I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW...

The bell can ring from mountain top to valley,
The doors can be opened wide by all.
The grounds can be tended with
tender loving care.
The windows can be cleaned
and gleam in the sunlight.
The roof can be kept in good repair,
the walls and floor the same.
But just as you can see through it all,
the Lord can do the same.

by Sharon Wallace

Copyright © 1998 Wallace World All Rights Reserved

On this day and all year through
I will be grateful for all the family and friends,
Both old and new.
For in the blink of an eye or
the careless hands unseen;
They can be lost to us forever;
to only be a memory
in our hearts so full of grief.
The grief will lessen in time
as their images fade in our minds.
But our hearts will forever carry
The loving touch they left behind.

by Sharon Wallace

In dedication to my very dear friends.

Bernice P. Wilson

and

James (Tater-Bug) NcNabb

The following was sent to me by a dear friend,
June-Carole and I felt I needed to share it with others.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. People were filling the
church to its fullest capacity! As they entered, each were
given a bulletin filled with announcements, topic of today's
sermon, what songs they would sing and who to pray for.
At the end of the line stood an older man. His clothes were
filthy and you could tell that he had not bathed in days.
His face was covered in whiskers where he had not shaved
for a very long time.

When he reached the usher, he removed his tattered old brown
hat in respect. His hair was a long, dirty, tangled mess.
He had no shoes on his feet, and wore only soiled, black socks.

The usher put his fingers to his nose and glared at the old man
and said, "Uh, I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid we can't let you in.
You will distract the congregation and we don't allow anyone to
disrupt our service. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

The old man looked down at himself and with a puzzled look on
his face, he placed his old brown hat back upon his head and
turned to leave. He was sad as he loved to hear the choir sing
praises to the Lord. He loved to watch the little children get
up in front of the church to sing their little songs. He carried
in his pocket a small worn out Bible and loved to see if the
minister preached a passage from the Bible that the old man had
underlined. He was respectful enough and didn't want to cause
any commotion, so he hung down his head and walked back down the
steps of the big brick church.

He sat down on the brick wall near the edge of the church yard
and strained to listen through closed doors and windows to the
singing going on in the church. Oh how he wished he could be
inside with all the others. A few minutes had passed by when all
of a sudden a younger man came up behind him and sat down
near him. He asked the old man what he was doing.

He answered, "I was going to go to church today, but they thought
I was filthy and my clothes are old and worn, and they were afraid
I would disrupt their service. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself.
My name is George."

The two gentlemen shook hands and George couldn't help but notice
that this man had long hair like his. He wore a piece of cloth
draped over his body tied with a royal purple sash. He had
sandals upon his feet, now covered with dust and dirt.

The stranger reached out to touch George's shoulder and said,
"Hello, George, don't feel bad because they won't let you in. My
name is Jesus, and I've been trying to get into this same church
for years, and they won't let me in either."
Author Unknown

THE MASTER'S BOUQUET

The Master walked in His Garden,
Plucking flowers along the way;
He plucked one of my loved ones,
To add to his bouquet.
My heart at first was broken,
At the loss of one so dear;
But the tears I shed just washed my eyes,
So I saw His way more clear.
My Lord has a need for just this one,
For the pattern He has in mind;
But it's hard for the rest of us to see
Why we must be left behind.
Perhaps we are not ready to go just yet
We may need to ripen more
To reach the full blown fragrance
My Lord is waiting for.
To each give forth a fragrance
To each we chance to meet
We should each be trying day by day
To make our fragrance sweet.
So I'm going to try my very best
To be loving and kind each day,
So at last I'll be counted worthy
To be part of My Master's Bouquet.

author "Unknown"