BIRTHDAYS ARE A
GIFT FROM GOD
by HELEN STEINER RICE WHERE DOES TIME GO IN ITS ENDLESS FLIGHT-
SPRING TURNS TO FALL AND DAY TO NIGHT,
AND BIRTHDAYS COME AND BIRTHDAYS GO
AND WHERE THEY GO WE DO NOT KNOW...
BUT GOD WHO PLANNED OUR LIFE ON EARTH
AND GAVE OUR MIND AND BODY BIRTH
AND THEN ENCLOSED A LIVING SOUL
WITH HEAVEN AS THE SPIRIT'S GOAL
HAS GIVEN MAN THE GIFT OF CHOICE
TO FOLLOW THAT SMALL INNER VOICE
THAT SPEAKS TO US FROM YEAR TO YEAR
REMINDING US WE'VE NAUGHT TO FEAR...
FOR BIRTHDAYS ARE A STEPPING-STONE
TO ENDLESS JOYS AS YET UNKNOWN,
SO FILL EACH DAY WITH HAPPY THINGS
AND MAY YOUR BURDENS ALL TAKE WINGS
AND FLY AWAY AND LEAVE BEHIND
GREAT JOY OF HEART AND PEACE OF MIND...
FOR BIRTHDAYS ARE THE GATEWAY TO
AN ENDLESS LIFE OF JOY FOR YOU
IF YOU BUT PRAY FROM DAY TO DAY
THAT HE WILL SHOW YOU THE TRUTH AND THE WAY.
STORMS BRING OUT THE EAGLES BUT THE LITTLE BIRDS TAKE COVER
by HELEN STEINER RICE
WHEN THE "STORMS OF LIFE" GATHER DARKLY AHEAD, I THINK OF THESE WONDERFUL WORDS I ONCE READ AND I SAY TO MYSELF AS "THREATING CLOUDS" HOVER DON'T "FOLD UP YOUR WINGS" AND "RUN FOR COVER" BUT LIKE THE EAGLE "SPREAD WIDE YOUR WINGS" AND "SOAR FAR ABOVE" THE TROUBLES LIFE BRINGS FOR THE EAGLE KNOWS THAT THE HIGHER HE FLIES THE MORE TRANQUIL AND BRIGHTER BECOME THE SKIES... AND THERE IS NOTHING IN LIFE GOD EVER ASKS US TO BEAR THAT WE CAN'T SOAR ABOVE "ON THE WINGS OF PRAYER," AND LOOKING BACK OVER THE "STORM YOU PASSED THROUGH" YOU'LL FIND YOU GAINED STRENGTH AND NEW COURAGE, TOO, FOR IN FACING "LIFES STORMS" WITH AN EAGLE'S WINGS YOU CAN FLY FAR ABOVE EARTH'S SMALL, PETTY THINGS.
...THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH, THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES...
ISAIAH 40:31
DON'T QUIT
WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AS THEY SOMETIMES WILL, WHEN THE ROAD YOU'RE TRUDGING SEEMS ALL UP HILL, WHEN THE FUNDS ARE LOW, AND THE DEPTS 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 ODD WITH ITS TWISTS AND TURNS, AS EVERYONE OF US SOMETIMES LEARNS AND MANY A FAILURE TURNS ABOUT, WHEN HE MIGHT HAVE WON HAD HE STUCK IT OUT. DONT GIVE UP THOUGH THE PACE SEEMS SLOW, YOU MAY SUCCEED WITH ANOTHER BLOW.
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 SO FAR. SO STICK TO THE FIGHT WHEN YOU'RE HARDEST HIT. IT'S WHEN THINGS SEEM WORST THAT YOU MUST NOT QUIT.
English
