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Every Day is Beautiful To Me
While recuperating from her second open-heart surgery at
Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, my six-year-old
daughter Kelley was moved from the intensive care unit
to the floor with the other children. Because a section
of the floor was closed, Kelley was put in the wing
reserved for cancer patients.
In the adjacent room, a six-year-old boy named Adam was
fighting a battle with leukemia. Adam stayed in the
hospital for a portion of each month while receiving
chemotherapy treatments. Every day Adam sauntered into
Kelley’s room to visit, pushing the pole that held his
chemotherapy bag.
Despite the discomfort of the treatments, Adam was
always smiling and cheerful. He entertained us for
hours with his many stories. Adam had a way of finding
the positive and the humor in any situation, however
difficult.
One particular day, I was feeling tired and anxious
for Kelley’s release from the hospital. The gray,
gloomy day outside only fueled my poor mood. While I
stood at the window looking at the rainy sky, Adam
came in for his daily visit. I commented to him on
what a depressing day it was. With his ever-present
smile, Adam turned to me and cheerily replied, “Every
day is beautiful for me.”
From that day on I have never had a gloomy day. Even
the grayest days bring a feeling of joy as I remember
with gratitude the words spoken by a very brave six-
year-old boy named Adam.
Patty Merritt
I Have Everything
Written by: Shirley Acree
I don’t long to be rich, just to live
I long for the Lord, the grace and mercy He gives.
My blessings are many, too many to count
Yet, sometimes turmoil still comes about.
Maybe I’m blinded, refusing to see
The Lord is here fighting for me.
Without Him I am nothing, a silly fool
Without faith I would be Satan’s tool.
Tho’ I am in the flesh I know
Thru God’s word I will grow.
Not living for Him will seal my tomb
As God will convict the evil ones to their doom.
I have nothing of value, nothing to hoard
Yet I have everything, everything in my LORD!
Completely Satisfied
The other day, I saw a new car in the parking lot. It had an interesting dealership license plate on the front of it that said, “Completely Satisfied!”
I remember thinking to myself as I walked by, “Hey, if you’re going to have a car with that on it, you had better be COMPLETELY satisfied, or you have no right keeping that plate affixed to your car.”
Then, I felt a tug on my own heart, and it wasn’t from a car dealership or salesperson. It was from God. I found myself thinking that if God asked me to wear a sign that says “Completely Satisfied” around my neck for everyone to see, would I or could I? Again I thought, “Am I truly and completely satisfied with all that He gives, He provides, He plans, and especially that He chooses to give or not to give me?”
Was I completely satisfied when I heard that my husband had lost his job and that a major part of our income was soon to be lost? Or, am I completely satisfied when I sit in church week after week without my husband, who continues to reject Jesus as Lord? How about when I was challenged with an injury that prevented me from taking a few steps without terrible, agonizing pain. How satisfied am I?
How about you? Are you completely satisfied when the doctor gives you a bad medical report, or your child has been found abusing drugs, or an unexpected accident damages your car and inconveniences your family, or your unpaid bills are piling up higher than you ever had expected?
Gratefully, to this I can say-YES! I truly am completely satisfied knowing that God, the same God that gave David the pen to write Psalm 23, knows everything about me, and every circumstance I am in. He tells us in His word that He will never forsake us, that He will never leave us, and that He is there in the darkest and deepest valley.
“Yes!”, I shout with a heart filled with joy and praise, because I know that God is with me and that I am not satisfied with the things of this world, but all things given by our Heavenly Father. Or, as Paul the Apostle says in Philippians 4:11: “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
I think of the beautiful Psalm 23 and reflect on the words. Some read it as a solemn prayer at the end of someone’s life or during a time of pain and difficultly. I read it with hope, especially the first line that says, “The LORD is my Shepherd- I shall NOT be in want!” And, not wanting anything other than what God has planned for me is completely satisfying!
Contributed by Diane Check