Current Chick Tract

Oh God

Oh God, how many times have you heard this prayer?
Pleading for comfort in the midst of despair

Whenever all traces of hope seem to be gone
Please God, give me the strength to trudge on

Give me some patience from your reserve
And a little wisdom, and maybe some courage

Give me a shoulder to catch my tears
Give me the peace to quell my fears

Sometimes I feel so helpless and small
Like my life doesn't make any difference at all

Please God, whenever I'm feeling this way
Just help me make it through the day

by Della Smith (c) 1976

Need a Friend?

You find yourself feeling empty inside
And you try to cover your pain with your pride
Like the sad clown who paints a smile on his face
And cheers those around him but can never erase
The emptiness that haunts him and taunts him always

You've learned from life that you've got to be tough
You've got to be strong when the going gets rough
You've hardened your heart in self defense
And you're afraid you'll be hurt if you take another chance
But deep inside is a tender child who still longs to dance

You wander through life going nowhere
Sometimes you get weary and just sit and stare
Is there an answer to why you're here?
Are you just meant to suffer and then disappear?
Is there anyone out there who possibly cares?

You've been hurt by so many wrongs
You just can't let go, the pain's been there too long
Disappointment is your closest friend
And loneliness lurks around every bend
If this is life who cares if it ends?

Well, THERE IS someone who cares that you hurt
He knows how it feels to be treated like dirt
He's been put down and hated, criticized and abused
He suffered rejection and betrayal too.

He was stripped of his dignity and stripped of his clothes,
Abandoned by his friends, and seized by his foes,
He's been lonely and weary and hungry and cold,
He never married, he had no one to hold.

"Who in the world would care?" you may say,
Well, his name is Jesus and he's alive today!
He's waiting to hear you call out his name.
He'll fill you with love and heal your shame.

He walked this earth in the body of a man,
So he could really understand
Our hopes, our joys, our fears, our pain,
He felt it all, his loss was our gain.

Call out for grace and mercy too,
And receive the joy that's waiting for you!

Della Smith (c) 2000

Devotional on Patience

(from God's Little Devotional Book)

"Patience is the ability to keep your motor idling when you feel like stripping your gears."

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Proverbs 16:32

An old train on a branch line was puffing and creaking slowly through the countryside when suddenly it lurched to a stop. The only passenger in the three-car train rose quickly to his feet and hurried to find the conductor. "Why have we stopped?" he demanded. "I'm a salesman and I have an appointment in less than an hour in the next town. Surely this old train can make it through a pasture!"

The conductor smiled, "Nothing to worry about sir. Just a cow on the tracks. Gotta wait her out." The salesman returned to his seat, fuming and fidgeting until the train began to creep forward again about ten minutes later. It chugged along for a mile or two and then ground to a halt once again.

This time the conductor found the salesman. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll be on our way shortly. It's just a temporary delay." The exasperated salesman asked, "What now? Did we catch up to the cow again?"

What the salesman didn't know was that the schedule for this particular train had been made so as to allow for temporary delays and cows on the track!

The salesman made his appointment, but he was worn to a frazzle by his own frustration and concern.

Allow for delays. You'll enjoy life's journey more.

Scars

Everyone has scars
Some are deep within
Some are easier to see
Like the one that's on my chin

I got it from a bicycle
When I was still quite small
And though you can still see it
It doesn't hurt at all

And then there was that time
That someone broke my heart
I didn't see it coming
And it ripped my world apart

Some of us were wounded
From betrayal by a friend
A deep cut made by broken trust
Is difficult to mend

Rejection and abandonment
Have wounded many more
We all long for acceptance
It's deep within our core

I'm sure your scars are different
Perhaps some are the same
But there is healing for them all
It's found in Jesus' name

He was wounded for our transgressions
He was bruised to bear our shame
The stripes upon his bleeding back
Were endured for every pain

Even the daggered thorns he wore
Paid the price for peace of mind
The blood he shed was offered
For the healing of all mankind

It's simple to receive it
Although sometimes it's hard
To trust and let our walls down
Because of all the scars

But he will never harm you
He knows the scars you bear
If you need proof of his pure love
Look at the scars he wears

7/2/2010  Della Smith

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:16

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-5

Storm

Tempest tossed
Teapot boiling
Seas are dying
Shores are oily

Who's in charge here?
Do you know?
Whom are you seeking
To take control?

There's only one answer
Wisdom cries
Fall on your knees
And look to the skies

For you must acknowledge
The power of God
Is the only solution
Out of this fog

Holy Spirit arise
And stir up your people
For as we unite
Every giant's defeated

God's army arise
If united we'll stand
We'll take this storm
And we'll take this land

~ Della Smith 6/16/2010

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Father's Day Quiz

1. Who was the first father in the Bible to lose a son to violence?

     a. Abraham

     b. Adam

     c. Abel

     d. Alkaline

2.  How did Noah save his family?

     a. He smuggled them out of Sodom and Gomorrah in the middle of the night.

     b. He used a rope and basket to lower them out of the Tower of Babel.

     c. He built an ark to save them from a flood.

     d. He taught them the ways of the Lord.

3.  Whom did God choose to be father of a great nation?

     a. Aphrika

     b. Mekziko

     c. Joshua

     d. Abram

4.  Which of the following refers to Jacob's offspring?

     a. The twelve tribes of Israel

     b. The Abomination of Desolation

     c. The Sanhedrin

     d. The apostles

5.  How is the fifth commandment, "Honor your father and mother," different from the other nine?

     a. It is the only commandment with a promise attached to it.

     b. It is the only commandment that doesn't begin with, "You shall not..."

     c. It is the only commandment that speaks of human relationships.

     d. It is the only commandment that was later overturned in a Jewish court of law.

6.  Which of the following begins with the words "Our Father in heaven"?

     a. The Shepherd's Psalm

     b. The Lord's Prayer

     c. The Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13)

     d. The Song of Songs

7.  What was young Jesus referring to when he said, "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house"?

     a. The temple

     b. Heaven

     c. Joseph's home in Nazareth

     d. Mount Sinai

8.  In the parable of the lost son, what did the father do when his prodigal son returned?

     a. He hired him as a servant.

     b. He had him thrown in prison because he did not recognize his son.

     c. He threw a huge party.

     d. The parable doesn't say.

9. Whom did Jesus call the father of lies?

     a. The devil

     b. Peter

     c. Caiaphas, the high priest

     d. The man who causes one person to stray from the path of righteousness

10. Which of the following words is an affectionate term for "father"?

     a. Abba

     b. Corbin

     c. Nazareth

     d. Petra

To see the answers, click here

Bitter Seed

Words were said

The pain went deep

I tossed and turned

I couldn't sleep

The more I thought

The more I burned

My anger grew

My stomach churned

The thoughts kept coming

To my mind

Why did you treat me

So unkind?

A bitter seed

Went in my heart

Would I let it grow?

Or stop its start?

As I pondered

What to do

I heard your words

The words of truth

"A bitter root

Will many defile
For its poison spreads

To many lives"

I made a choice

To pull that weed

To stop its start

While still a seed

I prayed for the one

That hurt me so

And as I did

Forgiveness flowed

Not all at once

It took some time

But as I obeyed

Your grace was mine

Now I am free

The turmoil's past

Your peace has come

I'm free at last

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

More Tombstone Riddles

The poems below could have been engraved on the headstones of famous Bible people. After reading each one, try to guess who is being described.

11. I had a captive audience with the one who filled the stands. But when I gave in to the crowd, I simply washed my hands.
12. When I left Haran, I walked through barren land till God said stop. He alone knew when the trip would be through and if I'd ever be called someone's pop.
13. The prophecies within my book announce the Lord's anointed. Although I don't come out and say it, it's clear to whom they pointed.
14. With boils and heartache and trouble I sat in some sackcloth and said, "Why is it that God keeps me living? I would surely be better off dead!"
15. The king had a way to fire us up for the task we were called to perform. All three of us prayed he would let up someday on his edict to make all conform.
16. His mother told him, "Stay away, Son, from Philistine girls, though they look like fun!" Like me, a pagan woman from Sorek Valley, to whom Samson was just another tally. Don't blame me that he lies in his grave; all I did was give him a shave.
17. I stood head and shoulders above all the rest; my words were always profane, till a shepherd boy took a stone from a brook, spun it round, let it go - what an aim!
18. Balak, king of Moab, was pretty scared. The Israelites stood on his plain. So I was hired to curse them and send them back east again. On my way to visit the king, my donkey's words left their mark. And so I became a blessing to all who called Abraham patriarch.
19. The servant knew when I watered the camels I would be given to Isaac to wed. And after our marriage I blessed him with twins - one a schemer, the other nicknamed "Red."
20. My husband lost a rib one day in a most unusual way. He fell asleep, and when he woke, he fell in love, and that's no joke!

To see the answers, click the link at the top of the page

In grateful memory of all those who served

John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Empty

Empty

Longing

In my soul

Needing

Something

To be whole

Fleeting

Feeling

Comes and goes

Always

Comes back

I suppose

Simple

Surrender

I give up

I receive

God's

Great love

Now

I know

What it was

I was

Missing

Holy love

Removing Stains

Basic Guidelines

• Treat the stain while it is fresh
• Avoid hot water on an unknown stain.
• Test fabric for color change.
• Use removers sparingly - many brief applications are better than one long one.
• Spread liquid remover unevenly around stain.
• Rinse well - never let a liquid chemical dry on cloth.
• Dry rapidly to help prevent rings.

Greasy Stains

      If washable, rub detergent into the stain. Then rinse with warm water. If stain persists, try carbon tetrachloride. Heavy substances such as pitch or asphalt, should first be softened with petroleum jelly.

     If non-washable, use cornstarch or white talcum powder. Dust powder on the spot to absorb grease, then brush off. An effective paste-like cleaner can be formed by mixing a grease solvent or cleaning fluid with talcum powder.

(adhesive tape, asphalt, butter, candle wax, cream, cream soup, gravy, margarine, meat juice, milk, oil, pitch, soot, road oil, tar)

Non-Greasy Stains

     Sponge with cold water. Then rub glycerin into the stain and let stand for 30 minutes or longer. Rinse thoroughly with water and hang in the sun while dripping wet.

(candy, catsup, cherry, chocolate, coffee, ice cream, mustard, peach, pear, plum, soft drinks, tea, tomato juice)

Other Stains

Acids
Act quickly to prevent damage. Wash stain with cold water and rinse several times; then apply ammonia water or baking soda. Have white vinegar ready to apply if color changes. Rinse well.

Blood
Soak in cold water until stain turns light brown in color. Then wash in warm soapy water. If stain persists, use hydrogen peroxide.

Chewing Gum
Rub gum stain with ice, or put garment in plastic bag and freeze. Scrape or rub hardened gum out of cloth.

Dyes and Running Colors
If washable, soak material in cold water for several hours. Wash in heavy suds, then dry in sun. Bleaches can be effective on some white fabrics.

Egg
Sponge with cold water. If stain remains, sprinkle with pepsin powder. Let stand for 30 minutes, then rinse.

Fruit and Berries
For cherry, pear, peach, or plum stains, use NON-GREASY treatment. For discoloration from citrus fruits, use ACID treatment.

Grass
If material is washable, work detergent into stain and rinse. If stain remains, use hydrogen peroxide or chlorine bleach. On unwashable fabrics, sponge with alcohol, if it is safe for the material.

Ink (Ball Point)
Sponge repeatedly with alcohol, if safe for fabric. Rinse immediately.

Mildew
Treat while spots are fresh. Wash thoroughly and dry in sun. Or moisten stain with lemon juice and salt and place in sun.

Oil Paint and Varnish
Treat quickly. If material is washable, remove fresh stains by washing with plenty of soap. If the stain has dried, soften it first by rubbing in petroleum jelly.

The Most Troublesome Stain

Why bother with stains?  We get rid of stains so we may have a clean acceptable appearance. But there is something worse than stained clothes - a stain that makes us unacceptable in God's sight. That stain is sin.

The Bible declares that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And it takes just one sin to stain your soul and make you unfit for God's heaven.

But God offers a way - the only way - to completely cleanse the stains of sin, whether many or few. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

The New Testament gives unmistakably clear instructions for removing sin's stains. First God identifies the only effective sin-eradicator: "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Then we are told how this wonderful cleansing is obtained: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:7,9).

Receive this cleansing now!

Bible Character Tombstones

The poems below could have been engraved on the headstones of famous Bible people. After reading each one, try to guess who is being described.

1. To me, Christians were worse than debtors; I would chain them up in iron fetters. But God changed my name, forgave my blame, had me travel and write letters.
2. You know me as the girl God chose to bear his only Son. I was scared but bravely dared to let his kingdom come.
3. My sheep knew me as shepherd. The king enjoyed my strumming. But when I was anointed by Sam, Saul's behavior became unbecoming.
4. When my boss died I took over. We crossed over a dry riverbed, and the walls of the city we conquered collapsed just the way that the Lord had said.
5. I learned the hard way it doesn't pay when God says, "Go!" to run away. Your boat may toss, the wind may blow, and a giant fish may swallow you whole.
6. I used to pray three times a day, windows open, facing the east. How would I know I'd end up thrown into the den of a beast?
7. I lived in a garden. My wife made me glad. I never had a mother, and I never had a dad.
8. The hair on my head grew long as can be. And strong were my muscles, 'twas easy to see. But I had quite a temper and liked pagan maids, which cost me my eyes and wondrous braids.
9. It really was a tiring chore to build a floating zoo. But I was the Lord's "yes man" for sure, and I did what he said to do.
10. When I was a baby, I lived in a boat that my mother had made from reeds. Rescued by royalty, I lived a fine life till God called me to do his deeds.

To see the answers, click link at top of page.

Jigsaw Puzzle Lessons

First the most important lesson:

Jesus Christ is the missing

 

to life's puzzle

(graphic designed by Della Smith)

Here is a list of lessons from Pastor Tim at http://www.cybersalt.org

Here's some life lessons I've learned from jigsaw puzzles:

Don't force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.

When things aren't going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.

Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.

Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.

When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later (see above).

The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.

Variety is the spice of life. It's the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.

Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.

Don't be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.

Take time to celebrate your successes (even little ones).

Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can't be rushed.

 

Innocent Blood

If you believe the Bible
That the word of God is true
You know the blood of innocents
Will bring a curse on you

Blood that's not atoned for
Cries out from the ground
For when there is injustice
There's no rest until it's found

Remember back in Eden
When the serpent was so subtle?
His strategy to twist God's word
Has caused a world of trouble!

He loves to make you question
The wisdom of God's ways
Surely YOU are wiser
Than the most Ancient of Days

Please consider carefully
What you believe or don't
Have you turned your back on Truth
Because of what YOU want?

If you're really seeking
The truth will soon be found
But if you're really hiding
You're treading shaky ground

There is a blood that cries out
The most innocent of all
That breaks the curse of all the rest
The curse from Eden's fall

It cries for true repentance
It cries out for the lost
It cries to every listening ear
It cries out from the cross

The blood of Jesus covers
With mercy ever new
The blood of Jesus cries out
Will you let me cover you?

~Della Smith 5/14/10

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; Genesis 4:9-11

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:  Hebrews 12:24-25

Bleeding

I'm not the ugly things you say

I don't like what you call me

I don't enjoy your cruel touch

Or the way that you defile me

I'm screaming on the inside

Please stop and let me go

I don't want to do these things

I want to tell you NO!!!!!

I'm not an object, thing or toy

I am a human being

I'm not some invented fantasy

I hurt, I've got real feelings

The only pleasure going on

Is happening in your mind

Just because I must obey

Doesn't mean it's fine

I'm longing for a gentle touch

Not your selfish demands

A simple hug would mean so much

No more of your commands

I hear your footsteps coming

My heart is filled with dread

I'm dying on the inside

Won't be long before I'm dead

I want to go far, far away

To run away and hide

But the only place that I can go

Is somewhere in my mind

I'm leaving now, not really here

I'm in a better place

I'm not listening to your words

Not looking at your face

Will someone be my hero?

I'm praying one will come

I need a place of refuge

I need my own safe home

Can someone hear me bleeding?

Anyone at all?

Can you hear heaven weeping?

Will you answer heaven's call?

~Della Smith 4/22/2010

Psa 35:17  Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. 

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Used

Used.
Abused.
Rejected.
Forsaken.

Love.
Not love.
Not real.
Mistaken.

Ashamed.
Full of pain.
Heart sad.
Broken.

Tried again.
Didn't win.
Hard heart.
Won't be broken.

Heart healed.
God is real.
Hope restored.
By my Savior.

Healed heart.
New start.
Freedom found.
In my Savior.

Chains gone.
New song.
Praises to.
God my Savior.

Now I'm used.
Not abused.
Love to serve.
God my Savior.

Isaiah 61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

~Della Smith
4/15/2010

Heaven Sent?

I didn't like the way it went
It surely was improper
This couldn't have been heaven sent
The lies, the tricks, the horror!

But then I thought of Joseph
Who was sold out by his brothers
I remembered that he suffered
So that he could rescue others

And I also thought of Daniel
He didn't have a say so
He had to live in Babylon
When he wished he could have said NO

The situation you are in
May not be your ideal
But when you're in the furnace
You will find out God is real

So don't complain or grumble
You're only in a season
Trust in the one who's in control
In time, you'll know the reason

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6


But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:20


The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. 2:47-49
 
~Della Smith 3/28/2010

The Choice

I had a choice
I made a choice
To speak life or speak death

The choice I made
Was soon displayed
My choice was manifest

The ending is your choice:

1) The choice I made
was soon displayed
Alas, my choice was death!

2) The choice I made
was soon displayed
Oh joy, I am so blessed!

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

~Della Smith 3/20/2010

The Plan

When I was born
I didn't know
There was a perfect plan for me

But now I know
That all along
That plan was written in eternity.

~Della Smith 3/19/2010

Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet into the nations.

A Tear Fell

A tear fell
A heart broke
But as it fell
A prayer it wrote

For the strongest prayers
Are without words
A prayer of tears
Is always heard

~ Della Smith
3/14/2010

"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" Psalm 56:8

"Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them who obey him..." Hebrews 5:7-9