Prose and Poetry to Ponder Upon - Singapore's Online Community

**uyen** · 07-10-2007, 11:18 AM

The following is a small collection of poetry and prose that I have been sent over the last few years There are some pieces that provoke pondering and some that simply require a smile. Enjoy...

SOMETHING TO PONDER

The following is something to ponder:

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death ... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

If your parents are still alive and still married .. you are very rare, even in the United States.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful ... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder ... you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

Have a good day, and count your blessings.

-chain mail-

**uyen** · 08-10-2007, 11:19 AM

THE BUILDING

Ten Little Christians, standing in a line,
One disliked the pastor, then there were nine.

Nine little Christians stayed up very late,
One slept too late on Sunday, then there were eight.

Eight little Christians on their way to Heaven,
One took the low road, then there were seven.

Seven little Christians chirping like some chicks,
One disliked the music, then there were six.

Six little Christians seemed very much alive,
but one lost his interest then there were five.

Five little Christians pulling for heaven's shore,
but one stopped to rest, then there were only four.

Four little Christians, each busy as a bee.
One got her feelings hurt, then there were three.

Three little Christians knew not what to do,
One joined the sporting crowd, then there were two.

Two little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done,
differed with each other, then there was one.

One little Christian, can't do much 'tis true;
brought his friend to Bible study -- then there were two.

Two earnest Christians, each won one more,
that doubled the number, then there were four.

Four sincere Christians worked early and worked late,
Each won another, then there were eight.

Eight splendid Christians, if they doubled as before,
In just a few short weeks, we'd have 1,024

In this little jingle, there is a lesson true,
You either belong to The Building,
Or to the wrecking crew!

--- author unknown ---

**uyen** · 09-10-2007, 10:22 AM

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them, anyways.

--- Mother Teresa ---

**uyen** · 09-10-2007, 10:23 AM

THE PRODIGAL SON IN THE KEY OF F

Feeling footloose, fancy-free and frisky, this feather-brained fellow finagled his fond father into forking over his fortune. Forthwith, he fled for foreign fields and frittered his farthings feasting fabulously with fair-weather friends. Finally, fleeced by those folly filled fellows and facing famine, he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farm-lot. He fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from fodder fragments.

"Fooey! My father's flunkies fare far fancier," the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing fact.

Frustrated from failure and filled with forebodings, he fled for his family. Falling at his father's feet, he floundered forlornly. "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited further family favors . . ."

But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged his flunkies to fetch forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.

But the fugitive's fault finding frater , faithfully farming his father's fields for free, frowned at this fickle forgiveness of former falderal. His fury flashed, but fussing was futile.

His foresighted father figured, "Such filial fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivities? The fugitive is found! Unfurl the flags! With fanfare flaring, let fun, frolic and frivolity flow freely, former failures forgotten and folly forsaken. Forgiveness forms a firm foundation for future fortitude."

**uyen** · 10-10-2007, 11:10 AM

SATAN'S BEATITUDES

If the devil were to write his Beatitudes, they would probably go something like this:

Blessed are those who are too tired, too busy, too distracted to spend an hour once a week with their fellow Christians - they are my best workers.

Blessed are those Christians who wait to be asked and expect to be thanked - I can use them.

Blessed are the touchy. With a bit of luck, they may stop going to church - they are my missionaries.

Blessed are the troublemakers - they shall be called my children.

Blessed are the complainers - I'm all ears to them.

Blessed are they who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes - for they get nothing out of his sermons.

Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church - for he is a part of the problem instead of the solution.

Blessed are they who gossip - for they shall cause strife and divisions - that please me.

Blessed are they who are easily offended - for they will soon get angry and quit.

Blessed are they who do not give their offering to carry on God's work - for they are my helpers.

Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister - for he shall be with me forever.

Blessed are you when you read this and think it is about other people and not yourself - I've got you.

-chain mail-

**uyen** · 10-10-2007, 11:13 AM

A WINNERS CREED

If you think you are broken, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think you can't,
Its almost a cinch you won't

If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find
Succuss begins with a person's faith;
Its all in the state of mind.

Lifes battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster hand;
They go to the one who trusts in God
and always thinks "I can".

chain mail-

**uyen** · 10-10-2007, 11:14 AM

A PRAYER FOR YOU

I said a prayer for you today
And know God must have heard;
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He spoke not a word.

I didn't ask for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn't mind);
I asked for priceless treasures rare
Of a more lasting kind.

I prayed that He'd be near to you
At the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings fair,
And friends to share your way.

I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small,
But that you'd know His loving care
I prayed the most of all.

-chain mail-

**uyen** · 11-10-2007, 11:04 AM

LIFES LESSONS

After a while you learn the difference between holding a hand and chaining a soul. You learn that love isn't leaning but lending support. You begin to accept your defeats with the grace of an adult, not the grief of a child. You decide to build your roads on today, for tomorrow's ground is too uncertain. You help someone plant a garden instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers. You learn that God has given you the strength to endure and that you really do have worth.

-chain mail-