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THE POLICEMAN STOOD AND FACED HIS GOD,
WHICH MUST ALWAYS COME TO PASS.
HE HOPED HIS SHOES WERE SHINING,
JUST AS BRIGHTLY AS HIS BRASS.

"STEP FORWARD NOW, POLICEMAN.
HOW SHALL I DEAL WITH YOU?
HAVE YOU ALWAYS TURNED THE OTHER CHEEK?
TO MY CHURCH HAVE YOU BEEN TRUE?"

THE POLICEMAN SQUARED HIS SHOULDERS AND SAID:

"NO LORD, I GUESS I AIN'T,
BECAUSE THOSE OF US THAT CARRY BADGES
CAN'T ALWAYS BE A SAINT.
I'VE HAD TO WORK MOST SUNDAYS,
AND AT TIMES MY TALK WAS ROUGH,
AND SOMETIMES I'VE BEEN VIOLENT,
BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE AWFULLY TOUGH.
BUT I NEVER TOOK A PENNY,
THAT WASN'T MINE TO KEEP.
THOUGH I WORKED A LOT OF OVERTIME
WHEN THE BILLS JUST GOT TOO STEEP.
AND I NEVER PASSED A CRY FOR HELP,
THOUGH AT TIMES I SHOOK WITH FEAR.
AND SOMETIMES GOD, FORGIVE ME,
BUT I'VE WEPT UNMANLY TEARS.
I KNOW I DON'T DESERVE A PLACE
AMONG THE PEOPLE HERE.
THEY NEVER WANTED ME AROUND
EXCEPT TO CALM THEIR FEAR.
IF YOU'VE A PLACE FOR ME HERE,
LORD IT NEEDN'T BE SO GRAND,
I NEVER EXPECTED OR HAD MUCH
BUT IF YOU DON'T I'LL UNDERSTAND."

THERE WAS SILENCE ALL AROUND THE THRONE
WHERE THE SAINTS HAD OFTEN TROD,
AS THE POLICEMAN WAITED QUIETLY
FOR THE JUDGEMENT OF HIS GOD.

"STEP FORWARD NOW, POLICEMAN.
YOU'VE BORNE YOUR BURDENS WELL.
COME WALK A BEAT ON HEAVENS STREETS
YOU'VE DONE YOUR TIME IN HELL."
--AUTHOR UNKNOWN--

Written by Message from Jesus Monday, 01 December 2014

I have a special gift for you—one that’s different from anything you’ve ever received from anyone else. It can’t be bought or sold in any store, but I give it freely to everyone I can. It will never get old, never break down or wear out, and you can never outgrow it. No one can take it from you, and it will last forever. You can take it with you wherever you go and enjoy it anytime, all the time. It never changes and will never cease to surprise and amaze you. You can share it all you want, and there will always be plenty to go around. In fact, the more you share it, the more you’ll have.

This gift is the promise of My presence. I want to be nearer and dearer to you than any earthly friend or lover can be, and I have so much to give—more than enough to fill every day from now through eternity.

My love is true, unfailing, and unconditional, the kind of love you’ve wanted and waited for all your life. My love is the richest, fullest form of love there is, and the happiness it brings is out of this world. It’s not a fleeting happiness, but deep, abiding happiness in all of its many hues and tones—joy, comfort, contentment, peace, stability, security, positiveness, delight … And I’ll always be with you to share in the good times and help you through the tough ones.—Jesus



Activated TFI

everyone here a joyous Christmas & Happiest of New Years..expressing wonder for such amazing group of people...worldwide...who blend their thoughts and lives here at Connecting Singles. Maybe 2015 will bring to each something special for the heart.:

Jesus is the reason for the season:)

There are so many members wishing us blessings this Christmas holiday that I will answer all of you here in this blog!

For all those that do not follow a religion I wish you Happy Holidays.

For those that are believers: Have a Blessed Happy Birthday Jesus Day!

For those that don't care: Have a safe holiday in whatever you do!

Thanks to all that gave us holiday greetings!!!

God bless ALL of us!

BY MARIA FONTAINE

Happy Christmas! Today we commemorate the special event and the special love that binds together all Christians worldwide in a common purpose and fellowship. The meaning of this day extends throughout the year as we joyfully proclaim the birth of Jesus, as well as His life, His death, and His resurrection.

At Christmas we celebrate the gift of God's love for all humankind--a love that can be expressed in every language and shared by all people.--A love that came into this world in the form of a child born into humility, with a heart of mercy and compassion, and a life given for all people.

One of the most wonderful things about Christmas is its unique ability to bridge many cultures, mores, social statuses, races, and creeds. As one author wrote,

The world is large and complex, and sometimes there seems to be no sacred ground. But in tent and palace, in adobe hut and castle, in prison and under lighted trees throughout the world, the language of Christmas still brings peace to the heart of man.

God's love has the power to unite people of all races and cultures and strata of society, and to bring about harmony between diverse peoples. Christmas isn't about one tradition, or one people. The Christ child lives in the hearts of all who accept Him. He has become all things to all people. What immense power has been generated by that tiny babe who was laid in a manger in a tiny country, in this world that is so small in comparison to the vastness of our universe.

Wherever you are in the world, whatever your circumstances, your hopes, or your sorrows, may the joy of Christmas fill your life on this day and throughout the New Year. May God bless you today and always with His eternal love--the most beautiful gift ever given to humankind.

On behalf of the Family International, we wish you and your loved ones a truly joyous Christmas.


The Family International

Posted by Margaret Manning Shull on January 1, 2013

The floor contains the remnants of torn wrappings, boxes, and bows. The stockings hang lifeless from the mantel, empty of all their contents. Leftovers are all that are left of holiday feasting. Wallets are empty and feelings of buyer’s remorse begin to descend and suffocate. On the morning after Christmas, thus begins the season of let down.

It’s not a surprise really. For many in the West, the entire focus of the Christmas season is on gift-giving, holiday parties, and family gatherings, all of which are fine in and of themselves. But these things often become the centerpiece of the season. Marketers and advertisers ensure that this is so and prime the buying-pump with ads and sales for Christmas shopping long before December. Once November ends, the rush for consumers is on, and multitudinous festivities lead to a near fever pitch. And then, very suddenly, it is all over.

In an ironic twist of history, Christmas day became the end point, the full stop of the Christmas season. But in the ancient Christian tradition, Christmas day was only the beginning of the Christmas season. The oft-sung carol The Twelve Days of Christmas was not simply a song sung, but a lived reality of the Christmas celebration.(1) In the traditional celebrations, the somber anticipation of Advent—waiting for God to act—flowed into the celebration of the Incarnation that began on Christmas day and culminated on “twelfth night”—the Feast of Epiphany.

For twelve days following Christmas, Christians celebrated the “Word made flesh” dwelling among them. The ancient feasts that followed Christmas day all focused on the mystery of the Incarnation worked out in the life of the believers. Martyrs, evangelists, and ordinary people living out the call of faith are all celebrated during these twelve days.

Far from being simply an alternative to the way in which Christmas is currently celebrated or an antidote to post-Christmas ‘let down,’ understanding the early history and traditions of Christian celebrations can reunite the world with the true focal point of the Christmas season. “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory…and of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:14-16). Far more than giving gifts or holiday feasts, the joy of Christmas is that God came near to us in Jesus Christ. The Incarnation affirms that matter matters as God descends to us and adopts a dwelling made of human flesh. Far from a let down, we have the opportunity to be lifted up and united to God through Jesus Christ.

A simple poem by Madeline Morse captures the calling of the twelve days of Christmas:

Let Christmas not become a thing
Merely of merchant’s trafficking,
Of tinsel, bell, and holly wreath
And surface pleasure, but beneath
The childish glamour, let us find
Nourishment for heart and mind.
Let us follow kinder ways
Through our teeming human maze,
And help the age of peace to come.(2)

Living out the mystery of the Incarnation is a daily celebration. The celebration began on Christmas Day.

Margaret Manning is a member of the speaking and writing team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Seattle, Washington.


(1) Edwin and Jennifer Woodruff Tait, “The Real Twelve Days of Christmas,” Christianity Today, August 8, 2008.

(2) Madeline Morse from the compiled readings by Rebecca Currington, Remember the Reason: Focusing on Christ at Christmas (Honor Books: Colorado Springs, CO, 2007), 7.

By Amanda White 01/14

The other day I was listening to a Christian radio program on the way to the gym. Each day they ask a question for their listeners to respond to, either via phone or their Facebook page, and the topic that day was: “What do you look forward to?” The answers that listeners were sending in were simple, yet refreshing.

For example, one woman said she looked forward to having a cup of tea at night once her children were in bed. It got me thinking about the simple things in life. Essentially, that’s what we all generally look forward to—the little things. A hug after a long day. A cup of something hot in the morning. The sun shining again after a rainy patch, enabling us to finally hang our laundry. A comfortable bed to slide into at night. A refreshing shower. A freshly mowed lawn. A meal out.

I like to see these small things as being as much a part of God’s love for me as the bigger gifts He sometimes sends my way. As Robert Louis Stevenson put it: “The best things in life are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.”

Sure, sometimes we look forward to big and exciting things, like an upcoming vacation. But more often than not, it’s the simple day-to-day things that bring us joy and put a smile on our face. I’m reminding myself that I need to think more about those things, appreciate them more, as they get so easily lost amidst the craziness of life. It’s not a new realization by any means. It’s just one of those principles of life and happiness that easily fade out of focus when so many bigger and more stressful things are obstructing my view or weighing me down.

I decided to start small. I took that woman’s advice on the radio. I set aside a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea that night after the kids were in bed, and I enjoyed every sip!

I’m on a journey to find simplicity in my spiritual walk as well. The simple things in life make me happy. Perhaps my simple things will make God happy too?


Amanda White is an office administrator in Sydney, Australia. ¦
**
The Heavens Declare the Glory of God

…Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.… Psalm 19:6-8 NASB



Activated TFI

Grace has the capacity to transcend even our darkest of spaces. It is a sudden miracle, basked in the light of loving-kindness. And, grace has the capacity to heal. "These moments of grace," author Mary Traina writes, "teach us that there is always more to life than we can imagine."

Written by Victoria Olivetta 02/14

In the romantic movies I watched while growing up, the whole universe seemed to pause when Mr. Right met Miss Right. From then on, apparently the only things they required for survival were doses of staring into each other’s eyes and embracing, preferably in some dreamy exotic locale.

Like many others, I believed this was a true picture of falling in love. But real life doesn’t work like that. I never found that perfect “Mr. Right”—at least not the Hollywood variety—but I did meet my own movie star.

My husband is not a particularly romantic person. He has never showed up on a white horse with a red rose in hand, declaring that I will be his princess forever; he doesn’t pull me outside to gaze at the full moon together; and he hasn’t written me reams of poetry. But he’s upheld me through the dark times, remained by me when I’ve been sick, and survived my mood swings without complaint.

We’re different and know that we need each other. When I’m discouraged, my husband prays for me.1 When I fall asleep on the couch while we’re watching TV, he lowers the volume until I wake up and go to bed. If things get rough, we pray together for divine direction. When we arrive at a solution, we thank God together.

As I’m writing this, he’s gone out—in the rain—to buy what we need to make lunch.

No, he’s not a movie star, but I think he deserves a prize! He is a genuine guy who has proven he’ll stay at my side on sunny or rainy days, for better or for worse. He loves God, me, and our children—and for me, this is the best love story ever told.

Thank God He let Mr. Right come my way. He’s the star of my life’s movie.
* * *
There is no more lovely, friendly, or charming relationship, communion, or company than a good marriage.—Martin Luther (1483–1546)

A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love.—Pearl Buck (1892–1973)
**
THE SECRET OF CALM AND PEACE AND REST AND PATIENCE AND LOVE IS RESTING IN THE LORD!

"Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light". Matthew 11:28-30

Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom

…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might… Ephesians 1:17-19 NASB


Activated TFI

How many times how you heard, or even told someone “I love you?”, but deep down you really didn't mean it? The word “love” is so often misused, abused, and used as a meaningless manipulative cliche to accomplish many things; the good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent. It is used to satisfy the selfish person who is without meaning toward self-gratification, and the selfless person with worth and meaning from the heart in many ways.

Good healthy true LOVE lies within the heart of every person God has created. It is essential to man’s existence and relationship with God, others, and personal-self, because love is a self-sacrifice, no matter who you are or what you may think about God. Human love whether Godward or manward, or even self-ward the source of true love comes from God. Why? … because God is Love, its who He is, its His character, and this is one of His attributes that He gave to mankind upon creating man in His own image, God has given every human being the emotional ability to love.

Good Love is the more excellent way… giving unselfishly: for God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His Only Begotten Son that whosoever (that’s you and me) believes in Jesus Christ should not perish but have everlasting (eternal) life.

Do You Give Good Love?
Agape
This is an unconditional love that sees beyond the outer surface and accepts the recipient for whom he/she is, regardless of their flaws, shortcomings or faults. It’s the type of love that everyone strives to have for their fellow human beings. Although you may not like someone, you decide to love them just as a human being. This kind of love is all about sacrifice as well as giving and expecting nothing in return. The translation of the word agape is love in the verb – form: it is the love demonstrated by your behavior towards another person. It is a committed and chosen love.

Phileo
The phileo love refers to an affectionate, warm and tender platonic love. It makes you desire friendship with someone. It’s the kind of love which livens up the Agape love. Although you may have an agape love for your enemies, you may not have a phileo love for the same people. The translation of the word phileo is love in the noun – form: it is how you feel about someone. It is a committed and chosen love.

Storge
It is a kind of family and friendship love. This is the love that parents naturally feel for their children; the love that member of the family have for each other; or the love that friends feel for each other. In some cases, this friendship love may turn into a romantic relationship, and the couple in such a relationship becomes best friends. Storge love is unconditional, accepts flaws or faults and ultimately drives you to forgive. It’s committed, sacrificial and makes you feel secure, comfortable and safe.

Eros
Eros is a passionate and intense love that arouses romantic feelings; it is the kind that often triggers “high” feelings in a new relationship and makes you say, “I love him/her”. It is simply an emotional and s*xual love. Although this romantic love is important in the beginning of a new relationship, it may not last unless it moves a notch higher because it focuses more on self instead of the other person. If the person “in love” does not feel good about their relationship anymore, they will stop loving their partner. Different types of love is from typesoflove.org

Do You Give Good Love? Good Love is unconditional, it looks beyond faults and sees the need to love. When I meet your needs to receive good love, I meet my own needs to give good love.

Do You Give Good Love?