I was shocked and confused.

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp--
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you...'

JUDGE NOT!!

Remember... Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.

Every saint has a PAST...
Every sinner has a FUTURE!
Now it's your turn... Share this poem.

Mother Poem

A Poem For Mom

© Champagne S. Baker

You are the sunlight in my day,
You are the moon I see far away.
You are the tree I lean upon,
You are the one that makes troubles be gone.
You are the one who taught me life,
How not to fight, and what is right.
You are the words inside my song,
You are my love, my life, my mom.
You are the one who cares for me,
You are the eyes that help me see.
You are the one who knows me best,
When it's time to have fun and time to rest.
You are the one who has helped me to dream,
You hear my heart and you hear my screams.
Afraid of life but looking for love,
I'm blessed for God sent you from above.
You are my friend, my heart, and my soul
You are the greatest friend I know.
You are the words inside my song,
You are my love, my life, my Mom.

9/11

Cross Amidst the Ruins

On an early September morning;
Hatred reared it's ugly head.
Terrorism struck Manhattan;
It's wake left thousands dead!

It truly was a miracle ...
How many lives were saved.
Over-shadowed by the horror;
Of the war-like rubbled grave!

Time seemed frozen, hope was lost;
For loved ones left behind.
Trying to hold onto their faith,
Praying, "God give us a sign!"

Uncovered from the wreckage;
A sight that seemed unreal.
A cross that stood 'bout twenty feet ...
From twisted beams of steel!

© Marge Batzer

On September 11th we woke to a normal morning and got ready for the day.
We never expected the tragedy that was headed our way.
We got ready for school and work; we didn't want to be late,
Not knowing we'd never forget this horrifying date.

We started our routines, and planned for a busy time,
Until we got the call through the telephone line.
We turned on the TV just as we were told,
And watched as our hands started to grow very cold.

New York was full of smoke like a very foggy morning,
Because a plane had struck a building without a single warning.
We all watched in silence as the second building was hit,
I could not believe it, NO not one bit!

As we watched the first tower collapse and saw the people jumping,
We had to look away for our hearts were surely pumping.
When the second tower collapsed, tears fell from my eyes,
I thought of all those people that lost their lives.

© 2/23/03 -Roman Widdig
7th Grade - 13 yrs old
Ohio

My Daddy

© Ranja Kujala

I sit and look back to how far I can remember,
And you are always there next to me.
Each and everyday you were helping me grow up,
And making me be the best that I can be.

Your love was forever strong,
Your cuddles forever tight.
Everyday since I was born,
Your love was always in sight.

I will always be your Baby Girl,
And you will always be my Dad.
I know I will always be the luckiest,
To have the best Dad any girl could have had.

My Daddy I love you with all my heart,
Much more than I ever say.
You are my world, my everything,
Each and Every day.

Keep your fork

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order", she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"Wait, there's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important," the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?", the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main courses were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say,

"Keep your fork"

It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them:

"Keep your fork.
The best is yet to come."

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible, also the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question
"What's with the fork?"
And over and over he smiled.
Later during his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died.

He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork,
let it remind you ever so gently,

The BEST is yet to come.

Happy Birthday Grandpa !!

Happy Birthday to my Grandpa !!!! It is hard to believe that it has been a year since God called you home :( and i still miss you everyday :( i wish you were still here is i could hug you and wish you happy birthday to your face :'( Here is a poem i love so much it really says it all :)

Tear Drops Poem

They say memories are golden,
Well, maybe that is true;
I never wanted memories,
I only wanted you.

A million times I needed you,
A million times I cried;
If love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died.

In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still;
In my heart you hold a piece
No one could ever fill.

But now I know you want me
To mourn for you no more,
To remember the happy times
Life still has much in store.

Since you'll never be forgotten
I pledge to you today;
A hallowed place within my heart
Is where you'll always stay.

If tears could build a stairway
And heartache make a lane;
I'd walk the path to heaven
And bring you back again.

Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same;
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.

The Marines want this to roll all over the U.S.

THE
MARINES WANT THIS TO ROLL ALL OVER THE U.S.






This is a poem being sent from a Marine
to his Dad.
For those who take the time
to read it, you'll see a letter from him to
his dad at the bottom. It
makes you truly thankful for
not only the Marines, but
ALL of our troops.
THE
MARINE

We all came together,
Both young and old
To fight for our freedom,
To stand and be bold.

In the midst of all evil,
We stand our ground,
And we protect our country
From all terror around.

Peace and not war,
Is what some people say.
But I'll give my life,
So you can live the American way

I give you the right
To talk of your peace.
To stand in your groups,
and protest in our streets.

But still I fight on,
I don't fuss, I don't whine.
I'm just one of the people!
Who is doing your time.

I'm harder than nails,
Stronger than any machine.
I'm the immortal soldier,
I'm a U.S. MARINE!

So stand in my shoes,
And leave from your home.
Fight for the people who hate you,
With the protests they've shown.
Fight for the stranger,
Fight for the young.
So they all may have,
The greatest freedom you've won

Fight for the sick,
Fight for the poor
Fight for the cripple,
Who lives next door.


But when your time comes,
Do what I've done.
For if you stand up for freedom,
You'll stand when the fight's done

By: Corporal
Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps
USS SAIPAN , PERSIAN GULF


Hey Dad,
Do me a favor and label this 'The Marine' and send it
to everybody on your email list.. Even
leave this letter in it.
I want this rolling all over the US ;
I want every home reading it. Every eye seeing it.
And every heart to feel it. So can you please send this for me? I would but my email time isn't that long and
I don 't have much time anyway.
You know what Dad?
I wondered what it would be like to truly
understand what JFK said in His inaugural speech.'When the time comes to lay down my life for my
country, I do not cower from this responsibility. I
welcome it.'
Well, now I know. And I do. Dad, I welcome the opportunity to do what I do.
Even though I have left behind a beautiful wife, and I will miss the birth of our first born child, I would do it 70 times over to fight for the place that God has made for my home.
I love you all and I miss you very much.
I wish I could be there when Sandi has our
baby, but tell her that I love her, and Lord willing, I
will be coming home soon. Give Mom a great big hug from me and give one to yourself too.
Aaron

Please
let this marine (and all our military) know
we care by passing his poem onto your
friends even
if you don't usually take time to forward mail...do it this
time!

Thanks,

Let's
help Aaron's dad spread the word ....
FREEDOM isn't FREE
Someone pays for you and me.



God
bless you!

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

"IN GOD WE TRUST"

And remember the back bone of America, our Military!

And thanks for serving our Country.

Jerry

upsetting the apple cart

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a cart which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding.

ALL BUT ONE !!!

He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple cart had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one caring for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, 'Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?' She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, 'I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly.'

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him,

'Mister....' He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.

She continued,

'Are you Jesus?'

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his mind:

'Are you Jesus?'

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not?
To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall.