Encouraging Verses

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5,6

“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6

“You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’ You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.” Isaiah 57:10

“The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” Isaiah 9:10

“Your words have supported those who stumbled; you have strengthened faltering knees. But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are dismayed. Should not your piety be your confidence and your blameless ways your hope? Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Where were the upright ever destroyed?” Job 4:4-7

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [a] and crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:3-5

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.” Psalm 31:24

“We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:13-18

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

“And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:30-31

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalm 94:19

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.” 2 Thessalonians 1:5

The 400 Million Dollar Man

I have been a dittohead since the beginning - the late eighties. I listen to Rush online at this station: http://www.wmal.com/Article.asp?id=453473

Late-Period Limbaugh
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/magazine/06Limbaugh-t.html?_r=2&hp=&oref=login&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

In the studio the day we spoke, Limbaugh was more emotional. “I thank God for my addiction,” he told me. “It made me understand my shortcomings.”

Being Limbaugh, he said he believes that most of these shortcomings stemmed from his inability to love himself sufficiently. “I felt everyone who criticized me was right and I was wrong,” he confided. But, he says, he left his insecurities behind in Arizona. “It’s not possible to offend me now,” he said. “I won’t give people the power to do it anymore. My problem was born of immaturity and my childhood desire for acceptance. I learned in drug rehab that this was stunting and unrealistic. I was seeking acceptance from the wrong people.”

Hat Tip: The $400 million man: Limbaugh locked up through 2016

Shadow at the Beach

My Shadow
Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow–
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes goes so little that there’s none of him at all.

He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close behind me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

A Mother’s Calling

“The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.”
Proverbs 23:24

LORD OF LIFE AND KING OF GLORY

Lord of life and King of glory,
Who didst deign a child to be,
Cradled on a mother’s bosom,
Throned upon a mother’s knee:
For the children Thou hast given
We must answer unto Thee!

Since the day the blessèd mother
Thee, the world’s Redeemer, bore,
Thou hast crowned us with an honor
Women never knew before;
And that we may bear it meetly
We must seek Thine aid the more.

Grant us, then, pure hearts and patient,
That in all we do or say
Little souls our deeds may copy,
And be never led astray;
Little feet our steps may follow
In a safe and narrow way.

When our growing sons and daughters
Look on life with eager eyes,
Grant us then a deeper insight
And new powers of sacrifice:
Hope to trust them, faith to guide them,
Love that nothing good denies.

May we keep our holy calling
Stainless in its fair renown,
That when all the work is over
And we lay the burdens down,
Then the children Thou hast given
Still may be our joy and crown.

“We don’t know where we’re going”

Love the World You Find
Mr. Magoo’s Wicker Emporium Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

You don’t know what you’re becoming
Who knows what you’re gonna be
We don’t know where we’re going
We don’t know cause we can’t see

Mm-hmm

If I could tell your future
I’d say love the world you find.
In the dark times and the hard questions,
Let some sunshine in your mind

Sun is risin’
I think that’s good
Just now realizin’
Some things you never thought you would

Sun is risin’
I think that’s good
You’re just now realizin’
Some things you never thought you would

I couldn’t find the complete audio of this song. You could go here and “play sample”.
http://music.yahoo.com/The-Flaming-Lips/Love-The-World-You-Find/lyrics/54032302