for others.
And when my work on earth is done
and my new work in heaven begun,
may I forget the crown I've won
while thinking still of others.
Others, Lord, yes, others,
let this my motto be;
help me to live for others
that I may live like Thee.
PROVE THE DOCTRINE
so let our lips and lives express
the holy Gospel we profess,
so let our words and virtues shine
to prove the doctrine all divine.
52 PASS IT ON by Henry Burton
have you had a kindness shown?
pass it on.
let it travel down the years,
let it wipe another's tears,
'till in Heav'n the deed appears -
pass it on.
did you hear the loving word?
pass it on-
like the singing of a bird?
pass it on-
let its music live and grow,
let it cheer another's woe;
you have reaped what others sow -
pass it on.
'Twas the sunshine of a smile -
pass it on.
staying but a little while!
pass it o.
April beam a little thing,
still it wakes the flowers of spring,
makes the silent birds to sing -
pass it on.
have you found the heavenly light?
pass it on.
souls are groping in the night,
daylight gone -
hold thy lighted lamp on high,
be a star in someone's sky,
he may live who else would die -
pass it on.
be not selfish in thy greed,
pass it on.
look upon thy brother's need,
pass it on.
live for self, you live in vain;
live for Christ, you live again;
Live for Him, with Him you reign -
pass it on.
53 I SHALL NOT PASS THIS WAY AGAIN - Author unknown
through this toilsome world, alas!
once and only once I pass;
if a kindness I may show,
if a good deed I may do
to a suffering fellow man,
let me do it while I can.
no delay, for it is plain
I shall not pass this way again.
55 JUST FOR TODAY by Sybil F. Partidge
Lord, for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
keep me, my God, from stain of sin, just for today.
Let me both diligently work and duly pray;
let me be kind in word and deed just for today.
Let me be slow to do my will, prompt to obey;
help me to overcome my flesh just for today.
Let me no wrong or idle word unthinking say:
set Thou a seal upon my lips just for today.
Let me in season, Lord, be grave, in season gay;
let me be faithful to Thy grace just for today.
So for tomorrow and its needs I do not pray;
but keep me, guide me, love me, Lord, just for today. (note - matthew 6.34)
57 A LAST PRAYER by Helen Hunt Jackson
Father, I scarcely dare to pray, so clear I see, now it is done,
that i have wasted half my day, and left my work but just begun;
So clear I see that things I thought were right or harmless were a sin;
so clear i see that I have sought unconscious, selfish aims to win;
So clear I see that I have hurt the soul I might have helped to save;
that I have slothful been, inert, deaf to the calls Thy leaders gave.
in outskirts of Thy kingdom vast, Rather, the humblest spot give me;
set me the lowliest task Thou hast, let me repentant work for Thee.
64 MY DAILY CREED Author unknown
Let me be a little kinder,
let me be a little blinder
to the faults of those about me;
let me praise a little more;
let me be, when I am weary,
just a little bit more cheery;
let me serve a little better
those that I am striving for.
let me be a little braver
when temptation bids me waver;
let me strive a little harder
to be all that I should be;
let me be a little meeker
with the brother that is weaker
and a little less of me
67 OPTIMISM
talk happiness. the world is sad enough
without your woes. no path is wholly rough;
look for the places that are smooth and clear,
and speak of those, to rest the weary ear
of Earth, so hurt by one continuous strain
of human discontent and grief and pain.
talk faith. the world is better off without
your uttered ignorance and morbid doubt.
if you have faith in god or man or self,
say so. if not, push back upon the shelf
of silence all your thoughts, till faith shall come;
no one will grieve because your lips are dumb.
talk health. the dreary, never-changing tale
of mortal maladies is worn and stale.
you cannot charm or interest, or please
by harping on that minor chord, disease.
say you are well, or all is well with you,
and God shall hear your words and make them true.
68 ON THE SUMMIT
the path was steep and snowy - the way was hard and cold,
the wind rushed fiercely at us like a wolf upon the fold;
and we bit our lips and struggled in the terror of the blast,
and we blessed our staffs and wondered if the storm would soon be past.
sometimes our feet slipped backward on the crusty ice and snow,
sometimes we stumbled, helpless, for the way was hard to go;
sometimes we fell and falling, we were sorry we had tried
to each the mountain's summit and the hope within us died.
the path was steep and snowy - the way was hard and cold,
but we struggled ever forward half afraid - no longer bold;
and with dogged perseverance, we pushed up the hidden trail,
and we seemed by children playing with the elements - too frail
to live long in the displeasure of the wind and hail and sleet,
and the snowy down-like blanket seemed a mammoth winding sheet -
and we almost started homeward with a weary broken sigh,
but we flinched and struggled forward 'neath the scorn that cleft the sky.
the path was steep and snowy - the way was hard and cold,
but at last we reached the summit and it glittered with the gold
of the sun that had been shining, with a perfect, glowing light
from behind the heavy storm clouds that had turned the day to night.
and standing on the summit, we looked down and tried to pray,
for we wished to thank the Father who had dpt us on our way;
for the snow and sleet and windstorm were by trifles in the past,
and they made the sunshine brighter when we reached the top at last.
Margaret E. Sangster, Jr.
FOR INSPIRATION
The Prayers I make will then be sweet indeed,
If Thou the spirit give by which I pray;
My unassisted heart is barren clay,
Which of its native self can nothing feed;
of good and pious words Thou art the seed
which quickens where Thou say'st it may;
unless Thou show us thaen Thine own true way,
No man can find it! Rather, Thoumust lead!
Do Thou, then, breathe those thoughts into my mind
By which such virtue may in me be bred
that in Thy holy footsteps I may tread;
the fetters of my tongue do Thou unbind,
that I may have the power to sing of Thee
And sound Thy praises everlastingly. Michelangelo Buonarroti
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