When Did You Fall

You’re all smiles and silly conversation
As if this sunny day came just for you
You twist your hair, you smile and you turn your eyes away
C’mon, tell me what’s right with you
Now it dawns on me probably everybody’s talkin’
And there’s something here I’m supposed to realize
‘Cause your secret’s out, and the universe laughs at it’s joke on me
I just caught it in your eyes, it’s a beautiful surprise

When did you fall in love with me?
Was it out of the blue
‘Cause I swear I never knew it
When did you let your heart run free?
Have you been waiting long?
When did you fall in love with me?
When did you fall in love?

Make your way over here, sit down by this fool, and let’s rewind
C’mon, let’s go back and replay all our scenes
You can point out the hints, the clues, the twists and the smiles this time
All the ones that slipped by me
I bet my face is red, and you can hear my heart poundin’
Well I guess it don’t matter now that I realize
‘Cause baby I missed it then, but I can surely see you now
Right there before my eyes
You’re my beautiful surprise

Was it at the coffee shop
Or that morning at the bus stop
When you almost slipped, and I caught your hand
Or the time we built the snowman
The day at the beach, sandy and warm
Or the night with the scary thunderstorm
I never saw the signs
Now we’ve got to make up for lost time
And I can tell now by the way that you’re looking at me
I’d better finish this song so my lips will be free

Have you been waiting long, when did you fall in love
I kept you waiting so long, when did you fall
Have you been waiting long
When did you fall in love with me
When did you fall in love?

Words and music by Chris Rice

The Prayer That I Forgot

by Paulo Coelho

Lord, protect our doubts, because Doubt is a way of praying. It is Doubt that makes us grow because it forces us to look fearlessly at the many answers that exist to one question. And in order for this to be possible...

Lord, protect our decisions, because making Decisions is a way of praying. Give us the courage, after our doubts, to be able to choose between one road and another. May our YES always be a YES, and NO always be a NO. Once we have chosen our road, may we never look back nor allow our soul to be eaten away by remorse. And in order for this to be possible...

Lord, protect our actions, because Action is way of praying. May our daily bread be the result of the very best that we carry within us. May we, through work and Action, share a little of the love we receive. And in order for this to be possible...

Lord, protect our dreams, because to Dream is a way of praying. Make sure that, regardless of our age or our circumstances, we are capable of keeping alight in our heart the sacred flame of hope and perseverance. And in order for this to be possible...

Lord, give us enthusiasm, because Enthusiasm is way of praying. It is what binds us to the Heavens and to Earth, to grown-ups, and to children; it is what tells us that our desires are important and deserve our best efforts. It is Enthusiasm that reaffirms to us that everything is possible, as long as we are totally committed to what we are doing. And in order for this to be possible...

Lord, protect us, because Life is the only way we have of making manifest Your miracle. May the earth continue to transform seeds into wheat, may we continue to transmute wheat into bread. And this is only possible if we have Love; therefore, do not leave us in solitude. Always give us Your company, and the company of men and women who have doubts, who act and dream and feel enthusiasm, and who live each day as if it were totally dedicated to Your glory.

Amen.

A Prayer for Hope Beyond Unfairness

Dear Lord, find within me a yielded and quiet spirit of submission.

To make that happen, I need You to come in like a flood.

Occupy me as water finding empty spaces.

Occupy reserved portions of my life where anger is festering and the secret places where grudges are being stored.

Sweep through my house...don't miss one room or a single area --- cleanse every dark closet, look under every rug.

Let nothing go unnoticed as You take full control of my motives as well as our actions.

Deep within my heart I pray that You would sweep me clean of blame and revenge, of self-pity and keeping score .

Enable me to be big enough to press on regardless of what unfair treatment I've had to endure.

Take away the scars of ugly treatment and harsh words. Forgiveness comes hard...but it's essential.

Help me forgive even those who never acknowledge their wrongdoing and hurting me!

Give me peace in place of turmoil and erase the memories that keep me offended .

I need fresh hope to go on! I ask this in the name of Him who had no sin and did no wrong, but died, the just for the unjust: Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Forwarded by a friend. Thanks!

You Said

You said ask and you'll receive
Whatever you need
You said pray and I'll hear from heaven
And I'll heal your land

You said Your glory will fill the earth
Like water the seas
You said lift up your eyes
The harvest is here
The kingdom is near

You said
Ask and I'll give the nations to you
O Lord, that's the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands
Will see your light
As it rises on us

A Place For Him

"Rise, and stand upon your feet: for I have appeared unto you for this purpose..." (Acts 26:16a).

The Lord has a purpose for you, and a destiny for you to fulfill. But things will not always go the way you think they should. That is because the Lord calls you to something bigger than yourself, something beyond your ability, something you cannot originate or perpetuate without Him. It takes time. Noah walked with God for five hundred years and spent one hundred years building the ark. Abraham was one hundred years old before he finally saw God's promise come true. Moses spent forty years in Egypt, then forty years in the desert, before God sent him to Pharaoh. Jesus prepared thirty years for an earthly ministry of three and a half years.

Dear brother, dear sister: walk with God. Find Grace. Discover the One Thing. Focus on being, not doing. And when it IS time for you to do something you can be confident that your labor of love will be the work that God blesses.

Taken from The School of Christ.

Crackpot Friends

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full..

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them."

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.

Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

Forwarded by a friend. Thanks!

Love is the Answer

"A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves..." - Mother Teresa

Love is a sacrifice.

Love will save this world. But if love is all it takes, then why is it so hard?

Once love is looked at in its truest sense, one can see how and why it should hurt so much. Love is a sacrifice. loving someone who loves you back is easy. But loving someone who isn't lovable is the true test.

There are many people in my life who haven't loved me back the way that i desired them to. friends. People who i considered close. Leaders I looked up to. People I invested my heart in. and to now see that there exists a lack of love between us... is really hard for me to understand.

To feel unloved is just something no one wants to feel. But the worst thing one can do in response to that is to stop loving back. To give up on them is the easier thing to do. But to love despite all odds allows you to soar to the highest of places.

It all comes back to sacrifice. a sacrifice of self is true love.

To love I must...

* Sacrifice my pride and my ego even if it means humiliation by the world's standards or losing some friends.
* Sacrifice "winning" the argument because peace should be my bigger desire.
* Sacrifice having the last word because speaking, writing, blogging, spreading negativity will only add disdain and coldness to my heart.
* Sacrifice my image (vanity) for the sake of Christ's image to be seen in me.
* Sacrifice being with someone if they do not bring me to Christ. (yes, this means breaking up with your boy/girlfriend. It will hurt but maybe it's your needed sacrifice.)
* Sacrifice being popular if it compromises what I stand for inside.
* Sacrifice all I have so others may receive even part.
* Sacrifice inconveniences and hardships just to know it is a way for me to be shaped and molded into a stronger person.
* Sacrifice complaining because I really have nothing to complain about.
* Sacrifice more because I have too much and there's more to be given!

Jesus loved us who rejected Him, who denounced and tortured Him. He loved us so much that even as we forgot Him, He remembered us. Through every second of His suffering, He offered us a love greater than all the whole world's love combined. His love is sacrifice.

So next time you love, if it hurts a little, make sure it only causes you to love harder. Shout "Thank you, Jesus!" when it hurts. For it is through that hurt that Jesus is allowing you to have a taste of what He lived when He loved, and thus... He is making you more like Him. To empty yourself, for love is the type of selflessness that will heal this world. It is through our sacrifice of self that all in this world may experience true love.

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." ~Mother Teresa

Forwarded by a friend. Thanks!

Facing Fear

We can endure anything if we bear in mind that God is always with us -- in every action, word or decision. Isn't it comforting to know that we are never alone?

Sometimes, when we experience spiritual dryness, God is actually at work. In weakness, we are made strong, as the Bible says. Sometimes we also have mood swings that even when others try to uplift us, we couldn't help but worry. I have discovered an effective approach... when we feel like we're beginning to worry about things, let's start counting our blessings instead... with that, we tend to praise Him more. We never know, we've already forgotten about our own worries... we even smile... and we become more beautiful in God's eyes. Or we could think of others' problems instead, until we realize how lucky we are, making our problems seem insignificant.

There are also people around us who pull us down, judging us based on their own emotions or opinions. And we are affected sometimes, epecially when these people matter to us. Most of us dread judgement. But shouldn't we fear God's judgement above everything else? I guess judgement is human in nature. But it's all a matter of perspective, how we take them. Do we accept them as constructive criticism or not? Sometimes, other people simply put us down so they could feel good about themselves, and it's sad. Maybe they're here to help us widen our understanding, and lengthen our patience. All geared towards personal growth... Only God knows what truly is in our hearts, anyway.

Another one is the fear of attachment/detachment. We tend to be attached/detached to/from different worldly things, including our fellow men. Honestly, I still couldn't grasp the whole concept of detachment, unless maybe I experience it completely. But I guess, when we remind ourselves that everything in this world is temporary, and we know that we have done everything the best we could to enjoy and express our care and love for something or someone at a time given to us, we won't have any regrets. That's why we have memories... they teach us how to appreciate our blessings more.

I guess the whole point here is to stop worrying. "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things." -- Matthew 6:34. May we learn to face our fears. As wise men always say, no guts no glory. Maybe it's better to fall, learn and get up again, than to realize we haven't tried at all. So seize the day! Live by the moment! Enjoy God's blessings, for He has showered us with so much. Pray. Love! Let's all focus on Him... and remember that He is always here.

The Perfect Partner

by Paul Mauchline

Some of us go to the extreme in deciding whether someone is right or wrong for us. Some of us are on a quest to find that "perfect" partner, our ultimate lover, our soulmate, our equal, who shares our every interest and belief. This is a completely unrealistic expectation. Someone with this expectation causes his or her own disappointments, and will never experience the satisfaction of a loving relationship.

We are all individuals, with different opinions, philosophies, political beliefs, hobbies, musical tastes, and habits -- some good and some bad, depending on one's point of view. These things are what make up who we are as unique individuals. In a relationship, there have to be some common interests, but you do not have to share every possible interest and belief. Some of the differences between you and your potential partner may actually be advantageous to building a stronger, loving relationship between you. Sometimes you balance one another, each offering different strengths. For example, if you lack patience, and your partner is the most patient human being you have ever met, your partner can help you in situations where you need to exercise more patience. Perhaps your partner is an avid skier, and you have always wanted to try skiing. Now is your opportunity to try something you have wanted to do. On the other hand, some differences may cause difficulties in a relationship. For example, your potential partner may be a serious hunter: he goes hunting every weekend, all season long. If you are unhappy about being alone for so many weekends because of his sport -- and, on top of it, your values oppose hunting -- his hobby will probably become a problem. It is all a matter of the degree of differences that you and your partner have with one another.

We need to look consciously at these differences to decide whether we are right for one another. Relationships are built not only from love and sexual attraction. They also are built from compatibility, which does not necessarily mean sameness. As a couple, some of your differences may be among your greatest assets towards a successful relationship. As a couple, you have to share some similar likes and dislikes, and you have to enjoy doing many things together, but you do not have to be identical twins. Each of us has to maintain our individuality. It is what attracted us to each other in the first place. Our individuality does not mean that we have a completely separate life away from our partner. When two people have totally separate, independent lives, there is no relationship there: they are only roommates. Many people choose this type of lifestyle, but it is certainly not my idea of what a relationship should be. A relationship is togetherness. You are one with your partner, as a couple that has chosen to spend their lives united. You travel life's journey together, through its peaks and valleys, so that you both might experience the type of loving, committed relationship that we all seek today.

Instead of seeking the "perfect" partner, you need to seek a partner who is right for you. Finding the right person for you is only the beginning of this process. Without putting in the work, even the most perfectly matched couple's relationship will eventually fade. Many of us learn this the hard way, regretting that we did not work harder at our relationships while we still had the chance. Some of us go from relationship to relationship, hoping to find "the perfect one," only to find ourselves, down the road in another relationship, missing an old partner whom we now recognize, in our heart of hearts, was the right one for us.

Copyright © 2000-2001. All rights reserved. Paul Mauchline

Handy Little Chart

God has a positive answer:

YOU SAY	GOD SAYS	BIBLE VERSES
You say: "It's impossible"	God says: All things are possible	(Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"	God says: I will give you rest	(Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"	God says: I love you	(John 3:16 & John 3:34 )
You say: "I can't go on"	God says: My grace is sufficient	(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"	God says: I will direct your steps	(Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"	God says: You can do all things	(Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"	God says: I am able	(II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"	God says: It will be worth it	(Roman 8:28 )
You say: "I can't forgive myself"	God says: I Forgive you	(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"	God says: I will supply all your needs	(Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"	God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear	(II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"	God says: Cast all your cares on ME	(I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"	God says: I give you wisdom	(I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"	God says: I will never leave you or forsake you	(Hebrews 13:5)

PASS THIS ON. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MAY BE IN NEED

The Scars of Life

"Love is when God became man."

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.


From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams,raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator..

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let you go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead.

The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.

Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through. Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them. Also, it is so important that we are not selfish, to receive the blessings of these messages, without forwarding them to someone else.

Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too - enough to not let them go .

Always Tell Your Family And Friends How Much You Love Them