If I Knew

by Norma Cornett Marek
If I knew it would be the last time
that I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
And we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Thank you,"
"Please forgive me," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

Keep Your Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order," she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wished. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in .
Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman something very important to her.
"there's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply.
"This is very important," the young woman continued.
"I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."
The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.
The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from there on out, I have always done so. I have also, always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!
So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?"
Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork the best is yet to come." The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye.
He know this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven that he did.
She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something that something better was coming.
At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand.
Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled.
During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.
The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be about to stop thinking about it either.
He was right.
So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you ever so gently that the best is yet to come.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

A Good Day

"What Kind of Day Shall I Have?"

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the day ends.
I have responsibilities to fulfill today. I am important.
My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or ...
I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I don't have more money or
I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan
my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health or
I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents didn't give me
when I was growing up or ...
I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns or ...
I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends or ...
I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work or ...
I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school or ...
I can eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework or ...
I can feel honored because Life has provided shelter for my mind, body, and soul.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the
sculptor who gets to do the shaping.

What today will be like is up to me

Have a GREAT DAY ... unless you have other plans
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Missing Day

Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true? Mr Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore Maryland and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
I think one of the most amazing things that God has for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland. They were checking the position of the sun, moon, and planets out in space where they would be 100 years and 1000 years from now.
We have to know this so we won't send a satellite, up and have it bump into something later on its orbits. We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite, and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down. They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong either with the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out and they said "what's wrong ?" Well they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time. They scratched their heads and tore their hair. There was no answer. Finally, a Christian man on the team said, "You know, one time I was in Sunday School and they talked about the sun standing still."
While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, "Show us". He got a Bible and went back to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with "common sense."
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua ,"Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee." Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy and if darkness fell they would overpower them.
So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right--"The sun stood still and the moon stayed---and hasted not to go down about a whole day!" The astronauts and scientists said, "There is the missing day!"
They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes--not a whole day.
They read the Bible and there it was "about (approximately) a day" These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes you'll still be in trouble 1,000 years from now. Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings: Hezekiah, on his death-bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die.
Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said "Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees?" Hezekiah said "It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degrees.." Isaiah spoke to the Lord and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes! Twenty three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe!
References:
Joshua 10:8 and 12,13
2 Kings 20:9-11
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.
The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. on the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.
"We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the > auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Take the son? Another voice shouted angrily. "we didn't come to see this painting.. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting. "Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son, They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.
"Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!"
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
--author unknown
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

The Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.
The young man held out his package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. on the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel.
"We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the > auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Take the son? Another voice shouted angrily. "we didn't come to see this painting.. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long time gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting. "Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son, They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel.
"Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted. "Now let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!"
God gave his son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
--author unknown
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

A Prayer Principle

Jesus modeled and taught a praying lifestyle.

In Luke 11, Jesus responds to the disciples request to "teach us how to pray." To go the Jesus way, it is imperative that you learn His powerful prayer lessons and live them out each day.

The essence of Jesus' prayer perspective is rooted in His comparison of our Heavenly Father to a good earthly father. The Lord teaches in Luke 11: 11, "Which of you fathers, if your son asked for a fish would give him a snake instead? If then, you who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

When God hears our prayers, He responds like a good Dad. But our Heavenly Father has the advantage of being all knowing and totally wise. Additionally, He loves His child and wants the ultimate best for them, not temporary entertainment. Therefore, no matter how good our cause, we cannot change God's mind or prompt Him to act outside of His plan. Let me give you a simple example.

Imagine that my daughter Alex, who is 15, comes to me and requests $300 to buy a 9mm pistol because she wants to take it to school as a protective measure. Regardless of her pleas for purchasing the pistol, I will say no to this request because it is inappropriate and could be harmful to her. Let's extend the analogy another step. Imagine Alex said, "Dad, I need $300 to buy some college textbooks. Even though I am only in 10th grade, I want to start preparing for my college career by studying molecular chemistry and quantum physics." I would lovingly express appreciation for Alex's thirst for knowledge, but explain to her that she is a 10th grader and it is important for her to enjoy her high school days. Therefore, I will not grant her request to provide money to purchase college textbooks. Lastly, imagine that Alex comes to me and says, "Dad, we're going on a youth

retreat and I need $300 for my fees and to bring an un-churched friend. Could you help me out?" With a sense of joy and delight, I would provide the cash because Alex has made a worthy request that needs fulfilling.

My friend, you may be assured that prayer is a powerful tool. We see unbelievers saved, the sick healed, and evil defeated. The Lord changes things everyday through our prayers. Furthermore, we have an opportunity to participate through His work as we talk with Him and obediently choose to serve His purposes.

Let me urge you to become a person of consistent prayer who trusts your Heavenly Father to wisely fill your requests in a way that helps you, expands His kingdom and glorifies His holy name.
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com