Hello, I am new here

[islandboy]

                                    THE    HEART

"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.
The surgeon looked up, annoyed "I'll cut your heart open, "he continued,
to see how much damage has been done....."
"But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there," said the boy.

The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done,
I'll sew your heart and chest back up. and I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there.
You'll find Him in my heart."

The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart. I'll find damaged muscle,
low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."

"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there."

The surgeon left.

The surgeon sat in his office, recording his notes from the surgery, "...damaged aorta,
damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for a transplant, no hope for a cure.
Therapy; painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis: here he paused, "death within one year."

He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud.
"Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him
to an early death. Why?"

The Lord answered and said, "The boy, my lamb, was not meant for your flock for long,
for he is a part of My flock, and will  forever be.
Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine.
His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow."

The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and You created that heart.
He'll be dead in months. Why?

The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for he has done his duty: I did not put My lamb
with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."    The surgeon wept.....

The surgeon sat beside the boy's bed; the boy's parents sat across from him.
The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes, " said the surgeon.

"What did you find?" asked the boy.

" I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.

[islandboy]

YOU'RE    BLESSED   WHEN..........

You're at the end of your rope.
With less of you there is more of God and his will.

You feel you've lost what is most dear to you.
Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

You're content with just who you are--no more, no less.
That's the moment you find yourself the proud owner of everything that can't be bought.

You've worked up a good appetite for God.
He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

You care.
At the moment of being "care-full", full of care for others, you find yourself cared for.

You get your inside world--your mind and heart--put right.
Then you can see God in the outside world.

You can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight.
That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.

Your commitment to God provokes persecution.
The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

Count yourself blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit God.
What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.

[islandboy]

True fellowship is close communion with one another and God.
It is carrying a brother's load, lifting his burden.
It is loving one another without condition.
It is forgiving the unforgivable.
It is stopping to bind the wounds of the afflicted.
It is taking time to cry with the broken-hearted.
It is clothing the naked, visiting the imprisoned, rejoicing with the fortunate.

"Beloved, we are God's children now."     I John 3: 2

[islandboy]

HOPE looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worest in them.

HOPE opens doors where despair closes them.

HOPE discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot be done.

HOPE draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of mankind.

HOPE "Lights a candle" instead of " cursing the darkness.

HOPE regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.

HOPE cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism.

[islandboy]

                                        A.S.A.P.

There's work to do, deadlines to meet,
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and as you scurry---
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare,
Do your best, let God do the rest---
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear,
Slow down and take a breather--
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
God knows how stressful life is:
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs.
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

[islandboy]

A very good friend sent me this, so I thought I would share it with all of you.

When you say, " I can't solve this..."
God tells you, " I will direct your path." (Proverbs 3: 5-6)
When you say, " Its impossible"
God tells you, "Everything is possible" (Luke 18: 27)
When you say, "I feel all alone"
God tells you, " Never will  I leave you; Never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13: 5)
When you say, " I can't do it"
God tells you, " I can do everything through him who gives me strength"  (Philippians 4: 13)
When you say, " I don't deserve forgiveness"
God tells you, " I have forgiven you"  (1 John 1: 9, Romans 8: 1)
When you say, " I am afraid"
God tells you, " Do not fear; for I am with you; I will strengthen you and help you" (Isaiah 41:10)
When you say, "I am tired"
God tells you, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"  (Matt 11: 28-30)
When you say, "No one really loves me"
God tells you, " I Love You"  (John 3:16, John 13: 34)
When you say, " I don't know how to go on"
God tells you, " I will show you the path" (Psalms 32:
When you say, "What path does God have for me...?"
God tells you, " My beloved son JESUS CHRIST"  (1Tim 2: 5, Acts 4: 12, John 3: 16)
And when you want to know everything else God wants to tell you..."
Read the Bible ( 2 Tim 3: 15-17)

It is so comforting to see the ways God has given us in His words, help for our everyday doubts and fears. I hope somehow this will be of some comfort to you as well.  May God Bless and be with you.

[islandboy]

Tomarrow i leave on my trip on Amtrak. If I find a computer to use, I will keep you updated on my adventure. If not then my next post here will be in about a month and a half. Take time to read your Bibles and pray.    

[nChrist]

Tomarrow i leave on my trip on Amtrak. If I find a computer to use, I will keep you updated on my adventure. If not then my next post here will be in about a month and a half. Take time to read your Bibles and pray.    

Hello Islandboy,

We'll pray that you have a good and safe trip. Please do have some fun.

I'll speak for myself and say that I'd have a very bad day without my Bible Study and prayer.

Love In Christ,
Tom

 

[islandboy]

Hello to all. I made  it back safe and sound. My trip on the Amtrak train was a lot of fun, as I met lots of nice people and basically enjoyed the ride. Just a note of interest though if you ride the train for long distances be sure to take a warm blanket as they keep the air-conditioning on very cold. I about froze on the trip up to Virgina from Florida. The trip home was just as bad as I forgot the blanket I had bought in PA. The ease of using the train was simple and everyone working the trains & stations were very polite and helpful.
My trip into western PA, was wonderful. Enjoyed the cooler weather, saw lots of wildlife, visited with many old friends, and found out living with my mother would not work and found out my family had very little time for me. However, I have discovered I enjoyed spending time alone, having spent most of the last two months in the country, and that I truly love it up there. So the next step of my plan is finding a apartment I can rent and spending the most of next summer up there and maybe longer. In the country near our camp is a quaint little country church of which I am a member. So this too was a real blessing to go and fellowship with them every Sunday. The weather was cool and with several rain-filled days through May and into June. But even on a rainy day setting on the backporch reading a book or watching the birds and wild rabbits and deer with baby fawns made a rainy day special. I hated having to come back to Florida so soon as i missed out on blackberry picking season. But next year I plan to stay into end of August/September and get to go picking those wild berries. I did get there in time for picking wild strawberries and that was a real treat. However, I now am back in Florida and trying to play catch up on all the bills and stacks of catalogs and junk mail. Hope to get some more writing done here as well. Hope and pray all has gone well for all of you. I had heard about the bad storms and flooding going on and kept thoughts of all of you in my prayers. I was without use of a computer for most of the time i was gone and in many ways that was a blessing as well. It gave me more time to reflect on my life and time to relax and read my Bible.

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi islandboy, It's great to see you again. It does sound like you have had a wonderful time. I know it would have been for me. I miss the quiet country life.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

We missed you. It's great to have you back!

I am happy to hear that you had such a good time on your vacation and trip. I've visited all of those states, including Florida, and I think they are all beautiful. My son lives in Florida, and we'd like to plan another trip there soon. Sister, WELCOME BACK!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Favorite Bible Quotes 192 - Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah the son
of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to
pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above
the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall
go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to
the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and
we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
any more. 5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of
the LORD.

[islandboy]

Thank you Pastor Roger and Tom, for the hearty welcome back.

Seems all I have been doing is catch-up work in the house. We have had several nice sunny days with little rain that gave me some time to do a little light gardening and plant a few new plants. I have this idea that I am going to try to make a raised bed garden in hopes it will make it easier to tend and be able to keep the critters at bay. But it may be just a wild idea that if the critters don't get my tomatoes the bugs will. I just about gave up on Florida gardening. Tried of spending lots of money on seeds and plants only to have everything ruined by critters and bugs. But then I read a new book or an article in a gardening magazine and get all excited about planting again. We will see what happens when the weather cools down a might.   

[islandboy]

Just wanted to tell you all that I am sorry to be so neglectful in my writing here. Before I went on my trip to PA, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since I have been back I have been working with a therapist to try and fix my brokenness. It is very painful for me in thinking back on my life and facing those memories. I have a bad habit of trying to block out all the bad memories. But I am trying hard to face it all no matter what lies ahead.

Anyways, I am back and I found a really nice poem I thought you all might enjoy. It is by Helen Steiner Rice. And it is called;

Anywhere is a Place of Prayer if God is There

I have prayed on my knees in the morning,
I have prayed as I walked along,
I have prayed in the silence and darkness
And I've prayed to the tune of a song---
I have prayed in the midst of triumph
And I've prayed when I suffered defeat,
I have prayed on the sands of the seashore
Where the waves of the ocean beat---
I have prayed in a velvet-hushed forest
Where the quietness calmed my fears,
I have prayed thought suffering and heartache
When my eyes were blinded with tears---
I have prayed in churches and chapels,
Cathedrals and synagogues, too,
But often I've had the feeling
That my prayers were not getting through,
And I realized then that our Father
Is not really concerned where we pray
Or impressed by our manner of worship
Or the eloquent words we say.......
He is only concerned with our feelings,
And He looks deep into our heart
And hears the "cry of our soul's deep need"
That no words could ever impart.....
So it isn't the prayer that's expressive
Or offered in some special spot,
It's the sincere plea of a sinner
And God can tell whether or not
We honestly seek His forgiveness
And earnestly mean what we say,
And then and then only He answers
The prayer that we fervently pray.

[nChrist]

Hello Islandboy,

Sister, I will be praying for you. I was just thinking that it's a good habit to pray for other Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST with or without a prayer request. GOD didn't promise us an easy time in this short life, so many of us do have significant problems to deal with. I'm convinced that problems and trials can draw us closer and stronger in CHRIST. In our weaknesses, HIS strengths should be more apparent to us. I also firmly believe:

Romans 8:24-28  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.  26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Christian Quotes 219 - 
"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not
only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect
unexpected things, ‘above all that we ask or think’. Each time, before
you Intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of
what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His
redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and
expect great things!" 
 -- Andrew Murray

[islandboy]

Thank you Tom, I need all the help I can get. 
Just wanted to mention no matter what anyone thinks of McCain & Palin, I was so proud of the fact they used the words "God Bless America" and prayed wonderful prayers in Jesus name. The polically-correct police did not over-rule or stop the use of His name in prayer and thanksgiving for what He has done and is doing in our lives. I was impressed by that. Otherwise I think they both did a outstanding job in telling it like it is and was in their lives and their support for our country.