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Inspirations
"Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."
"Try to picture Jesus. What do you see? A kind, accepting man of love? a forgiver? a healer? One who walked on water and quieted the storms? Jesus was also a teacher, and his teachings were not always soft and easy- he demands more than we sometimes want to give."
Help teach others. This is where your inspirations are vented through poetry, quotes, stories etc...... If you want to share your work just send it to us on the Praising page, or at the bottom of this page.
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A Comforting Scoop
My father was a simple man but he had a wisdom that could never be doubted. No matter the problem, he could always make the pain go away. From a small ice cream shop near the rice fields of Eastern Arkansas, he squeezed out a living. During the lean years of the Depression, he thrived but often some of his best customers did not. Often, they wouldn’t have quite enough to pay, but he’d always make sure everybody got a taste.
“ Can’t deny a man a little comfort,” he’d say, as he would scoop out a portion from a gallon tub with his walnut-handled ice cream scoop. “ God wants us to help one another. He wants me to do it with ice cream.”
So many times I saw him use that tool to come to my rescue, if I fell off my bike or twisted my ankle. With a relaxed tone of voice, he’d use that scoop to offer a friend a consoling dip of vanilla.
When I reached the age of nine, my father was soon to close the ice cream shop. Watching a fiery red sun set over a rain-soaked rice field, he offered me some words of wisdom that have lived on.” Always remember to offer those less fortunate a little bit of kindness.” After he said those words, he handed me the ice cream scoop I had seen him use to dish out tenderness. With a tear in his eye and a ripple in his voice, he said, “ One day, you will know how to use it, just as I have. ”
I held on to that gift, as it was the last time I saw him. My mother helped me strip the wooden handle and covered it with a new coat of varnish. We also discovered that the scoop was made out of silver. So, we polished it to a brilliant finish. On a wooden plaque bought from our neighborhood hardware store, the scoop was mounted. I placed the plaque on the wall of my room as if it was a trophy. Indeed, it was.
Twenty years passed and I found myself a father. One Sunday afternoon, I took my children over to their Grandma’s house for a visit after church. My kids loved going to Grandma’s just as I did in my youth. My mother and I chatted in the porch swing as the children sat on the ground looking for four-leaf clovers.
Suddenly, one of the children shouted in pain. It was a bee sting to the leg of my four-year old and tears coming from her eyes were real. I knew that she wasn’t allergic but still she was hurting. My mother ran in the house to find some first aid ointment. My wife ran to grab some antiseptic. I, on the other hand, just ran.
Wondering what to do, I paced back and forth. Suddenly, as if by magic, I remembered my father. Quickly, I ran into my old bedroom and pulled the ice cream scoop off the wall.
As my wife doctored my daughter’s leg, my mother looked on. In a few moments, I came from the kitchen with five bowls of chocolate ice cream, balanced perfectly in my hands. My mother smiled as she said, “ I see you found that ice cream scoop.”
I smiled in return and replied, “ I was taught by a good teacher.”
As I look back, I see that God was the Great Comforter. Sometimes He uses the painful moments in our lives to teach us. But He always softens our fall in ways we cannot see. That is why it was always my father’s ice cream scoop that provided the comfort but it rested in God’s hand.
© Copyright Harrison Kelly 1999 All rights reserved.
A collection of Harrison Kelly’s short stories, Stories from a Loving Father, is available at www.ChristianBookcase.com
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As I knelt
I knelt to pray, but not for long,
I had too much to do.
Must hurry off and get to work,
For bills would soon be due.
And so I said a hurried prayer,
Jumped, up from off my knees,
My Christian duty now was done,
My soul could be at ease.
All through the day I had no time,
To speak a word of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I feared.
No time, no times, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to those in need.
At last it was time to die.
And when before the Lord I came
I stood with downcast eyes,
Within His hands He held a book,
It was the "Book of Life."
God looked into His book and said,
Your name I cannot find,
I once was going to write it down,
But never fond the time.
(Let us all make time for the Lord and others, Amen!)
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Drops
I drop a line without a fear,
A drop of faithful dreams.
The drop is for you my lord,
With no regrets it seems.
I drop a beat ceaselessly from my heart,
A drop of fallacious love.
The drop is the mistakes I make,
With the perplexity beyond the above.
I drop a moment of my life,
A drop dedicated to Him.
The drop is not legitimately enough,
With my assemblage of love I am to prove.
I drop a tear of frustration,
A drop that will not end.
The drop will flood my loneliness,
With my everlasting love to mend.
I drop a poem in my mind,
A drop where our memories stay.
The drop will never dry,
With you in my heart today.
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Peggy Sue's Testimony
I have been a Christian for 11 years nowsince Oct. 8, 1988. The Lord has blessed me in many ways. I praise andgive Him all the Glory for the many blessings in my life. My journey withthe Lord has been great, even with the many trials that I have had toendure. The one trial in my life that really ministers to my heart and hasenlarged my heart and has made that mustard seed like faith of mine to
grow, is the one the that took place in 1993. I had met my husband in 1984
and got married in 1990, but we both were lost until 1988. Well, while
serving the Lord in this journey, we were looking for the right church or
the one we felt led to be in. We found a loving body and grew in leaps and
bounds. Until 1993, we hit a very hard and low time in our life. We
disagreed with some of the doctrine in the chruch and decided to leave,
that was the tragic mistake. We left the body in January of 1993 and when
summer of this year had come so did our departure from one another. I went
out East and pursued a divorce. It was one of the worst experiences of my
life. It was ugly, depressing and one that I wish upon no one. I lost my
custody battle to my husband and he came for the children, that seemed to
end my world. Suicide thoughts clouded my mind and I did not want to live.
These two beautiful babies were my life and I could not come to the
reality of loosing them so many hundred miles. 1,600 to be exact. I was
devasted to say the lease. But, life went on with me not wanting to. I
did try to commit suicide, but it was not in the Lord's will for my life.
As I raised the gun to end my troubles, the Lord intervened and whispered
the most precious words that I will never forget the Master say, "I Love
You Child." That drew and new beginning in my life. Which was not easy to
get over, but I did overcome. Need less to say, I found a church out East
to throw myself into. I found a family to accept me and help me with my
grief and set my mind at ease. The Lord was with me, I knew deep inside
that the divorce was not His will but He allowed into my life for a season
to sift out the impurities hindering me to serve Him with all my life. The
summer of 96' I had visitation with my children and had to come back out
West to get them for the summer. After making the long journey and back
things were intense for me. The Lord wanted me to sell my home out East
and move back to the West, which I really did not want to do. I was very
disobedient and did not go. After 3 long years my husband called and
requested to talk to me. This was a bitter divorce between us and we
never had kind words for one another even though we were both born again
believers.This was a miracle for me, I returned his call and the words that
came out of his mouth was astonishing for me. He actually said, "Do you
think there is a chance for us putting our family back together?" My heart
nearly failed me. But, the answer that came out of my mouth, was "With God
all things are possbile." I was already supposed to be moved out to the
West in July and here it is in August and still in the East. Well, it all
came to pass and I finally moved out West in November of 1996. There is
where the Lord God showed Himself strong in my life. I never thought
possible for this marriage to reunite, but with the Almighty God, that is
what happened. The Lord restored my marriage after 3 years of divorce and
now my family is complete in Him. I thank Jesus everyday that I look at my
children and my husband. I was not easy but neither was the divorce. I
now realize that God's plan for my life did not include divorce and He
restored everything the enemy has stolen for me and my family. I give God
all the Glory. I live for the Lord and I am prospering in Him daily. I
love the Lord Jesus with all my heart, soul and mind. Thank you Jesus.
Sincerely His Servant,
Peggy Sue Alcon
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Space reserved... for you!
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you because God has said, "Never will I leaveyou; never will I forsake you." --
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Space Reserved
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go throw yourself into the sea,'and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." -- |
Will you please send us your stuff!!
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. --
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