Young Enough

I am young enough to have joys and sorrows, deep longings and high dreams, and many, many problems, but old enough to know there is a cause for every joy, a cure for every sorrow, a solution to every problem, and fulfillment for every aspiration.

I am young enough to desire success, but old enough to know that true wealth consists not in abundance of things one possesses.
I am young enough to covet fame, but old enough to know that better than fame is the joy of spending oneself in self-forgetful, loving service.

I am young enough to enjoy a good time, but old enough to know one cannot have a good time if pleasure-seeking is put first in life.

I am young enough to be enthusiastic over people and things, but old enough not to let any enthusiasm run away with me.

I am young enough to love to play, but old enough to have learned that what is most fun is having a hard task and seeing it courageously through.

I am young enough to want to be beautiful, but old enough to know true beauty comes from within.

I am young enough to seek far and wide for the Truth, but old enough to know that it is most often found in being faithful to the task in hand.

I am young enough to make many mistakes, but old enough to learn the lesson, forget the experience, and pass on to better things.

I am young enough to dread pain, sorrow, misfortune, but old enough to be grateful for their chastening, mellowing influence.

I am young enough to long for happiness, but old enough to know it tarries longest with us when we seek it least.

I am young enough to crave true friends, but old enough to appreciate them when I find them.

I am young enough to believe passionately in the goodness of the human heart, but old enough to keep that faith regardless of some disillusionment.

I am young enough to know the meaning of love, but old enough to realize it is life's most priceless possession.

I am young enough to have faith in God, in His goodness, in His loving care over me, in His wise and beautiful plan for me, but old enough to value this faith as the thing that gives life purpose and makes it worth living.

One Day At A Time

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry;
Two days which should be kept from fear and apprehensions.
One of these days is yesterday, with its mistakes and cares,
Its faults and blunders, its aches and pains.

Yesterday has passed forever, beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot undo a single act we performed.
We cannot erase a single word we said, yesterday is gone.

The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow,
With its possible adversaries, its burdens,
Its large promise and poor performance.
Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.
Tomorrow the sun will rise --
Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.
Until it does we have no stake in tomorrow for it is as yet unborn.

This leaves only one day, today.
Any man can fight the battle of just one day.
It is only when you and I add the burden of those two awful eternities,
Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives men mad.
It is the remorse of bitterness, something which happened yesterday,
And the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore live but one day at a time ...
And leave the rest to God.

A Man Needs To Hold His Ground

A man needs to hold his ground
From his lips--truth to sound
All compromise shall he cast down.

This is distinction--to show mercy and grace
This is what enables to keep the pace
This is law fulfilled--the end of the case.

In his heart--Truth is found
Error no longer to propound
A man needs to hold his ground.

The Woman Of God

The beauty of a woman of God is mirrored in her eyes.
Her lips are beautiful to behold.
Her smile portrays the inner depth of her soul.
Her voice is soft and clear,
From a heart that is tender and pure.
Her walk is a gracious carriage
Of a woman of dignity supreme.
Her hands are like the softness of spring,
With a touch of blessing, comfort and peace.

All this ... and far more.

The woman of God whose joy springs from a fountain of life within.
She is a kaleidoscope of ever-changing beauty,
A spectrum of color beyond the rainbow,
A light more scintillating
Than the Milky Way or the Aurora Borealis.
Yes she is, she is ... the woman of God.

Genuine, And From The Heart

With the Word established in his mind,
He stands an overseer of those
Who God has called out.

His life is genuine,
His love from the heart.

His thoughts are pure, and what he speaks
Will never tear down, only build up.

With distractions conquered,
He looks to God for the strength and power
That shall make him a champion in the competition.
He is fearless, with no sense of self-preservation,
The loins of his mind girded with the truth.

His life is genuine.
His love from the heart.

He is a true example,
His walk a sermon to be seen.
He teaches with authority,
And many are set free.

His life is genuine.
His love from the heart.

He can be trusted.
People come to him.
His fame has spread abroad.
He has answered God's call.

His life is genuine.
His love from the heart.

He has no price.
His commitment is sure.
With the Hope burning in
his heart, he endures.

Yes, his life is genuine.
His love straight from the heart.

The Key To Living Is Giving

A very favorite story of mine is about Two Seas in Palestine --
One is a sparkling sapphire jewel, its waters are clean and clear and cool.
Along its shores the children play and travelers seek it on their way,
And nature gives so lavishly her choicest gems to the Galilee ...
But on to the south, the Jordan flows into a sea where nothing grows.
No splash of fish, no singing bird, no children's laughter is ever heard.
The air hangs heavy all around and nature shuns this barren ground ...
Both seas receive the Jordan's flow, the water is just the same, we know.
But one of the seas, like liquid sun, can warm the hearts of everyone.
While farther south another sea is dead and dark and miserly --
It takes each drop the Jordan brings and to each drop it fiercely clings ...
It hoards and holds the Jordan's wave until like shackled, captured slaves
The fresh, clear Jordan turns to salt and dies within the Dead Sea's vault ...
But the Jordan flows on rapturously as it enters and leaves the Galilee,
For every drop that the Jordan gives becomes a laughing wave that lives --
For the Galilee gives back every drop, its waters flow and never stop,
And in this laughing, living sea that takes and gives so generously
We find the way to Life and Living is not in keeping, but in Giving!

How To Be Happy

Are you almost disgusted with life, little man?
I'll tell you a wonderful trick
That will bring you contentment, if anything can,
Do something for somebody, quick!

Are you awfully tired with play, little girl?
Wearied, discouraged, and sick -
I'll tell you the loveliest game in the world,
Do something for somebody, quick!

Though it rains, like the rain of the flood, little man,
And the clouds are forbidding and thick,
You can make the sun shine in your soul, little man,
Do something for somebody, quick!

Though the stars are like brass overhead, little girl,
And the walks like a well-heated brick,
And our earthly affairs in a terrible whirl,
Do something for somebody, quick!

It Will Show In Your Face

You don't have to tell how you live each day,
You don't have to say if you work or play,
A tried, true barometer serves in its place --
However you live, it will show in your face.

The false, the deceit that you bear in your heart,
Will not stay inside, where it first got a start,
For sinew and blood are a thin veil of lace;
What you wear in your heart you wear in your face.

If your life is unselfish, if for others you live,
For not what you get, but how much you can give:
If you live close to God, in His infinite grace,
You don't have to tell it, it shows on your face.

One Man Awake

One man awake awakens another,
The second awakens his next-door neighbor,
And three awake can rouse the town,
And turn the whole place upside down.
And many awake can raise such a fuss
That it finally awakens the rest of us.
One man up with dawn in his eyes, multiplies.

The Old Lamp

A lamp once hung in an ancient town
At the corner of a street,
Where the wind was keen, and the way was dark,
And the rain would often beat;
And all night long, its light would shine
To guide the travelers' feet.

The lamp was rough and plain and old,
And the storm had beaten it sore;
'Twas not a thing one would care to show,
Whate'er it had been before,
But no one thought what the lantern was,
'Twas the light that, within, it bore.

The lamp is a text for young and old,
Who seek in a world of pride
To shine for their lord and to show him forth,
And never their light to hide;
You are the lantern,
But Christ is the light inside.

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must -- but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow --
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man.
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out --
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt --
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit --
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

The Song

It makes no difference who sang the song,
If only the song was sung.
It makes no difference who did the deed,
Be they old in years or young.
If the song was sweet and helped a soul,
What matters the singer's name?
The worth was in the song itself
And not in the world's acclaim.
The song and the deed are one,
If each be done for love --
Love of the work but not of self,
And the "score" is kept above.

Pray Don't Find Fault

Pray don't find fault with the man who limps,
Or stumbles along the road
Unless you have worn the shoes he wears
Or struggled beneath his load.
There may be tacks in his shoes that hurt,
Though hidden away from view,
And the burden he bears, placed on your back,
Might cause you to stumble, too.

Don't sneer at the man who's down today,
Unless you have felt the blows
That caused his fall, or felt the same
As only the fallen know.
You may be strong, but still the blows
That were his, if dealt to you
In the selfsame way at the selfsame time,
Might cause you to stagger, too.

Don't be too harsh with the man who sins,
Or pelt him with words or stone,
Unless you are sure, yes, doubly sure,
That you have no sins of your own.
For you know perhaps if the tempter's voice
Should whisper as soft to you
As he did to him when he went astray,
'Twould cause you to falter, too.

Show Me How

If I can do some good today,
If I can serve along life's way,
If I can something helpful say,
Lord, show me how.

If I can right a human wrong,
If I can help to make one strong,
If I can cheer with smile or song,
Lord, show me how.

If I can aid one in distress,
If I can make a burden less,
If I can spread more happiness,
Lord, show me how.

This Moment

I may never see tomorrow; there is no written guarantee.
And things that happened yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last.

I must use this moment wisely, for it soon will pass away.
And be lost forever as a part of yesterday.
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet.
Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today may never be undone.
And friendships that I fail to win may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray.
And thank God with a humble heart for giving me this day.

Say It Now

If you have a friend worth loving, Love him. Yes, and let him know That you love him, ere life's evening Tinge his brow with sunset glow. Why should good words ne'er be said Of a friend - till he is dead? If you hear a song that thrills you, Sung by any child of song, Praise it. Do not let the singer Wait deserved praises long. Why should one who thrills your heart Lack the joy you may impart? If you hear a prayer that moves you By its humble, pleading tone, Join it. Do not let the seeker Bow before his God alone, Why should not your brother share The strength of "two or three" in prayer? If you see the hot tears falling From a brother's weeping eyes, Share them. And by kindly sharing Own our kinship in the skies. Why should anyone be glad When a brother's heart is sad? If a silvery laugh goes rippling Through the sunshine on his face, Share it. 'Tis the wise man's saying - For both grief and joy a place. There's health and goodness in the mirth In which an honest laugh has birth. If your work is made more easy By a friendly, helping hand, Say so. Speak out brave and truly Ere the darkness veil the land. Should a brother workman dear Falter for a word of cheer? Scatter thus your seeds of kindness All enriching as you go - Leave them. Trust the Harvest Giver; He will make each seed to grow. So until the happy end Your life shall never lack a friend.

Touching Shoulders

There's a comforting thought at the close of the day,
When I'm weary and lonely and sad,
That sort of grips hold of my crusty old heart
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,
And finally thrills through and through.
It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:
"I'm glad I touch shoulders with you!"

Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited and listened and prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing true?
Did you know I grew stronger and better because
I had merely touched shoulders with you?

I am glad that I live, that I battle and strive
For the place that I know I must fill;
I am thankful for sorrows, I'll meet with a grin
What fortune may send, good or ill.
I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave
When once I rubbed shoulders with you.

Beautiful

Beautiful faces are they that wear
The light of a pleasant spirit there.
Beautiful hands are they that do
Deeds that are noble, good and true.
Beautiful feet are they that go
Swiftly to lighten another's woe.

People Who Share

People who know
How to brighten a day
With heartwarming smiles
And with kind words they say.

People who know
How to gently impart
The comfort it takes
To cheer somebody's heart.

People who know how to
Always come through
When there's anything
They can possibly do.

People who know
How to willingly share
Who know how to give
And who know how to care,
Who know how to let
All their warm feelings show ...
Are the people that others
Are privileged to know.

Tell Him So

If you hear a kind word spoken
Of some worthy soul you know,
It may fill his heart with sunshine
If you only tell him so.

If a deed, however humble,
Helps you on your way to go,
Seek the one whose hand has helped you,
Seek him out and tell him so!

If your heart is touched and tender
Toward a sinner, lost and low,
It might help him to do better
If you'd only tell him so!

Oh, my sisters, oh, my brothers,
As o'er life's rough path you go,
If God's love has saved and kept you,
Do not fail to tell me so!

The Time Is Now

If you are ever going to love me,
Love me now, while I can know
The sweet and tender feelings
Which from true affection flow.
Love me now
While I am living,
Do not wait until I'm gone
And then have it chiseled in marble,
Sweet words on ice-cold stone.
If you have tender thoughts of me,
Please, tell me now,
If you wait until I am sleeping,
Never to awaken,
There will be death between us,
And I won't hear you then.
So, if you love me, even a little bit,
Let me know it while I am living
So I can treasure it.

Around The Corner

Around the corner I have a friend
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friend's face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.

We were younger then,
And now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say "I will call on Jim"
"Just to show that I'm thinking of him."
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner! -- yet miles away,
"Here's a telegram, sir, Jim died today."
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.

A Tribute To Friendship

I love you not only for what you are,
But for what I am when I am with you.
I love you not only for what you have made of yourself,
But for what you are making of me.

I love you for the part of me that you bring out.
I love you for putting your hand into my heaped up heart and passing over all the
Frivolous and foolish and weak things which you cannot help dimly seeing there;
And for drawing out into the light all the beautiful radiant belongings
That no one else had looked quite far enough to find.

I love you for ignoring the possibilities of the fool and weakling in me,
And for laying firm hold on the possibilities of good in me.
I love your closing your eyes to the discords in me and for adding to the
Music in me by worshipful listening.

I love you because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern, but a temple --
And of the words of me every day not a reproach, but a song.

I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done
To make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy.
You have done it just by being yourself.

Perhaps that is what a friend means, after all.

Just Like His Dad

"Well, what are you going to be my boy,
When you have reached manhood's years;
A doctor, a lawyer, or actor great,
Moving throngs to laughter and tears?"
But he shook his head as he gave reply
In a serious way he had:
"I don't think I'd care to be any of them;
I want to be like my Dad!"

He wants to be like his Dad! You men,
Did you ever think as you pause
That the boy who watches your every move
Is building a set of laws?
He's molding a life you're the model for,
And whether it's good or bad
Depends on the kind of example set
To the boy who'd be like his Dad.

Would you have him go everywhere you go?
Have him do just the things you do?
And see everything that your eyes behold,
And woo all the things you woo?
When you see the worship that shines in the eyes
Of your lovable little lad,
Could you rest content if he gets his wish
And grows to be like his Dad?

It's a job that none but yourself can fill;
It's a charge you must answer for;
It's a duty to show him the road to tread
'Ere he reaches his manhood's door.
It's a debt you owe for the greatest joy
On this old earth to be had;
This pleasure of having a boy to raise
Who wants to be like his Dad!

Praying For You

I asked the Lord to bless you
As I prayed for you today,
To guide you and protect you
As you go along your way.
His love is always with you
His promises are true,
And when you give Him all your cares
He will surely see you through.
So when the road you're traveling on
Seems difficult at best,
Just remember I'm here praying,
And God will do the rest.