A Diet of Peace

No wise man can expect that…God should diet us with a continual feast. It would neither suit with our health, nor the condition of this pilgrimage. Live, therefore, on your peace of conscience as your ordinary diet; when this is wanting, know that God appointeth you a fast for your health; and when you have a feast of high joys, feed on it and be thankful! But when they are taken from you, gape not after them as the disciples did after Christ at His ascension; but return thankfully to your ordinary diet of peace.

—Richard Baxter

Practice Humility

“These are the few ways we can practice humility:
To speak as little as possible of one’s self.
To mind one’s own business.
Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one’s dignity.
To choose always the hardest.”

~ ~   Mother Teresa   ~ ~ 

Peace of Mind

There passes not a single day
That I don’t speak your name,
And though I feel unworthy, God,
I as You just the same.

To give me strength to face
Whatever problems lie ahead,
And should I start to worry
Give me “peace of mind” instead.

Then, let someone’s path cross mine
Who needs a helping hand,
And let me show that someone
That I care and understand.

When the day draws to a close
Let my thoughts be of You,
For You are such a vital part
Of everything I do

Doris A Orth

What do we really need?

Going through the motions

The Motions by Matthew West

This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break 
At least I’ll be feeling something

No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something

‘Cause just OK
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions

Check out the video The Motions

Beautiful

Beautiful ~ by ~ MercyMe

The days will come when you don’t have the strength
When all you hear is you’re not worth anything
Wondering if you ever could be loved
And if they truly saw your heart they’d see too much

You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You’re beautiful

And praying that you have the heart to find
Cause you are more than what is hurting you tonight
For all the lies you’ve held inside so long
And they are nothing in the shadow of the cross

You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You are made so much more than all of this
You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You’re beautiful

Before you ever took a breath
Long before the world began
Of all the wonders He possessed
There was one more precious
Of all the earth and skies above
You’re the one He madly loves
Enough to death

You’re beautiful
You’re beautiful
In His eyes

You’re beautiful
You were meant for so much more than all of this
You’re beautiful
You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His
You’re beautiful

Check out the video  Beautiful

Photograph taken at Warsaw Biblical Gardens, Indiana

Day 399 – 8.3.10 Grand Marias, Minnesota

“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”  Henry David Thoreau

“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.”   Nelson Mandela

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”   John Muir

Day 355 – 6.20.10 Lake Michigan Lighthouses

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

 John 9:5 (NIV)