In His Footsteps

The road is rough, I said dear Lord
There are some stones that hurt me so.
And he said, "Dear child, I understand,
I walked it long ago."
"But there is a cool green path" I said
"Let me walk there for a time".
"No child", He gently answered me,
"the green road does not climb."
"My burden", I said "is far too great, how can I bear it so?"
"My child", said He, "I remember its weight
I carried my cross you know."
"But" I said "I wish there were friends with me
who would make my way their own."
"Ah yes" said he "Gethsemane was hard to face alone"
And so I climbed the stony path content at last to know
That where my master had not gone
I would not need to go
And strangely then I found new friends,
the burden grew less sore.
As I remembered - long ago...
He went that way before.

Today

Outside my window, a new day I see
        and only I can determine
                  what kind of day it will be.

      It can be busy and sunny, laughing and gay
or boring and cold, unhappy and grey

   My own state of mind is the determining key
         for I am only the person I let myself be

   I can be thoughtful and do all I can to help
                  or be selfish and think just of myself

           I can enjoy what I do and make it seem fun
  or gripe and complain and make it hard on someone

      I can be patient with those who may not understand
                        or be little and hurt as much as I can

             But I have faith in myself, and believe what I say
   and I personally intend to make the best of each day

Keep Trying

      When things go wrong, and you wanted them right
And you feel like quitting, but you have to fight

    When disappointments come, and you feel like crying
And you want to run away, but you have to keep on trying

           Remember that success, means refusing to quit
It means you try harder, when you're hardest hit

        God's victory parade, with flags of triumph flying
Will soon be marching down your street

                               If you will keep on trying!

                                                 Perry Tanksley

strong

We either make ourselves miserable
                   or we make ourselves strong.
          The amount of work is the same.
-                                                                     Carlos Castenada