The Dash

By Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you'd like too change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
TO consider what's true and real
And always try too understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life's actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Why do Women Cry?

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"

"Because I am a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."

Later the boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he put in a call to God. When Got got on the phone he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said, "When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gently enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I have the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand by him unfaltering.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is her exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair."

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

Letter from Heavenly Father

Dear Children,

I remember well the day you left my side, and wandered thru the veil, and ventured forth to fulfill your earthly missions. I had a tear in my eye each time I clothed your spirit in the cloak of love and sent you off to school. Be assured that my thoughts are with you always. I love you with all my heat. I know your lives, the good and the bad, your grief, your disappointments, your unrewarded efforts, your frustrations and your temptations, but always - all that I have is yours if you will come home to me again.

Children realize that in each of you I placed a bit of Heaven, no one was exempt. I love you all. Each of you has some blessed gift, some talent, some small part of me in you. Search for it, develop it, use it and most important share it with others. If you really love me, then help others find themselves and lead them to me. Show your love by sharing your talents with others and serving them.

Repent of your failings and humble yourselves. Make yourselves ever teachable and continually strive to improve. I gave you weaknesses to help you to be humble, don't curse me for that. I did it because I love you. I'll come if you need me.

My children, cease your idle contentions. Be peacemakers, for it breaks my heart to see so many of my children fighting. If they could only see what I have hoped, planned and desired for them. My heart breaks as I watch them, but you my faithful children are my hope. It is through you that my work must proceed. You haven't much time and there is so much to be done. I beg you to get started. Accomplish the mission I gave you before you lfeft me. I will help you. I'm nearer to you always than you might suspect. I have so much I'd like to tell you, but I cannot here. Come to me often in prayer, I love to talk to you my beloved children.

Be diligent in my work and my kingdom shall be yours. I'd like to take you in my arms, but I too must wait patiently. That time will come. Until then, I leave you with my peace, my blessing, my love and never forget I am nearby if you need me.

I love you and miss you very much and oh how I am looking forward to your return again to me and your Mother.

All My Love,
Your Heavenly Father

(Author Unknown)

Dad, I Appreciate You

It's such a special blessing
To have a Dad like you
To honor and appreciate
Each day, my whole life through.

You've been a good example,
Like fathers ought to be,
And I'm so glad you'll be my Dad
For all eternity.

You've been the kind of person
I want to be some day,
A true and noble gentle man
In your own special way.

I'm glad you married Mother,
So many years ago,
And brought her love and happiness
By letting your love show.

You both are very special,
Especially to me,
But since this is your day, Dad,
I'm hoping you will see

How very much I love you,
And wish you happiness,
The kind that you have given me,
My light and life to bless.

Heart Thoughts by Jim
jandb@sisna.com

Babies Don't Keep

by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Life Explained

On the first day God created the dog. God said, "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. I will give you a life span of twenty years." The dog said, "That's too long to be barking. Give me ten years and I'll give you back the other ten." So God agreed. On the second day God created the monkey. God said, "Entertain people, do monkey tricks and make them laugh. I'll give you a twenty-year life span." The monkey said, "Monkey tricks for twenty years? I don't think so. Dog gave you back ten, so that's what I'll do too, okay?" And God agreed. On the third day God created the cow. "You must go to the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves, and give milk to support the farmer. I will give you a life span of sixty years." The cow said, "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. Let me have twenty and I'll give back the other forty." And God agreed again. On the fourth day God created man. God said, "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. I'll give you twenty years." Man said, "What? Only twenty years? Tell you what, I'll take my twenty, and the forty the cow gave back, and the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back, that makes eighty, okay?" Okay," said God, "You've got a deal." So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play, and enjoy ourselves; the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family; the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren; and the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you.


~Author Unknown

Stay At Home Moms

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a Cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, 'What happened here today?' She again smiled and answered, 'You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world do I do all day?' 'Yes,' was his incredulous reply. She answered, 'Well, today I didn't do it.