OFF TO WORK AGAIN

CHAPTER 1, PAGE 30

Here is a little story for you this morning ...

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The King looked at all the pictures, but there were only two he really liked and he had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains were all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which rain fell, in which lightening played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the King looked, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest.

There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest ... perfect peace.

Which picture do you think won the prize? The King chose the second picture. Do you know why? "Because," explained the King, "peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.

That is the real meaning of peace.

Author Unknown to me

GOOD MORNING!

I'm sipping my hot coffeeand trying to wake up here.  I slept well , but dread going to work .  I didn't get much done here this past weekend or the one before that and there is lots to do.  I'll have to play catch up in the evenings this week. 

We were in the 50's here yesterday but it's supposed to be a little cooler today.  Unlike other winter's, I've only worn my boots a few times so far...

***BIG SMILE***

The week ahead looks pretty quiet and there are no celebrations in our family now for awhile...so I've got lots of quiet time ahead.

May your day be filled with Smiles and a little Sunshine to warm your heart !

MA

The Prayer For Peace

Our Father, up in heaven,

hear this fervent prayer.

May the people of all nations,

be united in thy care.

For earth's peace and man's

salvation can come only by Thy grace.

And not through bombs and missiles,

and our quest for outer space.

For until all men recognize that

The Battle Is The Lord's,

and peace on earth cannot be won

with strategy and swords.

We will go on vainly fighting,

as we have in ages past.

Finding only empty victories,

and a peace that cannot last.

But we've grown so rich and mighty,

and so arrogantly strong,

we no longer ask in humbleness,

God, show us where we're wrong.

We have come to trust completely

in the power of man-made things.

Unmindful of God's mighty power,

and that He is King Of Kings.

We have turned our eyes away

from Him to go our selfish way.

And money, power and pleasure

are the gods we serve today.

And the good green earth

God gave us to peacefully enjoy,

through greed and fear and

hatred we are seeking to destroy.

Oh, Father, up in heaven,

stir and wake our sleeping souls.

Renew our faith and lift us up

and give us higher goals.

And grant us heavenly guidance

as war threatens us again.

For, more than guided missiles,

all the world needs guided men.

Helen Steiner Rice

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