Thoughts for Life: PRICELESS RESULTS

Alyson Kieda- "On every school day for three years, Colleen has been dressing up in a different costume or mask to greet her children as they exit the school bus each afternoon. It brightens the day of everyone on the bus—including the bus driver: "[She] brings so much joy to the kids on my bus, it's amazing. I love that." Colleen's children agree. Mask

It all started when Colleen began fostering children. Knowing how difficult it was to be separated from parents and to atttend a new school, she began greeting the kids in a costume. After three days of doing so, the kids didn't want her to stop.

So Colleen continued. It was an investment of time and money at thrift shops, but as reporter Meredith TerHaar describes, it brought a "priceless result: happiness."

One little verse amid a book of wise and witty advice, largely by King Solomon to his son, sums up the results of this mom's antics: "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones: (Pro. 17:22). By bringing cheer to all her kids (biological, adoped and foster), she hoped to prevent crushed spirits.

The source of true and lasting joy is God through the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21; Gal. 5:22). The Spirit enables us to shine God's light as we strive to bring joy to others, as joy that offers hope and strength to face trials.

Let's Pray- Dear Father, thank You for giving us joy. Help us to spread it to others."

#75 Quote of a poem by Leonarad Ravenhill- His book, Revival God's Way (A Message for the Church) (pg.21)

OH, WONDER OF WONDERS!

Oh, wonder of wonders!

My God, can it be

That Jesus has died

For one rebel like me?

He lifted my bondage

And soul's misery.

The Lord, King of Glory, was wounded for me.

They led Him to trial;

They spit in His face.

He bore it alone,

Oh! amazing His grace!

He bowed 'neath His burden,

Was scouraged in my place.

I'll sing it forever—Amazing His grace."

With hands full of mercy,

With heart full of good,

My spotless Redeemer

Was nailed to the wood.

He suffered hell's torment,

My soul to set free,

Deserted by God as He hung on the tree.

He died, but He rose.

He extracted death's sting.

He's living enthroned,

My Saviour, my King.

Let the earth hear His voice,

Men and angels proclaim:

"He's coming! He's coming! He's coming again!"

With the saints marching in,

I shall be in that throng.

In the great "Hallelujahs,"

I'll join in that song.

With apostles and prophets,

But best, Lord, with Thee,

I shall live, I shall live—eternally!

A wise saying- It could be that when we run out of physical energy and have exhausted all other means, we once again will depend on the one thing that brings God to our churches—PRAYER!

1401-1405 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-

1401- Ez. 33:30b "Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth

from the LORD."

1402- Is. 19:25a "Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless."

1403- Is. 58:11b "Thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,

whose waters fail not.' 1404- Is. 21:6b "Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth."

1405- Is. 44:24b "I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the

heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself."

#75 Hymn- Peace, Perfect Peace

Peace, Perfect Peace is a hymn whose lyrics were written in August 1875 by Edward H. Bickersteth at the bedside of a dying relative.^[1]^[2] He read it to his relative immediately after writing it, to his children at tea time that day,^[2] and soon published it along with four other hymns he had written in a tract called Songs in the House of Pilgrimage.^[1] Of the dozens of hymns he wrote, this one became the most popular.^[3] A century later, it was still a popular choice for Christian funerals.^[4]

Some encouraging words-

The glorious character of Jeus is formed in me as I bring Him everyone of my endeavors, all my decisions, every once of my will, voluntarily putting myself under His loving tutelege and authority.

Church Notes:

Zeal in Honor

We're to outdo one another by giving each other priority.

Be humble of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves.

Become what we love, love what we value, draw near what we value.

We are like what we value and treasure. Lip service is just flattery.

The honorable person honors the one who is sincerely lovng, and learning from them.