Sing, Smile and Pray

SING, SMILE AND PRAY

I am very heavy hearted for a dear friend, Chuck Heidel, former Vice President of Operations of Sandy Cove, who had a biking accident last week and is Shock Trauma. He was diagnosed as being profoundly paralyzed from the mid-chest down, and is currently struggling with pneumonia and blood clots. Reading Brendy's devotional yesterday brought tears to my eyes as she has faced physical challenges for most of her precious life. Yet despite her handicaps and challenges, God has given her the ability to write. That makes today's Freedom Fighter even more meaningful to me. -- Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK

“I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, to You, O Lord, I will sing praises.”
(Psalm 102:1NASV)

MUSIC had always been part of my life and lifts my spirit. When struggling to get me dressed or when I am “droopy” from the effects of my medicine, Mom and I SING. An oldie she taught me years ago ends this way: “If you sing and smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away.” It works! Memorizing the words (Spanish and English) of meaningful hymns is one of my favorite things. Snuggled in bed at night, I love to sing, “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all” and “Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here.” What beautiful songs with which to end the day with thoughts of my Lord, His blessings and singing praises to Him. So SING and chase the clouds away.

A SMILE works too. Proverbs 15:1 says “A soft answer turns away wrath.” Is a smile an answer? It is for me. I used to get very angry when children (adults, too) would stare at me in my wheelchair and some would even imitate my expressions. A smile is really effective in most cases. Some will return the smile, others will turn away. This reminds me that a “soft answer” to something negative can change a difficult situation into something positive. A smile rather than a growl does reflect joy that the Lord gives which honors Him and makes me feel better too. So SMILE!

And PRAY. Praying for someone else (and for myself) chases away those clouds. Sometimes we need reminders. Have you ever opened one of those tiny plastic containers of cream for coffee and it spurted out all over? This happened at KESWICK to our friend the late Don MacCullough. How we all laughed! For years every time we opened one of those things, we prayed for Don. Interesting prayer reminder, a little plastic cup. Associating an object or occasion is a good mind jogger to pray for someone. When you see a wheel chair, you could pray for me! So SING with me, “Sing, smile and pray, that’s the only way. If you sing, smile and pray you'll drive the clouds away,” be blessed and bless others. -- Brendy Platt is the daughter of Al and Gladys Platt, who served for many years with CAM International. The Platt's were very much apart of our Hispanic Weekends for many years.

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 28; Psalms 120-122; 1 Corinthians 9

Great Quote: It seems to me that there are but few who really live with a passion for God, especially a passion just to be with Him. Today there is such a noise coming up before the throne of the Most High-the clamor of so-called praise, singing, and joyful shouting. But I wonder if the same people who love to sing and shout, loudly exclaiming the the praises of God, really have such an intense glory in their secret life with the Lord. When the meeting's over and there's no one there to listen except the only One who matters, do you still have that same passionate joy in your spirit, just to be alone with the Living God? Keith Green