BIRTHDAYS ARE A GIFT FROM GOD by HELEN STEINER RICE WHERE DOES TIME GO IN ITS ENDLESS FLIGHT- SPRING TURNS TO FALL AND DAY TO NIGHT, AND BIRTHDAYS COME AND BIRTHDAYS GO AND WHERE THEY GO WE DO NOT KNOW... BUT GOD WHO PLANNED OUR LIFE ON EARTH AND GAVE OUR MIND AND BODY BIRTH AND THEN ENCLOSED A LIVING SOUL WITH HEAVEN AS THE SPIRIT'S GOAL HAS GIVEN MAN THE GIFT OF CHOICE TO FOLLOW THAT SMALL INNER VOICE THAT SPEAKS TO US FROM YEAR TO YEAR REMINDING US WE'VE NAUGHT TO FEAR... FOR BIRTHDAYS ARE A STEPPING-STONE TO ENDLESS JOYS AS YET UNKNOWN, SO FILL EACH DAY WITH HAPPY THINGS AND MAY YOUR BURDENS ALL TAKE WINGS AND FLY AWAY AND LEAVE BEHIND GREAT JOY OF HEART AND PEACE OF MIND... FOR BIRTHDAYS ARE THE GATEWAY TO AN ENDLESS LIFE OF JOY FOR YOU IF YOU BUT PRAY FROM DAY TO DAY THAT HE WILL SHOW YOU THE TRUTH AND THE WAY.

STORMS BRING OUT THE EAGLES
BUT THE LITTLE BIRDS TAKE COVER

by HELEN STEINER RICE


WHEN THE "STORMS OF LIFE"
GATHER DARKLY AHEAD,
I THINK OF THESE WONDERFUL WORDS
I ONCE READ
AND I SAY TO MYSELF
AS "THREATING CLOUDS" HOVER
DON'T "FOLD UP YOUR WINGS"
AND "RUN FOR COVER"
BUT LIKE THE EAGLE
"SPREAD WIDE YOUR WINGS"
AND "SOAR FAR ABOVE"
THE TROUBLES LIFE BRINGS
FOR THE EAGLE KNOWS
THAT THE HIGHER HE FLIES
THE MORE TRANQUIL AND BRIGHTER
BECOME THE SKIES...
AND THERE IS NOTHING IN LIFE
GOD EVER ASKS US TO BEAR
THAT WE CAN'T SOAR ABOVE
"ON THE WINGS OF PRAYER,"
AND LOOKING BACK OVER
THE "STORM YOU PASSED THROUGH"
YOU'LL FIND YOU GAINED STRENGTH
AND NEW COURAGE, TOO,
FOR IN FACING "LIFES STORMS"
WITH AN EAGLE'S WINGS
YOU CAN FLY FAR ABOVE
EARTH'S SMALL, PETTY THINGS.

...THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD
SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH, THEY SHALL
MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES...

ISAIAH 40:31


DON'T QUIT

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AS THEY SOMETIMES WILL,
WHEN THE ROAD YOU'RE TRUDGING SEEMS ALL UP HILL,
WHEN THE FUNDS ARE LOW, AND THE DEPTS ARE HIGH,
AND YOU WANT TO SMILE, BUT YOU HAVE TO SIGH,
WHEN CARE IS PRESSING YOU DOWN A BIT,
REST IF YOU MUST, BUT DON'T YOU QUIT.

LIFE IS ODD WITH ITS TWISTS AND TURNS,
AS EVERYONE OF US SOMETIMES LEARNS
AND MANY A FAILURE TURNS ABOUT,
WHEN HE MIGHT HAVE WON HAD HE STUCK IT OUT.
DONT GIVE UP THOUGH THE PACE SEEMS SLOW,
YOU MAY SUCCEED WITH ANOTHER BLOW.

SUCCESS IS FAILURE TURNED INSIDE OUT,
THE SILVER TINT OF THE CLOUDS OF DOUBT,
AND YOU NEVER CAN TELL HOW CLOSE YOU ARE.
IT MAY BE NEAR WHEN IT SEEMS SO FAR.
SO STICK TO THE FIGHT WHEN
YOU'RE HARDEST HIT.
IT'S WHEN THINGS SEEM WORST
THAT YOU MUST NOT QUIT.