Christian Faith

Welcome To Christian Faith

11/1/2024

Picture of a stone church, built atop a rock, next to a calm reflective lake, in a wilderness of green leafy trees, snowcapped mountains in the distance, a clear blue sky above, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Welcome to Christian Faith on www.MakeFunOfLife.net, where you will find humor, inspiration, and learning in short stories, concise quotations, perky poems, audacious audio, melodious music, and pretty-near-perfect pictures. Just travel down this page, skipping the articles that might not interest you, until you come to the ones that appeal to you. When you have a moment, be sure to visit some of the more than 70 other pages on the website, such as the Inspiration Pages and the Life Pages, which can be explored by clicking or tapping on the drop-down menu near the top of this page or further down this page in the right-hand column as blinking images.

We are MFOL! . . . a tiny light in a dark world . . .

0 Comments

Just Do Your Best

9/11/2024

0 Comments

Picture of a man sitting cross-legged on the ground in a woods, his head bowed, eyes closed, and hands together in prayer, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Just Do Your Best

Just do your best.
     It matters not how small,
How little heard of;
     Just do your best - that’s all.

Just do your best.
     God knows it all,
And in his great plan
     You count as one.

Just do your best
     Until the work is done.
Though poor, despised, forsaken,
     Let not your faith be shaken.

Just do your best;
     With God and one
The mightiest things are done.
     Just do your best.

Who cares if in
     The wild, hot rush
For wealth and place
     You don’t excel?

Don’t fret.
     Just do your best,
And do it well.
     Just do your best.

Reward will come
     To those
Who stand the test.
     God does not forget.

Press on,
     Be not disheartened by worry,
Nor doubt, nor fear.
     Just do your best.

By Ernest Lloyd

Ernest Walter Lloyd was born on 22 February 1880 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He became an American pastor and elder in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He was an editor (1924 - 1949) of “Our Little Friend” and wrote articles that were published in “The Youth’s Instructor,” “Review and Herald,” “Signs of the Times,” “Church Officer’s Gazette,” “Ministry,” and “Our Times.” He wrote ten storybooks for boys and girls, as well as booklets for adults. He served in his church for 75 years.

0 Comments

Walk With God

8/27/2024

0 Comments

Picture of a football player in a blue and gold color uniform, with helmet resting on the ground next to him, while kneeling in prayer, his elbows resting on a bench, on a grassy field, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Walk With God

When folks say that I walk alone,
     With pity in their eyes,
I ever stand and stare at them
     In wondering surprise,
Because they are too blind to see
     That in each breathing clod,
In sun and rain in grass and trees,
     I ever walk with God.

By Edgar Daniel Kramer

Edgar Daniel Kramer was born on 9 October 1887 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America. He became a poet, a short story writer, and a teacher. He is known for his books “A Tribute to Jesus” (1955) and “Your Christ and Mine” (1965). Edgar Daniel Kramer passed on at 78 years of age on 27 July 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.

0 Comments

Be Ye Prepared

8/9/2024

0 Comments

Picture of a large medieval stone palace set atop a hill, surrounded by a formal garden of lush green plants, water fountains, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Be Ye Prepared

Some years ago a tourist was traveling along the shores of a lake in the countryside of a scenic foreign land. When he reached a stately palace, a friendly old gardener opened the gate and showed him the grounds, which the old man kept in perfect order. The tourist asked when the owner had last been there.

“Twelve years ago.”

“Does he ever write to you?”

“No.”

“From whom do you get your instructions?”

“From his agent in the capitol city.”

“Does he come?”

“Never.”

“Who, then, comes here?”

“I am almost always alone; only once in a while a tourist comes.”

“But you keep the garden in such fine condition, just as though you expected your master to come tomorrow.”

The old gardener promptly replied: “Today, today!”

By Author Unknown

0 Comments

Cares

3/18/2024

0 Comments

Picture of a large field of green wheat plants mixed with poppies with red blossoms, green leafy trees in the distance, a blue sky with large fluffy white clouds, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Cares

The little cares that fretted me,
     I lost them yesterday
Among the fields above the sea,
     Among the winds at play;
Among the lowing of the herds,
     The rustling of the trees,
Among the singing of the birds,
     The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what may happen,
     I cast them all away
Among the clover-scented grass,
     Among the new-mown hay;
Among the husking of the corn
     Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born
     Out in the fields with God.

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born on 6 March 1806 in Kelloe, Durham, England. A spinal injury received in a fall from a pony prevented her from attending school as a child. She was married to Robert Browning in 1846. She became a poet. Her poetry was widely popular in both Britain and the United States during her lifetime. Elizabeth Barrett Browning passed on at 55 years of age on 29 June 1861 in Florence, Kingdom of Italy.

0 Comments

Reassurance From God’s Word

7/27/2023

0 Comments

Picture of a Christian church beside a stream in a rural area, surrounded by green grass and green leafy trees, and snow-covered mountains in the distance, a blue sky with tiny white fluffy clouds overhead, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Reassurance From God’s Word

You say, “It’s impossible.” God says: “All things are possible.” (Luke 18:27)

You say, “I’m too tired.” God says: “I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28-20)

You say, “Nobody really loves me.” God says: “I love you.” (John 3:16 - John 13:34)

You say, “I can’t go on.” God says: “My grace is sufficient.” (II Corinthians 12:9 - Psalms 91:15)

You say, “I can’t figure things out.” God says: “I will direct your steps.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say, “I can’t do it.” God says: “You can do all things.” (Philippians 4:13)

You say, “It’s not worth it.” God says: “It will be worth it.” (Romans 8:28)

You say, “I can’t forgive myself.” God says: “I forgive you.” (I John 1:9 - Romans 8:1)

You say, “I can’t manage.” God says: “I will supply all your needs.” (Philippians 4:19)

You say, “I’m afraid.” God says: “I have not given you a spirit of fear.” (II Timothy 1:7)

You say, “I’m always worried and frustrated.” God says: “Cast all your cares on Me.” (I Peter 5:7)

You say, “I don’t have enough faith.” God says: “I’ve given everyone a measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

You say, “I’m not smart enough.” God says: “I give you wisdom.” (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say, “I feel all alone.” God says: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

This is MFOL! . . . where you can acquire wisdom to take with you wherever you may roam and throughout all of life . . .

0 Comments

Mealtime Graces

4/30/2023

0 Comments

Picture of a family with a husband, wife, daughter, and son seated at a table, all four with heads bowed and hands folded in prayer.

Let us bow our heads and say grace . . . Lord, we thank you for the blessings of this day and the bounty before us . . .
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Prayers and Spiritual Affirmations” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Thank You God

Thank You God for
     The world so sweet,
Thank You God for
     The food we eat,
Thank You God for
     The birds that sing,
Thank You God for
     Everything.
Amen.

by Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Poetry” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Johnny Appleseed Grace

Oh, the Lord’s been good to me
     And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need
     The Sun and the rain and the apple seed.
The Lord’s been good to me.
     Hallelujah, amen.

by Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the Arbor Day Page.

Lord, we thank You
     For the food before us
The family beside us
     The love between us
And Your presence among us.
     Amen.
-Author Unknown

Lord, You give us good things to eat
     Like spuds and carrots, peas and meat.
May all the things we say and do
     Show our love and thanks to You.
Amen.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the Foods Page.

Humorous or rhyming mealtime graces may not be suitable for all occasions; however, we have been endowed by our Creator with an ability to be joyful and playful, and there may well be a time for them as there is a time and place for everything in God’s Creation.

For food and health
     And happy days,
Please receive
     Our gratitude and praise.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Gratitude and Thankfulness” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

“Us and this, God bless.” -Author Unknown: Quaker grace

Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Lettuce.
Lettuce, who?
Lettuce be thankful for our food.
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Knock-Knock Jokes” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Grace

God is great,
     God is good,
Let us thank Him
     For our food.
Amen.

by Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Minimalism and Extravagance” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Lord, thank You for this food.
It’s yet another reminder,
Of this truth from “Lamentations”:
That You are good to those whose hope is in You,
To those who seek You.
Amen.
-Author Unknown

Thank You, Lord,
For the richness of this food,
In color, taste, and texture,
And that it tastes all the sweeter,
For this blessing:
That we can enjoy it with those we love.
Amen.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Love” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Grace with Hands

God bless us (touch hands on head).
God bless the food (place hands around plate).
Amen (fold hands).

by Author Unknown

Table Grace for Christmastime

In the midst of our decorating, shopping, and baking,
     Christmas whispers, “Immanuel.”
In the midst of our parties and merry-making,
     Christmas whispers, “Immanuel.”
Help us pause, Lord, while this food partaking,
     To rejoice in the promise, “Immanuel.”

by Author Unknown (For this prayer, whisper the first two occurrences of ‘Immanuel,’ but say the last one loudly and joyfully. Explain that ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God is with us.’)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of this article, or click or tap on these words to visit the Christmas Page.

“Benedictus, Benedicat.” [original Latin]
“May the Blessed One, Bless.” [translation to English]
-Author Unknown

The treasures of this life
Are love, hope, and family.
God, thank you for all three.
Amen.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Numbers and Counting” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Many prayers end with the word ‘amen’ meaning ‘so may it be.’
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Daffynitions and Definitions” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Lord, we thank You for this food.
     As we receive all You give,
Help us to trust You more:
     To trust in Your generosity,
For You are eager to bless us,
     To trust in Your love,
For You will never reject us,
     To trust in Your strength,
For You want to work through us.
     Amen.
-Author Unknown

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
For faith in a world where many walk in fear;
For friends in a world where many walk alone;
We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.
-Author Unknown: from the Huron Hunger Fund, Anglican Church of Canada
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Life and Living” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Dear God,
Please bless us sinners
     As we prepare to eat our dinners,
In Jesus name we pray,
     Amen.
-Author Unknown

Picture of a hare sitting on its haunches, or back legs, with its eyes closed, head bowed, and front paws together as though praying.

A Hare’s Prayer

God is great,
     God is good,
For a hare
     Green means food,
And all the Earth
     Is a dinner plate.

by David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)

Father, please bless this food
     For our everlasting good.
Amen.
-Author Unknown

Bread is a lovely thing to eat;
     God bless the bakery and the wheat.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Baked Goods” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Bless this food for our use
     And us to thy service. Amen.
-Author Unknown

There once was a cock and a hen,
     Who gave lunch to a goose in a pen.
“Good Lord,” said the goose,
      “For good food and those who prepare it,
For good friends with whom to share it,
     We thank you Lord. Amen.”
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Birds” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Father, thank you for meat and bread.
     May all the world be clothed and fed.
-Author Unknown

Heavenly Father bless us
     And keep us all alive
There’s ten of us to dinner
     And not enough for five
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Poverty and Prosperity” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Colors of the Rainbow

Red and yellow and pink and green,
     Purple and orange and blue,
For food that is all the colors
     Of the rainbow,
Oh, Lord, we thank You!
     Amen.

by Author Unknown: can be sung to the same tune as that of “Sing a Rainbow”
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Rainbows” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

“On a gloomy, rainy morning, it came little eight-year-old Tommy’s turn to say the blessing at breakfast. ‘We thank Thee for this beautiful day,’ he prayed. His mother asked him why he said that when the day was anything but beautiful. ‘Mother,’ said he, with rare wisdom, ‘never judge a day by its weather.’” -Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Weather and Climates” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Thank you Lord,
     And please know
That we are truly grateful
     For every cup and every plate full.
-Author Unknown

We thank the Lord for happy hearts
     For rain and sunny weather
We thank the Lord for this our food
     And that we are together
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Happiness” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Lord,
   Please make us able
To eat all the food on the table
     I think we can do it
If we all stick to it.
     Amen.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Goals and Planning” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Evening Grace

We thank you Lord at our evening meal,
     For the blessings, friendships, and love we feel.
Oh, guide our minds and our hearts we pray,
     Let us all make tomorrow a joyful day.

by Author Unknown: can be sung to the same tune as that of, “What Child is This”

God is great,
     God is good.
Let us thank God
     For our food.
By his grace
     We are fed.
Thank you God
     For daily bread.
-Author Unknown

God of goodness, please bless our food,
     And please keep us in a pleasant mood.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Emotions and Feelings” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Our hands we fold;
     Our heads we bow;
For food and drink,
     We thank thee now.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Poetic Epigrams” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

God our Father,
     Lord and Savior,
Thank you for
     Your love and favor
Bless this food we pray
     And all who share it
With us today.
-Author Unknown

Many mealtime graces are short in length, because if hungry people are at a table with the promise of food, and they do not get food soon, they might start chewing on their fingernails, the napkins, the tablecloth, each other, or anything else that is within reach!
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Mealtimes and Eating” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Thank you God
     For milk and bread
And other things so good
     Thank you God
For those who help
     To grow and cook our food.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Employment and Work” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
And the glory and the victory and the majesty,
For all that is in the Heavens and in the Earth is Yours.
We thank You and praise Your name,
For all this abundance comes from Your hand.
Help us keep joy and gratitude in our hearts
And direct our hearts toward You.
Amen.
-Author Unknown: prayer based on “The Bible,” ‘First Chronicles,’ chapter 29

God,
We thank you
     For the food we eat,
For your protection,
     From cold and heat,
For health and strength,
     For love and laughter,
And finally, God,
     For life ever after.
Amen.
-David Hugh Beaumont (born 1966)
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Beaumont’s Quotations” by David Hugh Beaumont.

Thank You for the Special Things

Dear God,
We thank you for our food,
     For life and joy and play,
We thank you for the special things
     You give to us this day.

by Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Today and the Present” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

Singing Grace

Lord, we thank You,
     Lord, we thank You,
For our food,
     For our food,
And our many blessings,
     And our many blessings.
Amen. Amen.

by Author Unknown: can be sung to the same tune as that of “Frere Jacques,” also known as, “Are You Sleeping, Brother John?”

Thank You God

Thank You God for feet that run
     And hop and jump and have such fun.
Thank You God for hands that clap,
     Wiggle, wave, and pet a cat.
Thank You God for making me,
     And mom and dad and friends I see.
We love You, praise You, and shout out Your name.
     Our God is forever and ever the same!

by Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Anatomy and Physiology” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

We love our bread,
     We love our butter,
But most of all,
     We love each other,
Thank You Lord
     For our food.
Amen.
-Author Unknown
Continue scrolling down this website page to read the rest of the article, or click or tap on these words to read “Fun and Learning about Homes and Families” gathered by David Hugh Beaumont.

We are MFOL! . . . your cheerful ways and pleasant smiles make it all worthwhile . . .

0 Comments

Have Faith

12/13/2022

0 Comments

Picture of two girls in prayer together.

Have Faith

People hurt you,
     God will heal you.
People humiliate you,
     God will magnify you.
People judge you,
     God will justify you.
People hate you,
     God will love you.

by Author Unknown: based on a quotation of Nicky Gumbel

Original quotation:
“People may hurt you but God will heal you. People may humiliate you but God will honor you. People may judge you but God will justify you.” -Nicky Gumbel (Nicholas Glyn Paul Gumbel (born 1955))

Nicholas Glyn Paul ‘Nicky’ Gumbel was born on 28 April 1955 in London, England. He was married to Pippa Gumbel in 1978. He became a barrister, a writer, and a Christian priest in the Church of England. Web page http://www.bible-reflections.net/contributors/nicky-gumbel/290/.

0 Comments

Keep a Bright Face

3/23/2022

0 Comments

Picture of a woman with praying hands overlaid on a picture of a church cathedral interior.

Keep a Bright Face

Keep a bright face, darling,
     Though the task is hard,
Life holds up before you
     Many a bright-faced card.

Though the clouds have gathered
     And darkened all the way,
Rainbows o’er you arching
     Tinge the skies of gray.

You have said what sunshine
     Leaked in with the rain
Only brought new sorrow,
     Brought but grief and pain.

Keep a bright face, darling,
     Set your scales anew,
Weigh again the sunshine
     And the raindrops, too.

And you’ll find your measure
     Hitherto was wrong,
Keep a bright face, darling,
     And on your lips a song.

Heaven decrees our burdens,
     And our faith God tries;
But a broken spirit
     He cannot despise.

Keep a bright face, darling -
     Even while I write,
In the fields of midnight
     Blossom stars of light.

Though the morning cometh
     With a streak of gray,
’Tis a hint of sunshine
     And a perfect day.

Journey slow and patient
     With a purpose strong.
Keep a bright face, darling,
     On your lips a song.

by Kate Slaughter McKinney

Kate Slaughter ‘Katydid’ McKinney, who used Katydid as an author pseudonym, was born on 6 February 1859 in London, Kentucky, United States of America. She became a writer and a poet. In 1931, she was elected Poet Laureate of the state of Alabama. Kate Slaughter ‘Katydid’ McKinney passed on at about 80 years of age in 1939.

0 Comments

God Will Count Your Honest Try

2/15/2021

1 Comment

God Will Count Your Honest Try

If in life’s great, onward battle
     You have done your best and lost,
If amid the din and rattle
     You regarded not the cost,
If you met your foeman bravely,
     If you dared to do or die,
God will credit you, most surely,
     For your fearless, honest try.

Have you sometimes felt discouraged,
     Felt that life had lost its charm,
And that every effort failed you,
     Bringing to you only harm?
Look within and ask this question:
      “Have I done my level best?”
If you answer, without guessing,
      “Yes,” then God will do the rest.

Has this neighbor won more glory?
     That one more of earthly store?
Though your hair is thin and hoary,
     Are you poorer than before?
Have you helped, with hands quite willing?
     Have you heard the orphan’s cry?
Given part of your last shilling?
     God will count your honest try.

by William Henry Dawson

William Henry Dawson, also known as W. H. Dawson, was born in 1853. He became a poet. He is the author of the book, “Sunshine of Hope, and Other Poems” (1910). William Henry Dawson passed on at about 75 years of age in 1928.

1 Comment

Points on Living

1/26/2021

0 Comments

Points on Living

Try to live for one week without grumbling.

Be severe with yourself, but gentle with other folks.

The men who master situations master themselves first.

Better let favors seek you than spend time seeking for them.

Penitence is the morning star to a brighter and better day.

Faith is the leading characteristic of men of honor and heroism.

The highest type of chivalry is that which serves the commonplace need.

A hope for the future that is not based on right effort in the present is a ‘false hope.’

He who appreciates the help of others most will get the most good out of others.

An understanding heart is superior to an understanding mind, and a religion without emotion is a cold, cheerless affair.

Where there is darkness be a light; where there is a desert be a fountain; where there is need be a giver; where there is trouble be a peacemaker; such are the children of God.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

Golfer’s Prayer

12/13/2020

0 Comments

Golfer’s Prayer

For all the times
     I have swung a club.
For the many friends
     and the game I love.

For the patience I have found
     in sand or rough.
For the excitement of making shots
     thought tough.

For success is not measured
     by holes in one,
But by the times that are shared
     when you are having fun.

Lord would you grant me
     one last request,
To play you a round of the game
     I love best.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

Folks Like You

11/16/2020

0 Comments

Folks Like You

Wouldn’t the world be nice to live in,
     Cheery through and through,
If everyone were just as kind as
     Folks like you.

’Course we can’t get all we aim for
     Every day, it’s true,
But there’s one thing never fails us,
     Folks like you.

Mighty sure when I embark for
     Shores beyond our view,
I shall find that Heaven is only
     Folks like you.

by Author Unknown: as published by P. F. Volland Company (1 January 1916)

0 Comments

Virtues That Wash

11/15/2020

0 Comments

Virtues That Wash

In the days before fast-color dyes had been developed, women made dyes from herbs, berries, and roots. Only a few dyes made in this manner were fast-color, and they were eagerly sought after since the others faded.

When a child was born in a minister’s family in Puritan New England, the father wrote the baby’s name in the old family Bible, and beside it this wish: “May the Lord endue her with virtues that wash.”

In language comparing virtues to fast-color dyes, the minister was expressing the hope that his daughter would possess such stable virtues that they would not fade in the repeated launderings of life, but that they would remain to the end as pure and wholesome as they were at the beginning. Too often our characters are so weak that our much-vaunted virtues and lauded goodnesses grow dimmer and dimmer as they are laundered in the suds of temptation in the washtub of life.

In his progress away from barbarism, man has sometimes unwisely divorced himself from virtue and goodness, when what each of us needs is a generous supply of virtues that wash - convictions that will not be shaken, principles that stand firm.

Possessing virtues that wash, we are ready for the world.

by Leo Bennett: as published in Monta H. Crane and Selma Shepherd Downey, compilers: “Sunshine and Shadows” (1973), ‘Book I - From Dawn to Afterglow, Eventide,’ page 97

0 Comments

A Prayer for Every Day

10/24/2020

0 Comments

A Prayer for Every Day

Make me too brave to lie or be unkind.
Make me too understanding, too, to mind
The little hurts companions give, and friends,
The careless hurts that no one quite intends.
Make me too thoughtful to hurt others so.

Help me to know
The inmost hearts of those for whom I care,
Their secret wishes, all the loads they bear,
That I may add my courage to their own.
May I make lonely folks feel less alone,
And happy ones a little happier yet.

May I forget
What ought to be forgotten; and recall
Unfailing, all
That ought to be recalled, each kindly thing,
Forgetting what might sting.
To all upon my way,
Day after day,
Let me be joy, be hope! Let my life sing!

by Mary Carolyn Davies

Mary Carolyn Davies was born in about January 1888 in Sprague, Washington, United States of America. She became a poet, a playwright, and a novelist. Mary Carolyn Davies passed on at 86 years of age on 19 May 1974 in Manhattan, New York, United States of America and rests in Vancouver, Washington, United States of America.

0 Comments

Grace

8/14/2020

0 Comments

Grace

Give me the grace to care without neglecting my needs,
The humility to assist without rescuing,
The kindness to be clear without being cold,
The mercy to be angry without rejecting,
The prudence to disclose without disrespecting my privacy,
The humor to admit human failings without experiencing shame,
The compassion to give freely without giving myself away.

by Juanita Ryan

0 Comments

Policeman’s Prayer

7/30/2020

0 Comments

Policeman’s Prayer

When I start my tour of duty God,
     Wherever crime may be,
as I walk the darkened streets alone,
     Let me be close to thee.

Please give me understanding
     with both the young and old.
Let me listen with attention
     until their story’s told.

Let me never make a judgment
     in a rash or callous way,
but let me hold my patience
     let each man have his say.

Lord if some dark and dreary night,
     I must give my life,
Lord, with your everlasting love
     protect my children and my wife.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

The Old Fisherman

6/5/2020

0 Comments

The Old Fisherman

Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to outpatients at the clinic. One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my eight-year-old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face-lopsided from swelling, red and raw. Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, “Good evening. I’ve come to see if you’ve a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ’til morning.”

He told me he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. “I guess it’s my face . . . I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments . . .”

For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me: “I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.”

I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. “No thank you. I have plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag.

When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It didn’t take long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury.

He didn’t tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was preface with a thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going. At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, “Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won’t put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.” He paused a moment and then added, “Your children made me feel at home.

Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him he was welcome to come again. And on his next trip he arrived a little after seven in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen. He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they’d be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4:00 a.m. and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us.

In the years he came to stay overnight with us there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery; fish and oysters packed in a box of fresh young spinach or kale, every leaf carefully washed. Knowing that he must walk three miles to mail these, and knowing how little money he had made the gifts doubly precious. When I received these little remembrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made after he left that first morning. “Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!”

Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illness’ would have been easier to bear. I know our family always will be grateful to have known him; from him we learned what it was to accept the bad without complaint and the good with gratitude to God.

Recently I was visiting a friend who has a greenhouse, As she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, “If this were my plant, I’d put it in the loveliest container I had!”

My friend changed my mind. “I ran short of pots,” she explained, “and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting out in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, till I can put it out in the garden.”

She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. “He won’t mind starting in this small body.” All this happened long ago - and now, in God’s garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand.

by Mary Bartels

0 Comments

The Giveaway

3/9/2020

0 Comments

The Giveaway

Saint Brigid was
     A problem child.
Although a lass
     Demure and mild,
And one who strove
     To please her dad,
Saint Brigid drove
     The family mad.
For here’s the fault in Brigid lay:
     She would give everything away.

To any soul
     Whose luck was out
She’d give her bowl
     Of stirabout;
She’d give her shawl,
     Divide her purse
With one or all.
     And what was worse,
When she ran out of things to give
     She’d borrow from a relative.

Her father’s gold,
     Her grandsire’s dinner,
She’d hand to cold
     And hungry sinner;
Give wine, give meat,
     No matter whose;
Take from her feet
     The very shoes,
And when her shoes had gone to others,
     Fetch forth her sister’s and her mother’s.

She could not quit.
     She had to share;
Gave bit by bit
     The silverware,
The barnyard geese,
     The parlor rug,
Her little
     Niece’s christening mug,
Even her bed to those in want,
     And then the mattress of her aunt.

An easy touch
     For poor and lowly,
She gave so much
     And grew so holy
That when she died
     Of years and fame,
The countryside
     Put on her name,
And still the Isles of Erin fidget
     With generous girls named Bride or Brigid.

Well, one must love her.
     Nonetheless,
In thinking of her
     Givingness,
There’s no denial
     She must have been
A sort of trial
     Unto her kin.
The moral, too, seems rather quaint.
     Who had the patience of a saint,
From evidence presented here?
     Saint Brigid? Or her near and dear?

by Phyllis McGinley: “The Love Letters of Phyllis McGinley” (1954)

Note: The subject of the poem is Bridget of Kildare (C.E. 450 - C.E. 523), a Christian lass doing the Lord’s work among the Druids in Ireland.

Phyllis McGinley was born on 21 March 1905 in Ontario, Oregon, United States of America. She became writer of children’s books and a poet. Her works include “Glass Houses” (1946), “A Short Walk from the Station (1951), and “The Love Letters of Phyllis McGinley” (1954). Phyllis McGinley passed on at 72 years of age on 22 February 1978 in New York City, New York, United States of America.

0 Comments

Prayer

2/23/2020

0 Comments

Prayer

Prayer is the dew of faith,
     Its raindrop, night and day,
That guards its vital power from death
     When cherished hopes decay,
And keeps it mid this changeful scene,
     A bright, perennial evergreen.

Good works, of faith the fruit,
     Should ripen year by year,
Of health and soundness at the root
     And evidence sincere.
Dear Savior, grant thy blessing free
     And make our faith no barren tree.

by Lydia H. Sigourney

Lydia Howard Huntley Sigourney was born on 1 September 1791 in Norwich, Connecticut, United States of America. She ran a school for girls and young ladies, and wrote 59 books of poetry and prose and more than 2,000 articles for periodicals. Lydia Howard Huntley Sigourney passed on at 73 years of age on 10 June 1865 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America.

0 Comments

Policeman’s Prayer

2/1/2020

0 Comments

Policeman’s Prayer

Lord, I ask for courage, courage to face and conquer my own fears, courage to take me where others will not go. I ask for strength, strength of body to protect others, strength of spirit to lead others. I ask for dedication, dedication to my job to do it well, dedication to my community to keep it safe. Give me, Lord, concern, concern for all those who entrust me, and compassion for those who need me, and please, Lord, through it all, be at my side.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

When I Read the Bible Through

1/27/2020

2 Comments

When I Read the Bible Through

I supposed I knew my Bible
     Reading piecemeal, hit and miss,
Now a bit of John or Matthew,
     Now a snatch of Genesis,
Certain chapters of Isaiah
     Certain Psalms (the twenty-third!);
Twelfth of Romans, First of Proverbs -
     Yes, I thought I knew the Word!
But I found that thorough reading
     Was a different thing to do,
And the way was unfamiliar
     When I read the Bible through.

Oh, the massive, mighty volume!
     Oh, the treasures manifold!
Oh, the beauty of the wisdom
     And the grace it proved to hold!
As the story of the Hebrews
     Swept in majesty along,
As it leaped in waves prophetic,
     As it burst to sacred song,
As it gleamed with Christly omens,
     The Old Testament was new,
Strong with cumulative power,
     When I read the Bible through.

Ah! Imperial Jeremiah,
     With his keen, coruscant mind;
And the blunt old Nehemiah,
     And Ezekiel refined!
Newly came the Minor Prophets
     Each with his distinctive robe,
Newly came the Song idyllic,
     And the tragedy of Job;
Deuteronomy, the regal,
     To a towering mountain grew,
With its comrade peaks around it,
     When I read the Bible through.

What a radiant procession
     As the pages rise and fall,
James the sturdy, John the tender
     O the myriad-minded Paul!
Vast apocalyptic glories
     Wheel and thunder, flash and flame,
While the church triumphant raises
     One incomparable Name.
Ah, the story of the Saviour
     Never glows supremely true
Till you read it whole and swiftly,
     Till you read the Bible through.

You who like to play at Bible,
     Dip and dabble, here and there,
Just before you kneel, aweary,
     And yawn thro’ a hurried prayer;
You who treat the Crown of Writings
     As you treat no other book -
Just a paragraph disjointed,
     Just a crude, impatient look -
Try a worthier procedure,
     Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in very rapture
     When you read the Bible through!

by Amos R. Wells

Amos Russel Wells was born on 23 December 1862 in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, United States of America. He became a college professor, an editor, a poet, and a writer. Amos Russel Wells passed on at 70 years of age on 6 March 1933 in Newton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America.

2 Comments

Prayer

1/26/2020

1 Comment

Prayer

I know not by what methods rare,
     But this I know, God answers prayer.
I know that He has given His Word,
     Which tells me prayer is always heard
And will be answered, soon or late.
     And so I pray and calmly wait.

I know not if the blessing sought
     Will come in just the way I thought;
But leave my prayers with Him alone,
     Whose will is wiser than my own,
Assured that He will grant my quest,
     Or send some answer far more blest.

by Eliza M. Hickok: as published in James Gilchrist Lawson, editor: “Best Loved Religious Poems” (1933), page 160

Eliza M. Hickok was a minister in the Universalist Unitarian Church, a poet, a hymnist, and the author of the book, “Star Gleams” (1 January 1882).

1 Comment

God Speak to Me

1/25/2020

0 Comments

God Speak to Me

The man whispered,
     “God, speak to me.”
And a meadowlark sang.
     But, the man did not hear.

Then the man yelled,
      “God, speak to me.”
Thunder rolled across the sky.
     But, the man did not listen

The man looked around and said,
      “God, let me see you.”
And the stars shined brightly.
     But the man did not notice

And, the man shouted,
      “God, show me a miracle.”
And, a life was born.
     But the man did not know.

So, the man cried out in despair,
      “Touch me God, and let me know you are here.”
Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man.
     But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

So remember,
     Don’t miss out on a blessing because it
Isn’t packaged the way that you expect.
     Take notice of the blessings around you.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

Everything That You Need

1/21/2020

0 Comments

Everything That You Need

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, He is God and Messiah.

In the spirit-filled book of Acts, He is the reigning fire from Heaven.

In Romans, He is the grace of God.

Corinthians, the Power of Love.

Galatians, Freedom from the curse of sin.

Ephesians, our Glorious Treasure.

Philippians, the Servant’s Heart.

Colossians, He is God and the Trinity.

Thessalonians, our calling King.

In Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, He is our mediator and our faithful pastor.

In Hebrews, the Everlasting Courage.

In James, the One who heals the sick.

In 1st and 2nd Peter, our Faithful Shepherd.

In John and Jude, He is the bridegroom coming to his bride.

And in the Revelation, in the very end, when it’s all over, said and done, when time is no more, He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Lamb of God, The Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, God and Savior.

He is Jesus Christ the Lord.

He is everything that you need.

by Author Unknown

0 Comments

<<Previous

Today is going to be an absolutely fantastic day! You are now on the Christian Faith Page with a wide column on the left for the articles and a narrow column on the right for features such as links to more than 70 other pages. Continue down this page for more Make Fun Of Life!

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘May The Good Lord Guide You And Protect You - Christian,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of dancing letter characters spelling the words, ‘HELLO WORLD.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘In The Beginning God Created The Heavens And The Earth,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘All Things Work Together For The Glory Of God,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

The words, ‘Believe You Can,’ over a background of a star-filled night sky, the words, ‘Make It Happen,’ over a background of green leaves on a tree, the words, ‘Learn Every Day,’ over a background of the rippling surface of blue water, the words, Enjoy Your Life,’ over a background of a blue sky with fluffy white clouds, and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Jesus Follower,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Christian Business,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of dancing letter characters spelling the word, ‘WELCOME.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Assistant Pastor,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘I Learned How To Be A Professional Speaker From Serving In My Church,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a Christian Cross and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Christian Daycare,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Heaven Bound,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of happy smiling Sun and thick clouds, and the words, ‘Welcome One And All! You Have Arrived On www.MakeFunOfLife.net Where The Sun Shines With Bright Optimism Even From Behind The Darkest clouds.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Missionary,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘I Learned How To Be A Leader From Serving In My Church,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Youth Minister,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘The Holidays Are Holy Days,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of gold-colored musical notes positioned just above the music or audio controls including the on button and the off button.

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Minister,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘The People You Meet In Church Will Be Your Forever Friends,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Evangelical,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘God Creates Miracles Like You And Me,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Pastor,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘I Learned My People Skills From Serving In My Church,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Sunday School Teacher,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Christian Singles Bible Study Group,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Further fantastically fascinating frivolity and factuality awaits you on www.MakeFunOfLife.net when you click or tap on the colorful pictures that follow below on this page.

Click or tap here to visit the Activities Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Adulthood Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Adventure Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Alphabet Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Americana Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Animals Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Arbor Day Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Beaumont's Bits Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Being Human Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Biography Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Birthdays Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Child Abuse Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Childhood Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Christian Faith Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Christian Quotations Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Christmas Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Colors Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Correspondence Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Disability Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Easter Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Elocution Page.

Click or tap here to visit the English Grammar Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Essays Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Everyday Inspiration Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Fairy Tales Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Fake News Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Family Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Foods Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Free Pictures Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Friendship Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Generations Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Geography Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Groundhog Day Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Halloween Page.

Click or tap here to visit the History Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Holidays Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Horror Page.

Click or tap here to visit the In Memory Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Inspiration Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Learning Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Library Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Life Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Limericks Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Marriage Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Nature Page.

Click or tap here to visit the New Year's Day Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Nonsense Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Numbers Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Nursery Rhymes Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Parenting Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Personal Development Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Physical Fitness Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Picture Jokes Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Picture Quotations Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Plants Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Printables Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Quotation Collections Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Quotations Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Seasons Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Serious Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Serious Poems Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Serious Topics Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Silly Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Silly Songs Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Sleep Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Moral Conduct Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Society Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Stories with Morals Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Time Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Thanksgiving Day Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Valentine's Day Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Weather Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Website Index Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Website Information Page.

Click or tap here to visit the Work Page.

Click or tap here to visit the World Page.

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Thank God,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Chaplain,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Mid-Week Bible Study,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Church Fundraiser,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Christian School,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Church Elder,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Picture of a white t-shirt printed with the words, ‘Christian College,’ and the words, ‘Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Do you need a joke, quotation, riddle, poem, or paragraph on a certain subject? Travel to the search box found at the top right corner of this page and type in the words. We have a surprisingly large variety of material, and we add new material regularly, so you may find what you are seeking. Visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.

The fully searchable King James Bible with Apocrypha is online, along with Bible trivia, Bible dictionary, discussion community, and much more. Simply click on King James Bible.

We can be right there with you, at home or wherever you go, on a desktop, laptop, tablet, cell phone, or other internet connected device. Bookmark us and visit whenever you can. We regularly add new articles just for you! Visit www.MakeFunOf Life.net.

When you reach the bottom of this page simply click or tap on either Previous or Forward to see even more Make Fun Of Life!

Welcome! You are now on Make Fun Of Life! a website on which learning, inspiration, and humor are back together again, as they were always meant to be!

Dedicated to the Glory of God, The Cyber Hymnal™ has more than 14,000 Christian hymns and Gospel songs of many denominations and in many languages, with lyrics, sheet music, audio, biographies, pictures, history, and more. A searchable website with free downloads. Click on The Cyber Hymnal.

Picture of bubbles with the words, ‘Be Inspired when you visit www.MakeFunOfLife.net.’

Welcome to the Make Fun Of Life! Website. We are here to bring a little happiness to the world. Would you like to be among the first people to see new articles when they appear on the website? Click on the social media buttons on the left side of your screen and then follow us. We wish you the very best imaginable day, and thank you for visiting!

Picture of green leaves surrounding the words, ‘Smile Often, Think Positively, Give Thanks.’

Silhouette of a family standing together and the word ‘Welcome.’