Grac*e-mail for 05/03/10 got grace?

Grac*e-mail for 05/03/10
got grace?

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, I hope you enjoy this "Special Edition."

Now… a shout out to my Mom. Vera Bright, who will be in the hospital on Mother's Day.  I LOVE YOU!

John()_:-) Every time you see this angel, remember that God loves you!
johnlynnbright@gmail.com

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Eph 6:1-3

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

NKJV

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A Mother's Prayer
By: Marguerite Kelly

Help me give my children the best--not of trappings or toys, but of myself, cherishing them on good days and bad, theirs and mine.

Teach me to accept them for who they are, not for what they do; to listen to what they say, if only so they will listen to me; to encourage their goals, not mine; and please, let me laugh with them and be silly.

Let me give them a home where respect is the cornerstone, integrity the foundation, and there is enough happiness to raise the roof.

May I give them the courage to be true to themselves; the independence to take care of themselves and the faith to believe in a power much greater than their own.

See that I discipline my children without demeaning them, demand good manners without forgetting my own and let them know they have limitless love, no matter what they do.

Let me feed them properly, clothe them adequately and have enough to give them small allowances -- not for the work they do but the pleasure they bring -- and let me be moderate in all these things, so the joy of getting will help them discover the joy of giving.

See that their responsibilities are real but not burdensome, that my expectations are high but not overwhelming and that my thanks and praise are thoughtful and given when they're due.

Help me teach them that excellence is work's real reward, and not the glory it brings. But when it comes -- and it will -- let me revel in each honor, however small, without once pretending that it's mine; my children are glories enough.

Above all, let me ground these children so well that I can dare to let them go.  And may they be so blessed.

Amen!

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Grac*e-mail now has a page on Facebook… so send your friends an invitation to enjoy!

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Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby.... Somebody doesn't know that once you're a Mother, 'normal'  is history.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first....
Somebody doesn't have two or more children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a Mother is labor and delivery....
Somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten...
Or on a plane headed for military boot camp.

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married....
Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a Mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a Mother's job is done when her last child leaves home....
Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your Mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her.... Somebody isn't a Mother.

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Haha…

I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that. 

"Why?" my daughter asked. 

"Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied. 

At this point, she looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Wow! Howdo you know all this stuff?"

I was thinking quickly.  "All moms know this stuff.  It's on the Mommy Test.  You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mommy." 

We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. "OH...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the daddy." 

"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face.

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Still looking for a gift?  Consider supporting a pro-life group as a way to honor your mother this year.  The Students For Live of America support over 500 pro-life student groups.  To raise funds they are offering the following…

http://www.studentsforlife.org/index.php/mothers-day-lifegram/

Mother's Day LifeGram

NEED A MOTHER'S DAY GIFT?

Yes you do! And Mother's Day is quickly approaching (May 9th).

What better way to honor the moms in your life than by thanking her for giving life and giving her a chance to save the lives of others?

This Mother's Day, SFLA is offering "LifeGrams." For just $10, you can make a donation to SFLA's life-saving work in the name of your mother, daughter, grandmother, wife,etc!

SFLA will send her a beautiful "Happy Mother's Day" postcard telling her that you've honored her in a special way for this Mother's Day. We guarantee she will LOVE it!

To get a LifeGram, please (go to the link above). All LifeGrams will be mailed on May 4, 2010.

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Lincoln's Mother
The life of Abraham Lincoln was shaped by his godly mother. When Lincoln was but nine years of age, he promised his mother on her deathbed that he would never use alcohol or tobacco. That promise was never broken. Had it not been for Lincoln's mother, and the promise he then made to her, probably nothing would have ever been heard of the man.
Lincoln's mother taught him the meaning of prayer. She wisely encouraged him in the reading of the Bible and helped him to memorize many of its inspiring passages. The following story, told by his friend, Captain Gilbert J. Greene, illustrates how well he used this knowledge in later years:
"One day, while practicing law in Springfield, Mr. Lincoln said to me, 'Gilbert, there is a woman dangerously ill about fifteen miles in the country who has sent for me to come and write her will. I should like to have you go with me.' I cheerfully accepted the invitation. When we arrived we could see that the woman had but a few hours to live. After the will had been written, witnessed, and signed, the dying woman said to Mr. Lincoln, 'Now, I have my affairs of this world in order, and I have also made preparation for the life to come, I do not fear death.'
"Mr. Lincoln replied, 'Your faith is wise and strong. Your hope of a future life is a blessed one.' She asked him then if he would read a few verses from the Bible. They offered him the Book, but he laid it aside and began reciting from memory the twenty-third Psalm. Then he quoted the first part of the fourteenth chapter of John, 'In My Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.'
"After he had given these and other quotations from the Bible, he recited several hymns, closing with 'Rock of Ages, cleft for me.' A little later the woman passed away. As we rode home in the buggy, I expressed surprise that he should have acted as pastor as well as attorney so perfectly, and he replied, 'God and eternity were very near us today.' "
Lincoln declared, "All that I have, all that I am, I owe to my mother." His mother taught him lessons of patience and integrity.
By D. H. Kress
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Thanks to Ellen Booth for this story that should put a smile on your face!
We had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died.
Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and  nothing ever bothered him.  He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.
Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old.  The middle one is Eli.  Eli really loves chapstick.  LOVES it.  He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it.  So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.
Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on.  My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box.  I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.
We finally have the older one and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli.  I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom.  And there was Eli.  He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end.  Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped."  Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped.  And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind.
And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.
And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.
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Got this from the "Pearls" mailing list.  To receive, just sent Larry Burrows a request at larryb1939@sbcglobal.net

Breathed longings of wonder and adoration seem always underneath and in the background of everything -- a little like a tune that we suddenly realize we have been humming all day long.          --Richard J. Foster

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Prov 31:10-31

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all."
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

NKJV

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Send good stories and clean funnies to: johnlynnbright@gmail.com

NOTE - All material contained in this mailing is shared as received and is believed, by me, to be anonymous... unless credit is given. Please contact me at the address above if you know the author of any material so that I may give credit where credit is due. Thanks!

Grace & peace - 
John A. Bright
Pastor, Walmsley Boulevard UMC in Richmond, Virginia
johnlynnbright@gmail.com
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..."