CALLING ON THE POWER OF HEAVEN

I have always believed in the power of prayer and I remember as a young girl having an intense desire to stay close to my Father in Heaven. I had an inner knowing that prayers produced miraculous results. It wasn't long before I learned that the more experience one had with prayer, the more they were able to draw on the power of Heaven. 

Later in life, a friend asked me how to gain miracles through prayer. I responded by asking her, "When you're seeking miracles in your life, do you pray for one?"  "Ah, well, no not really." She responded, at which I inquired, "How do you expect to get something you are not asking for?" 

I believe that prayers open the windows of Heaven and allows us to see the hand of God creating miracles in every day life. It doesn't guarantee a life of ease or one of perfection, but it will provide powerful solutions, lift heavy burdens and give clarity in a dark and dreary world.

It would be wonderful if everyone prayed to reach the full measure of their potential, according to God's will. We would begin to create a Heaven on Earth. All earnest prayers are indeed answered in due time. I waited eleven years to see the blessings come to fruition for one continuous prayer that was offered again and again. It was indeed worth the wait and I am still overwhelmed with joy, but I came to realize that the timing of this blessing was everything.

Matthew 17:20, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed... nothing shall be impossible unto you. By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day  (The picture above is that of my granddaughter, Ayla. The innocence in her face emulates that of a loving Heavenly Father.)

MY SHIP HAS ARRIVED

About 2 years ago my wife and I were on a cruise through the western Mediterranean aboard a Princess ship. At dinner we noticed an elderly lady sitting alone along the rail of the grand stairway in the main dining room. I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys, etc., all seemed very familiar with this lady. I asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told she owned the line, but he said he only knew that she had been on board for the last four cruises, back to back.

As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and stopped to say hello. We chatted and I said, "I understand you've been on this ship for the last four cruises." She replied, "Yes, that's true." I stated, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause, "It's cheaper than a nursing home."

So, there will be no nursing home in my future. When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship. The average cost for a nursing home is $220 per day. I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term discount and senior discount price of $135 per day. That leaves $85 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle to the restaurant, or I can have room service (which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room, free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient. An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.

6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.

7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing? Need to have the mattress replaced? No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and you don't even have to ask for them.

9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare; if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you to a suite for the rest of your life.

Now hold on for the best! Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go? Princess will have a ship ready and don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.


*According to Snopes this story is true.  Bea Muller, an 86-year old retiree, has been a permanent resident on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 since 5 January 2000. Her husband had passed away while the couple were on a world cruise eleven months earlier. Rather than opt for a retirement home, Mrs. Muller sold her house and possession, and booked herself onto the ship. Instead of submitting a monthly or yearly fee, in 2001 Muller was reported to be paying as she went, booking one cruise after another. Thanks to her frequent traveler discounts, her overall cost amounted to about $5,000 a month. Mrs. Muller is happy with her life aboard the ship. "I've got full-time maid service, great dining rooms, doctors, a medical center (where she volunteers), a spa, beauty salon, computer center, entertainment, cultural activities and, best of all, dancing and bridge." 

Who said old age had to be the end of life, as we know it, maybe it's a new beginning!  Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day

Thank you for sharing my blog with others, I have received so many wonderful comments from people around world. It warms my heart when I realize how closely we are all connected. 

YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME

I am visiting my daughter, Christa, in Texas. Each morning before their daughters leave for school, their daddy reads a scripture. This morning he read, For I was hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Matthew 25:35-36

Then he said, "All of us can become discouraged. It's important to know, when you feel down, that many others do also and that their circumstances are often much worse than ours. It's also important to know that when one of us is down, it becomes the responsibility of friends and family members to lift them up. So, if you see anyone today at school that is alone or in need of a friend, please invite them to be your friend or ask them if they would like to play at recess. It's important that we lift the spirits of others when they are feeling down or alone."

Their little daughters are in first, third and fifth grades. I have seen how respectful they are to others and I am amazed at their level of kindness. I believe if we teach our children what is right when they are young, they will have the courage to change the world one day at a time. 

It is not enough for parents to provide food and shelter for their children's physical well-being. There is a greater responsibility to provide nourishment and direction to their spirit, mind and heart. 

I want my children to have enough happiness to keep them sweet, enough trials to make them strong, enough success to give them determination, enough failure to teach them resiliency and enough true grit to find their maximum potential. But, the most important attribute, without fail, is to have the privilege of treating others the way you would like to be treated. By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day

THINK ABOUT IT

There are five things that you cannot recover in life: A stone after it's thrown, words after they are said, the occasion after it's missed, time after it's gone and a loved one after they die. Rule of thumb: Stones should only be used to build stronger foundations. Words should be given to others for the purpose of increase and not used to decrease. Making memories on special occasions is far more important than making money. Time has no value once it's been spent and love can only fulfill its true purpose when it's given away. 

In this life, I have found that its more rewarding to choose happiness. I want my life to be genuinely enriched, so I have chosen to walk away from drama and the people who create it. I have chosen to spend time surrounding myself with people who make me laugh and bring me joy. I have learned that its beneficial to forget about the bad and focus on the good things that life has in store. I love the people who treat me right and pray for the ones who don't. Life is way too short to be anything other than fantastic and when I fall down, I get right back up and start living this beautiful gift that I was given.   

Little things matter, so make them count and they will add up to big dividends. Tell someone you love them, give a gift for no reason, send flowers just because, smile at a stranger, give a complement, or just hum an old tune and be grateful that you still remember the melody. Life is a beautiful gift and it's the only gift that keeps on giving regardless of the circumstances. We do not stop playing because we are old, we grow old because we stop playing. By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day.     

MADE IN THE USA

A physics teacher in high school once told his students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow down a train, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, let's start slowing down the train that’s taking our hard earned dollars overseas. I have listed a few examples of how easy it is to be a conscious consumer.

Please start looking at the labels and support the people who are living and working to make this country stronger! In our current economic, each and every purchase affects everyone in America. 

I was in Lowes the other day looking at hose attachments and they were all made in China, I did not buy one. The next day I was in Ace Hardware and I stopped to check similar hose attachments. They were all made in the USA and I bought one with a great sense pride.

Hershey's candy is made in Mexico, thus I will not buy it any more. Colgate toothpaste is made in Mexico, so I have switched to Crest. I noticed “Everyday Value” light bulbs were sitting right next to the GE brand on the shelf. I picked up both boxes to compare them and they were identical except for the price. The GE bulbs were more expensive than the “Everyday Value” brand, but the thing that surprised me the most was the GE was made in MEXICO! The “Everyday Value” brand is made in Cleveland, Ohio. Bounce Dryer Sheets cost more money and they are made in Canada. The “Everyday Value” brand is less money and MADE IN THE USA and they are exactly the same! 

It important to stop buying from overseas companies.  When we purchase merchandise made outside our country, we support China’s, Mexico’s and Japan’s economies. Start buying American Made one purchase at a time. 

My challenge to you is to read the labels when shopping and buy only products made in the USA. It gets easier each time you go shopping because you learn what brands to buy. Every single purchase affects someone’s job in America and the state of our economy. Let's get with the program and assist our fellow Americans to preserve and create more jobs in the USA. 

President John Kennedy said, “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” 

We can’t sit idly by and wait for the government to make the changes, for we have seen what the “Democraps” and the “Republicants” have done to this country! The only way to regain our strength is “for the people, by the people.” By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day.

HOW MANY MARBLES DO YOU HAVE LEFT?

This story is one of my favorite stories. I did not write it and the author is unknown, but it is very thought provoking.

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, of maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the kitchen with a steaming cup of hot chocolate in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time.

Let me tell you about it. I turned the volume up on my radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning talk show. I heard an older sounding chap with a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business himself.

He was talking about "a thousand marbles" to someone named "Tom". I was intrigued and sat down to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital. " He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of a "thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years." "Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime.

"Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part. "It took me until I was fifty-five years old to think about all this in any detail", he went on, "and by that time I had lived through over twenty-eight hundred Saturdays. "I got to thinking that if I lived to be seventy-five, I only had about a thousand of them left to enjoy. "So I went to a toy store and bought every single marble they had. I ended up having to visit three toy stores to round-up 1000 marbles. "I took them home and put them inside of a large, clear plastic container right here in my workshop next to the radio. Every Saturday since then, I have taken one marble out and thrown it away.

"I found that by watching the marbles diminish, I focused more on the really important things in life. There is nothing like watching your time here on this earth run out to help get your priorities straight. "Now let me tell you one last thing before I sign-off with you and take my lovely wife out for breakfast. This morning, I took the very last marble out of the container. I figure if I make it until next Saturday then God has blessed me with a little extra time to be with my loved ones...... "It was nice to talk to you Tom, I hope you spend more time with your loved ones, and I hope to meet you again someday. Have a good morning!"

You could have heard a pin drop when he finished. Even the show's moderator didn't have anything to say for a few moments. I guess he gave us all a lot to think about. I had planned to do some work that morning, then go to the gym. Instead, I went upstairs and woke my wife up with a kiss. "C'mon honey, I'm taking you and the kids to breakfast." "What brought this on?" she asked with a smile. "Oh, nothing special," I said. " It has just been a long time since we spent a Saturday together with the kids. Hey, can we stop at a toy store while we're out? I need to buy some marbles." 

                               

                                    How many marbles do you have left?

I WISH I HAD SAVANNA'S EYES

Little Savanna has a strong connection with God. Her prayers are highly spiritual for a five year old and her level of comprehension is remarkable. Intuitive by nature, she asks questions with the relentless desire to know the answers in detail. We call her Little Miss Independent; she knows how to take care of herself and has no hesitation letting it be known. 

She also had a special connection with her fifteen year old cousin Tristin and the night we told her that he had died, no one anticipated her depth of sorrow. As the color faded from her pink cheeks, her blue eyes flooded with tears and then she collapsed into my arms.  It's challenging enough to console an adult when tragedy strikes, but a little child who is feeling the loss of a loved one is even more overwhelming. 

"Grandma, I don't want Tristin to die." She fell into my arms and buried her tiny head in my shoulder. 

Then with a twinkle in her eye she looked up at me. "Maybe Heavenly Father will let him stay." 

The powerful commitment in her voice was purely innocent and for a split second I thought it could be possible. The harsh reality quickly reclaimed my notion, for I knew there was nothing we could do to bring Tristin back.

A few weeks had passed and our family gathered together to celebrate a birthday party for Katlyn and Sierra (Tristin's twin sisters). That evening Savanna asked Heidi, Tristin's mother, if she could see his room. There was an amazing experience that prevailed when Savanna began to speak. 

"You miss Tristin don't you?" Savanna said softly.

"Yes, I do." 

"He is right there." Savanna pointed to an open space in the room.

Immediately Heidi replied, "Right where?" 

Once again Savanna pointed in the same direction and smiled as if she was greeting a friend. "There!" She said with conviction in her voice.

On that wonderful day, God had created something magnificent and we felt the miracle of His love.  Savanna had seen Tristin with her spiritual eyes and there was a light of truth shining upon her face.

Later that evening we were sitting on the deck watching the children play. Savanna came running across the deck and Heidi inquired, "Savanna, do you see Tristin anywhere?" Savanna stopped and scanned the yard with her eyes. "No, he's invisible now." Out of the mouths of babes... the truth shall be known.

Little children live in an authentic spirit and they have the ability to remember that they are in the world, but not of it. Perhaps as adults we deserve to spend more time nurturing our spirits and less time serving the world. 

Yesterday a storm moved over the easterly sky. I watched a cluster of dark clouds push their way across the sun and block it's shining rays. Then a small beam of light peered through the darkness and shone upon my face.  I immediately thought of Tristin and remembered - that even in our darkest hours there is a miracle waiting to be found.  By, Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day.