~~*Two Days We Should Not Worry*~~

There are two days in every week about which we should not worry;

two days which should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One of these days is Yesterday, with all of its mistakes and cares, 

 its faults and blunders, its aches and pains..

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back Yesterday.

We cannot undo a single act we performed;

we cannot erase a single word we said.

Yesterday is gone forever.

The other day we should not worry about, is Tomorrow,

with all its possible adversities, its burdens,

its large promise and its poor performance.

Tomorrow is also beyond our immediate control.

Tomorrow's sun will rise,

either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds, but it will rise.

Until it does, we have no stake in Tomorrow,

for it is yet to be born.

This leaves only one day, Today.

Any person can fight the battle of just one day.

It is when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities

Yesterday and Tomorrow, that we break down.

It is not the experience of Today that drives a person mad.

It is the remorse or bitterness of something

which happened Yesterday, and the dread of what

Tomorrow may bring.

Let us, therefore,

Live but one day at a time.

~~*Author Unknown*~~

~+~ Terror Unaware ~+~

Even though it was bright and sunny they say,

Terror was imminent for thousands that day.

September 11th, Tuesday this year,

Brought to America and the World an undeniable fear.

Friends and family try to make sense of it all,

While rescue workers rush to find victims of the fall.

Volunteers from all walks of life,

Give all they have to give to find a son, daughter, brother, sister,

Aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, husband or wife.

Now that this all has become hard reality for us,

We must find who performed this act, and make it all just.

This disaster and tragedy won't be forgotten very soon,

But evil won't prevail while the new flowers of hope begin to bloom.

Let's join in and say a prayer and keep in our hearts,

the rememberance of innocense who early depart.

Strive to move forward to spread strength and joy where you can,

Then hopefully soon this will be a horrific memory like Pearl Harbor was then...

Written by:

~+~ Laurie Ann Powell ~+~

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{ A Blessing In Disguise }

The man whispered, "God, speak to me."
 A meadowlark sang.
 But the man did not hear.

 So the man yelled, "God, speak to me!"
 The thunder rolled across the sky. But the man did
 not listen.

 The man looked around and said, "God, let me see
 you."
 A star shined brightly.
 But the man did not notice.

 And the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle!"
 A new 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.

 Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't
 packaged the way that you expect.

 My instructions were to send this to friends that I
 wanted God to bless and I picked you.
 Please pass this on to friends you want to be blessed!

 { Thanks Uncle Frank + Aunt Peg for passing this one along! }

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~Thought that this poem deserved

some special recognition.~

~*~A CHRISTMAS THOUGHT FROM A SOLDIER*~*

Great food for thought. Pass it on.
Capt Albury

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT.

IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON 'ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan.
The following is his request. I think it is reasonable..... PLEASE.
Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as
you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our
U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these
festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we
owe.
Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who
sacrificed
themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small
seed.