My favorite poems

Why God Gave Us Friends
Blessings Of Friends
Love
Footprints In The Sand
My Sunshine Friend
The Purple Cow

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND Last nightdreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky. In each scene I noticed FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND. Sometimes there were Two sets of FOOTPRINTS Other times there was one only. This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, When I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only One set of FOOTPRINTS. So I said to the Lord, "You promised me Lord That if I followed You, You would walk with me always But I noticed that during the most trying periods Of my life, there has been only One set of FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND. Why, when I have needed You most, You have not been there for me?" THE LORD REPLIED, "The Years When you have seen only One set of FOOTPRINTS, my child, IS WHEN I CARRIED YOU." love- pat ---------------------------------------- ------------- I like being friends with you I like being friends with you. I like laughing together about silly things that can happen. I like knowing that I can cry with you - even if it's just because I feel like it. I like talking to you and sharing the precious little details of our life's greatest moments and being able to share our disappointments and figure out our problems together. I really, truly love our friendship ---------------------------------------- ------------- Precious Memories   You can't buy precious memories With silver or with gold, They come to us without a price As the years of life unfold.   I've longed for many things in life, some with hidden thorns of pain. Knowing what was best for me, God sent both sunshine and rain.   Hard times teach us to appreciate Good times when they come along, If all of life was fun and pleasure, How could we ever grow strong?   God in His infinite wisdom has given me many good years, taught me to suffer with others, to feel their sorrows and tears. So if you want precious memories As the years of life unfold, Learn how to love one another, It's worth more than silver or gold. Omega Watson Wagner ---------------------------------------- ------------- Don't Laugh At Me I'm a little boy playing, the one they call the geek A little girl who never smile, cause I've got braces on my teeth And know how it feels, to cry myself to sleep I'm that kid on every play ground, who's always chosen last A pregnant teenage mother, trying to over come my past You don't have to be my friend, but is it to much to ask... Don't laugh at me Don't call me names Don't get your pleasure from my pain In God's eyes, were all the same Someday will all have perfect wings Don't laught at me I'm the cripple on the corner, you pass me on the street I wouldn't be out here begging, if I had enough to eat Don't think that I don't notice, that our eyes never meet I lost me wife and little boy, someone crossed that yellow line The day we laid them in the ground, is the day I lost my mind Right now I'm down to holding, this little card board sign Don't laugh at me Don't call me names Don't get your pleasure from my pain In God's eyes, were all the same Someday will all have perfect wings Don't laugh at me I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall, I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey aren't we all... Don't laugh at me Don't call me names Don't get your pleasure from my pain In God's eyes, were all the same Someday will all have perfect wings Don't laugh at me... _________________________________ To My Son Trahvon      You have a baby such a bundle of joy, You find out your pregnant will it be a girl or boy? You eat so very healthy make sure to get your rest,oh so very determinedto make pregnancy your best! Not even one negative thought given to what your child may be liked,just thought out every out every day and night.So this child is born such a wonderful gift,but now its not that easy as your each and every wish. You begin to see many problems with this child God brought you,you discover he'll be special needs and you must learn to see his views.So now each days a struggle you think what more could go wrong> for your this childs mother in your heart you must be strong.Your are his advocate each step of the way,and still can share those smiles each and every day!!!! mommie loves you !!!!

Written by Merri ---------------------------------------- --------- "THIS MOMENT" I may never see tomorrow; there's no written guarantee, And things that happened yesterday belong to history, I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past, I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last, I must use this moment wisely for it soon will pass away, and be lost to me forever as part of yesterday, I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet, Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete, The unkind things I do today may never be undone, And friendships that I fail to win may nevermore be won, I may not have another chance on bended knee to pray, And thank God with humble heart for giving me this day. - Unknow __________________________ The Fence   There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.       Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.        The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger,they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Families are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us. ---------------------------------------- -------- "What I've learned in Life" **I've learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don't care back. **I've learned that no matter how good a person is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive them for that. **I've learned that money is a lousy way of keeping score. **I've learned that talking can ease emotional pains. **I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it. **I've learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. **I've learned that you can do something in an instant that will give you a heartache for life. **I've learned that it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life. **I've learned that good friends are family members that we are allowed to choose. **I've learned that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change. **I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon. **I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them. **I've learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for ourselves. **I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do, but to the best you can do. **I've learned that it's not where I am that is important. It's where I am going. **I've learned that no matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides. **I've learned that it takes a long time to become the person I want to be. **I've learned that it's a lot easier to react than it is to think. **I've learned that you can keep going long after you think you cannot. **I've learned that either you control your attitude, or it controls you. **I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences. **I've learned that patience takes alot of practice. **I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it. **I've learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time. **I've learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up. **I've learned that there is more of my parents in me that I thought. **I've learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel. **I've learned that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want him/her to doesn't mean s/he doesn't love you with all s/he has. **I've learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated. **I've learned that you should never tell a child his/her dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if s/he believed it. **I've learned that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by someone else. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself. **I've learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief. ---------------------------------------- --------- A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY   She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live. I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world begins to close in on me. She was building a sandcastle or something and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea. "Hello," she said. I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child. "I'm building," she said. "I see that. What is it?" I asked, not caring. "Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand." "That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes. A sandpiper glided by. "That's a joy," the child said. "It's a what?" "It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy." The bird went glissading down the beach. "Good-bye joy," I muttered to myself, "hello pain," and turned to walk on. I was depressed; my life seemed completely out of balance. "What's your name?" She wouldn't give up. "Ruth," I answered. "I'm Ruth Peterson." "Mine's Wendy... I'm six." "Hi, Wendy." She giggled. "You're funny," she said. In spite of my gloom I laughed too and walked on. Her musical giggle followed me. "Come again, Mrs. P," she called. "We'll have another happy day." The days and weeks that followed belong to others: a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings, and an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out of the dishwater. "I need a sandpiper," I said to myself, gathering up my coat. The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was chilly, but I strode along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed. I had forgotten the child and was startled when she appeared. "Hello, Mrs. P," she said. "Do you want to play?" "What did you have in mind?" I asked, with a twinge of annoyance. "I don't know, you say." "How about charades?" I asked sarcastically. The tinkling laughter burst forth again. "I don't know what that is." "Then let's just walk." Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face. "Where do you live?" I asked. "Over there." She pointed toward a row of summer cottages. Strange, I thought, in winter. "Where do you go to school?" "I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation." She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day. Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed. Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt like demanding she keep her child at home. "Look, if you don't mind," I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, "I'd rather be alone today." She seems unusually pale and out of breath. "Why?" she asked. I turned to her and shouted, "Because my mother died!" and thought, my God, why was I saying this to a little child? "Oh," she said quietly, "then this is a bad day." "Yes, and yesterday and the day before and-oh, go away!" "Did it hurt? "Did what hurt?" I was exasperated with her, with myself. "When she died?" "Of course it hurt!" I snapped, misunderstanding, wrapped up in myself. I strode off. A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there. Feeling guilty, ashamed and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door. "Hello," I said. "I'm Ruth Peterson. I missed your little girl today and wondered where she was." "Oh yes, Mrs. Peterson, please come in" "Wendy talked of you so much. I'm afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance, please, accept my apologies." "Not at all-she's a delightful child," I said, suddenly realizing that I meant it. "Where is she?" "Wendy died last week, Mrs. Peterson. She had leukemia. Maybe she didn't tell you." Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. My breath caught. "She loved this beach; so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no. She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days. But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly..." her voice faltered. "She left something for you...if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?" I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something, anything, to say to this lovely young woman. She handed me a smeared envelope, with MRS. P printed in bold, childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues-a yellow beach, a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed: A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love opened wide. I took Wendy's mother in my arms. "I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I muttered over and over, and we wept together. The precious little picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words- one for each year of her life- that speak to me of harmony, courage, undemanding love. A gift from a child with sea-blue eyes and hair the color of sand---who taught me the gift of love. NOTE: I hope you had a few Kleenex tissues in that box. The above is a true story sent out by Ruth Peterson. It serves as a reminder to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other. "The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less". ________________________________________ ________ ABC's For Life! A lways know that YOU are special! B efore you give up, try one more time. C an- You do it?- Yes, You can! D o your best and feel good about it. E xpect a wonderful and exciting day! F inishing what you start is a great thing to do. G iving, sharing and playing fair. H elping someone else makes you feel good. I magination-You have a great one-Use it! J ust because you've never done it, don't be afraid to try it. K now that you are loved. L augh-It makes you happy! M istakes-It's okay to make them, if you learn from them. N ew ways of doing things can be fun! O ffering to do something extra is extra special of you! P erfectly wonderful-That's YOU!! Questions-Be sure to ask them R ead and learn all you can. S how others how much you like them. T alk to someone about your feelings. U nderstand?-If you don't, tell someone. V ote "No" if you dont think it's right. W ear your beautiful smile!! X tra hugs and kisses to you!! Y OU are Important!! Z illions of ways a lovable person like you can have a great day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!            "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"                             ______________________________________      L I F E   S P E E D Have you ever watched kids on the merry-go-round, or listened to rain slapping the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight, or gazed at the sun fading into the night? You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last. Do you run through each day on the fly. When you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with the next hundred chores running through your head?   You better slow down, don't dance so fast, Time is short. The music won't last. Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow, and in his haste not seen his sorrow?   Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die 'cause you never had time to call and say "Hi"? You better slow down, don't dance so fast  time is short, the music won't last. When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there.  When you worry and hurry through your day, it's like an unopened gift thrown away.   Life is not race, so take it slower, hear the music before the song is over. ·••••••••••••••••••••••· SWEET MEMORIES OF GRANDMA ~~~ A Sunday spent at grandma's was a special time for me, I loved to hear her stories of how life used to be.. ~~ Each story held a lesson to help me find my way, her timeless words of wisdom still guide me through each day. ~~ I seek comfort in her memory for I always find her there, I remember all the joyful times that she and I would share. ~~ My love for her grows stronger with every passing year, and though she's gone on to glory my heart still holds her near. ~~ The Lord took her to heaven but I still can feel her love, I'm sure she's up there watching smil

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