Reflections of Faith

By Rosanne Schafer

If you need to nourish your soul this book may just give you food for thought.

Reflections of Faith is meant to touch the hearts of its readers with a recipe for enjoyment, flavored with different seasonings including short inspirational works, peppered with poetry and sweetened with an array of Christmas stories.

A perfect blend of humor and a good measure of reality. The pages within will make you laugh or cry.

The true mission of this author is to bring platters of encouragement, inspiration, and joy to the table and serve a huge portion of hope to all who have faith.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781643348513

Book preview

The Silent Heart

Life is fleeting for young and for old,

So treasure each moment like silver or gold.

Embrace your loved ones each time they are near

And let your heart tell them why you hold them so dear.

Show them your kindness, your patience, and trust,

These things they’ll remember when leave them you must.

Words are not needed when hearts glow with love,

The people you treasure are gifts from above.

Your actions will prove what’s deep in your heart,

Those moments will linger when you are apart.

Your fingers gliding through a child’s soft hair,

The time you taught them their very first prayer.

Poems are forgotten, flowery speeches are too,

We prove our love by the things that we do.

Today I Turn Sixty-Five

Today, May 17, I turn sixty-five

And oh so very grateful just to be alive.

Many friends and loved ones, whom I hold so very dear,

Have passed through heaven’s portals and are no longer here.

I’ve gathered worldly treasures and held them close and tight,

Not knowing that my greatest gift was there within my sight.

Our younger years are glitter; our middle years are gold,

Now at sixty-five, I feel so very, very old.

If I could leave one message, this message my heart sends,

God can give no greater gift than our family and our friends.

I cherish all my loved ones every moment of my life

And thank the Lord for making me a mother and a wife.

When on earth my days are done, my journey is complete,

I offer up my life, dear Lord, and lay it at your feet.

On Your Retirement

Throughout our lives, we open many doors. Some doors open to reveal joy and laughter, others sorrow and grief. Some doors we walk through with fear and trepidation but soon find the depth of our strength and courage through faith.

May the doorway you’ve just entered be filled with the bright light of excitement and the joyful anticipation for the future.

A beautifully wrapped gift is waiting for you. Unwrap it—it is the gift of time. Time with your family, time with your friends, and well-deserved time for yourself to bring rest to your body, peace to your mind, and nourishment to your soul.

Time is a precious gift, only God can grant it, but only we can choose to use it wisely in His glory. May your retirement bring you joy and happiness and more time with your family to love and to nurture.

Open the door to this new chapter in your life,

And enjoy this gift of time.

Don’t Cry on Your Birthday!

Don’t cry on your birthday because you’re sixty-five.

You should be super happy just to be alive.

Try not to yell and scream too loud just to show your rage.

It probably isn’t healthy for someone of your age.

When you get up in the morning and your teeth are in a glass,

Just be glad you’re waking up on this side of the grass.

Hey, being sixty-five ain’t bad, at least you’re still not dead

Even if your glasses, teeth, and hearing aid are right beside your bed.

But there’s a silver lining to aging, people swear,

Only they forget to say the silvers in our hair.

So grab your cane and celebrate, kick your heals up, if you dare.

Keep your chins up and be happy ’cause you now have Medicare

The Treasure

I know of a treasure hidden somewhere safe and deep

Although its priceless value is only mine to keep.

It dazzles not like diamonds, it glitters not like gold

It buys no worldly trinkets, can’t be bought or sold.

This treasure is eternal and dwells within my heart

No one can take it from me or tarnish any part.

My treasure I hold dear to me and sometimes even share,

But even when I give away, there’s always more to spare.

The priceless gift of memories is a treasure to behold

It fills our hearts with images of precious days of old.

It wraps our past in ribbons and ties it with a bow

It brings the visions clear to us, somehow we’ll never know.

The people who were dear to us, although we are apart,

Are brought so very near to us by memories in our heart.

A True Friend

They say a true friend walks in the door when everyone else is walking out. This I believe. A friend holds your hand when you’re frightened. A friend picks you up when you fall, dusts you off and helps you find the strength to go on.

A friend sacrifices their wants for your needs, gives all, loves to the fullest, and never abandons you no matter what the crisis. They will share your sorrows and join in your joys, knowing you need them there for both. A friend will love you when you’re unlovable and forgive you when you fail to forgive yourself.

A friend will help you find the path in life when the fog sets in. They will be your eyes when you are blind to the world around you and open your ears to hear the encouragement in their voice. They will battle beside you to fight off the demons of fear and despair, leading you to victory as the glorious sun rises on a bright new day.

Their arm will always be around you when you’re weak, their inner strength and courage seeping into your very soul to give you hope and renew the faith that dwells deep within your heart.

A friend takes pride in your accomplishments, applauds your abilities, and never fails to convince you to see yourself as they do. A friend believes in you, prays for you, and surrounds your world with the spirit of their love.

A friend understands you, will not ridicule or criticize you. When you have doubts, they will bring clarity and reassurance. When you feel threatened, they will be by your side. They will find you when you are lost and never let you feel alone.

A friend will lighten your heavy burden by offering their shoulders to help carry the load. They are the ones who will light a candle on your darkest of nights and dry your tears with a tender touch… The one who sees your grief and responds with comfort, feels your abject desperation at the worst time of your life and looks on you, not with pity in their eyes but with compassion.

A friend shares the warmth of their heart and gives you unconditional love to last a lifetime. Having a friend is a blessing God gives us. A warm and cherished treasure.

Being a friend is our gift to the Lord and brings Him endless pleasure.

What Can I Give You?

Lord, there’s nothing I can give you

And tie up with a bow

There’s nothing I can tell you

That you don’t already know.

There’s no place I can take you

That you haven’t been before

But slip into my heart and see

It’s you that I adore.

If I share my gifts and talents,

Meager though they be

With someone who needs comforting,

I hope you’re proud of me.

Send me your compassion

On this day and beyond,

To see the needs of others

And always to respond.

I’m in the place you want me, Lord,

Help me do your will.

My soul is thirsting for your grace,

Let me drink my fill.

I have a path to follow

Only you know where it leads.

I was born to nurture others

By planting loving seeds.

You’ve been so good to me, Lord,

Pouring me a brimming cup,

So when I share with those in need,

It’s my gift to offer up.

I can only give you

A heart—humble and pure,

An all-consuming love

And a faith that will endure.

A Legacy of Love

The beauty of a life well lived is reflected in the love we leave behind. Life is a gift from God. But what we do with that life is our gift to God—a beautiful tapestry of love, woven through with delicate threads of compassion for others, strong binding ties of devotion to family and friends, and a pattern of patience, kindness, and generosity that all blend together with strength, courage, and deep faith to reveal a legacy of love. May the ones left behind always know how truly cherished they are, and may the radiant spirit of this legacy live deep within their hearts forever.

Faith

Fear and despair are an insurmountable force without

faith. Grief becomes an unbearable burden without faith.

The pain of watching a loved one suffer is well beyond human endurance without faith. Faith is what lifts us up when the world comes crashing down, leaving us shattered.

Through the days when you feel afraid and helpless,

when the dam of your tears breaks and your last vestige of hope seems to be draining away, your faith and belief in the Lord’s kindness and compassion will sustain you.

When you feel like the vat of your strength is emptied

and poured out upon the earth, open your heart and let the

Holy Spirit fill you, surround you, and turn your weakness into the resolve to go on. God’s Holy Spirit within you will restore your soul and gift you with the peace of knowing you are not alone.

Faith is believing in something you cannot see or touch, it

is something you feel deep in your soul. Faith is what brings

us out of the darkness and into the light of God’s presence.

Faith is a river that flows into a sea of hope. In the

darkest of days, in the most shattering of moments, your

faith will lift you up, heal your spirit, and bring you peace.

How Can I Thank You

There’s so much I want to give you,

So much I need to say,

But the words always escape me

As I bend my knee to pray.

I don’t know how to thank you, Lord,

For all you’ve given me.

I was born to loving parents

In a country safe and free.

All through my years of childhood,

You rained blessings from above.

I never faced a single day

I didn’t feel your love.

You’ve given me the wisdom

To choose the perfect man.

We’ve cherished all our wedding vows

According to your plan.

You let me carry a child inside

And nurture him with love.

Giving me a gift so dear

A son sent from above.

Years went by so quickly

From dawn to setting sun.

One day you smiled upon us,

And when your work was done,

You blessed us with a miracle

Another precious son.

Now our days are ebbing.

The end is surely near.

I cherish all my family

And friends I hold so dear.

My blessings have been many.

My tragedies but few.

I’m ready, Lord, to trade this life

For paradise with you.

A Journey of Love

Being a caregiver is a journey of love.

I start each day with good intensions.

I ask the Lord for strength, patience, and compassion.

But some days…

My strength is inadequate for the burden I carry.

My patience is sorely depleted in the face of the task at hand.

And as the day flows into night, my compassion fades into sheer exhaustion.

There are even days when my supply of swear words is woefully insufficient to meet my demands.

But…I love my husband with all my heart, and the journey we are on together is a sacred trust that we share. Our challenges in these dark days will lead us to the path that winds its way to heaven.

So…I offer up each day and give thanks for every minute we spend together. My husband has given me the gift of love…

and I cherish that gift.

When our days on earth are through, our souls will find each other again, by the grace of God. And we will be together for all eternity.

The Face of Jesus

Who do you seek while walking through a storm?

How do you see Jesus when He takes on earthly form?

His face may not be classic as artists will portray.

We all see something different as we close our eyes to pray.

We might see Him dark skinned or perhaps with slanted eyes,

But we all see Him with us should a tragedy arise.

Jesus cares not how you see Him, His stature, or His face.

He came to be the Savior for all the human race.

When grief and sadness fill our hearts and tear our world asunder,

We feel His presence by our side through slashing rain and thunder.

We all ride the crashing surf, its ups and downs we feel.

But Jesus