THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON YOU AND BE GRACIOUS TO YOU; 

THE LORD TURN HIS FACE TOWARD YOU AND GIVE YOU PEACE!

                        ( NUMBERS 6:24-26 *NIV )

Often when we count our blessings we forget many of them. 

So today I will share a few with you that we never think about.

                           If you woke up this morning

                           with more health than illness,

                           you are more blessed than the

                           million who won't survive the week.

                           If you have never experienced

                           the danger of battle,

                           the loneliness of imprisonment,

                           the agony of torture or

                           the pangs of starvation,

                           you are ahead of 20 million people

                           around the world.

                           If you can attend a church meeting

                           without fear of harassment,

                           arrest, torture, or death,

                           you are more blessed than almost

                           three billion people in the world.

                           If you have food in your refrigerator,

                           clothes on your back, a roof over

                           your head and a place to sleep,

                           you are richer than 75% of this world.

                           If you have money in the bank,

                           in your wallet, and spare change

                           in a dish someplace, you are among

                           the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

                           If your parents are still married and alive,

                           you are very rare, especially in this World

                           today.

                           If you hold up your head with a smile

                           on your face and are truly thankful,

                           you are blessed because the majority can,

                           but most do not.

                          If you can hold someone's hand, hug them

                          or even touch them on the shoulder,

                          you are blessed because you can

                          offer God's healing touch.

                          If you can read this message,

                          you are more blessed than over

                          two billion people in the world

                          that cannot read anything at all.

                          You are so blessed in ways

                          you may never even know.

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD: 

HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER.   Amen.

   ( PSALM 118:29 )

The Soul With Sunny Heart

God bless the soul with sunny heart

Who brightens up each day

By spreading seeds of cheerfulness

While traveling on life's way.

God bless him for the stars of hope

He sets in each one's sky;

For the encouragement he gives

That causes folk to try...

With stronger faith to press ahead,

With courage for a mate,

And reach for goals, and build anew,

And smile and challenge fate.

God bless his laughter and his song

That drives dark clouds away

From troubled minds, and paints instead

A rosy-tinted day.

God bless the soul with sunny heart

Who's found in life his place,

And serves his God and fellow man

With humble, gentle grace.

The world has need of such a man

Who lifts the heart from gloom,

And in life's barren places plants

Sweet flowers of love to bloom.

He may serve as some men serve

With fame or high degree...

But his good deeds will ever shine

Throughout eternity.

Beverly J. Anderson

LET ALL THOSE REJOICE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU;

LET THEM EVER SHOUT FOR JOY. 

BECAUSE YOU DEFEND THEM; 

LET THOSE ALSO WHO LOVE YOUR NAME BE  JOYFUL IN YOU.

                                  ( Psalm 5:11 *NKJV )

                                         The Secret

     One day, one friend asked another, 

"How is it that you are always so happy?  

You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down."

     With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"

   "What secret is that?" To which she replied, 

"I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."

     "The Secret is this: 

"I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy.  

I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs.  

When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.".

 "I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do.  

He has never let me down.  Since I learned that 'Secret', I am happy."

     The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!"  

But upon reflecting over his own life he recalled how he thought a bigger house would 

make him happy, but it didn't!

He thought a better paying job would make him happy, but it hadn't.

 When did he realize his greatest happiness?  Sitting on the floor with his grandchildren, 

playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God.

We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.

Trust HIM!  And now I pass the Secret on to you!