Sometimes is doesn’t happen right away – turning mourning into dancing. A deep grief, difficult situations, or failure can take a while to work through.
An encouraging word from my precious wife, kids or friends helps a great deal. After time, the sackcloth is loosed and I can begin to dance, like the sea otters dancing in the water in the picture.
Helping others also works its wonders in my own heart. It helps me to be clothed with gladness, as the Psalmist says. Notice that praise and thanks are products of this change from mourning to dancing.
Dear Lord, help me to dance, and help me to be an encouragement to others, so that we may sing your praise and give thanks to you forever! Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 30 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

Like many people, I give to my local church and other charitable organizations. My expectation is that the money will be used in the most efficient way by these organizations to further the goals of the various ministries.
Suppose it is found out that members of the charitable organization are living high-on-the-hog, buying luxury items, or engaging in inappropriate activities. Then, after that revelation, the organization demands that you continue to contribute to their “cause.” Indeed, this has been the downfall of organizations, and I’m sure several come to mind.
This also holds true for businesses that are found to lack integrity in their practices. They will not survive in the long run. We’ve seen a number of spectacular crashes of businesses that looked good on the outside, but were rotten on the inside.
And now, gentle reader, we come to our Federal Government, and the money that flows into and out of its treasury. We look at the way it spends its money and unfortunately we have little say in the internal policies and practices. Plus, some of the spending borders on criminal activity in the minds of many americans. Then there are revelations of massive fraud in the handling of taxpayer’s money.
Unlike giving to charitable organizations I don’t have any choice but to pay taxes to the government. When they demand more taxes to compensate for irresponsible spending, I get a little concerned.
I get concerned because more taxes means less money for my family and it means I have less money for charitable giving. Let’s say I’m a “fat cat” with lots of disposable income. Large gifts to charitable and other foundations are directly affected along with the ability to pass funds on to heirs (death tax). The knowledge that my desire to gift money to charitable foundations is now forced to becomes a “gift” to the Federal Government is frustrating.
Along with Will Rogers, I wouldn’t feel the taking of my tax dollars was a crime if I knew that the spending of my hard-earned money by the governenment wasn’t such a crime. Thanks Will Rogers for a piece of great insight form 1932!
Image Information: This picture was taken during the Will Rogers-Wiley Post ill-fated Alaska trip in August of 1935. Rogers was dispatching his Daily Telegram column up to the day of the crash on August 15. Famous aviator Wiley Post is pictured on the right.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will Rogers
Have you left the church? Do you find problems with the pastor or certain people there? From this quote you might ask, “how can Christ delight in the church, and how is it beautiful?” Those people are unfriendly, hypocrites… and the list goes on!
I have to learn every day, with God’s help, that I must be humble before both God and others. My tendency is toward pride, that I am better than others, and I would naturally find some fault in them to prove the point.
If I can for a minute put aside my pride, then the church becomes a place where sinners, saved by grace, meet together to worship God. Mr. X, across the aisle hurt my feelings last week, yet I see him singing hymns and worshipping God. I need to put aside my feelings and sing along.
It’s time to return to the nest as Spurgeon says, it’s time to hasten home. As the two birds in the picture are gathered upon their nest in the picture, we need to gather together for worship.
Dear Lord, help me to hasten home to your church. Help me to overcome my pride, that I might worship together in the congregation with your people. Help me to make your church a thing of beauty. Amen.
Charles H. Spurgeon, 1834-1892, was the foremost preacher of the 19th century. His many sermons, devotions, and books bring a unique, inspiring, and spiritual significance to biblical truth. What is most surprising is that Spurgeon had no formal theological training. Even so, he became widely recognized for his insight and prowess in biblical teaching.
I hope you have been blessed by this quote and the accompanying image taken from the Spurgeon Daily Quotes iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

A user made the following request in an App Store review:
I love the quoted but I wish u could fwd them to start off someone else day as well
WISH GRANTED!
The 1.1 version of each of the applications contains the ability to forward the quote by email. Several of the applications have been released by Apple to the App Store, and the rest are waiting for review. Keep and eye out for your upgrade notification, and enjoy the share feature.
I really like the “Bambi” images because they fit well with a number of Psalms. The iPhone screen shot below shows the fawn with Psalm 18:35 (NIV). I thought this fit well with the contrast between humility and greatness mentioned in the Psalm. The screen shot comes from the Daily Psalms NIV product.

Systems of Merritt, Inc. has added some great new features to its line of iPhone applications.

The help and tips options give the user lots of information on how to use the program. The splash screen option simply shows the splash screen.
Staying in touch with customers is important to Systems of Merritt, and the contact Frank option allows the user to easily compose and send an email directly to the developer.
The information section has some additional useful options. If you want to know were the images came from touch the credit option. The share option is a great way to share the quote and image to a friend. If you enjoy the application, please use the rate this app option so that others will know. The option takes you to the iTunes store where you can add your ratings and comments to the app page.
Finally, there is a products option that will list all of the Systems of Merritt products. If you enjoy this product, you might also enjoy on of our other fine products.
Are there some more features you would really like to see? Let us know with a quick note from the email the developer option. We love to hear from our users!
Will RogersThe stock market crashed on October 29, 1929, and as you can see, Will Rogers wrote this quote 2 days later. This bit of Will Rogers’ common sense would have been a solution to the wild speculation prior to the crash.
Will Rogers seemed to find humor, in just about anything. It was his ability to help people laugh, even in desperate times that endeared him to hearts of millions. The timeless quality of his wit brings a smile to our face even today!
Image Information: In the image Will Rogers gives his wife Betty a goodbye kiss. Will is outfitted for a flight in an open cockpit airplane. Once he found that he could get places faster by flying, he was constantly in the air.
The image was taken directly from pictures at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will Rogers
Click on image above!
FREE? You heard it right!
You can actually get iPhone apps for free through Truevoo – Try Premium Paid iPhone Apps For Free. (The name is changing from fuelmyapp.)
What’s the catch?
The “catch” is simply that you post an honest review of the iPhone app you want to receive.
Sign up NOW at Truevoo!
Sign up now and browse the apps you want to own. Tell your friends about this web page and offer so they can also take advantage of this great opportunity to get free iPhone apps. New apps are being introduced every day, so check back with Truevoo often!
What’s in it for Systems of Merritt, Inc.?
When Systems of Merritt, Inc. releases new products or updates existing products, a limited number of copies will be released through Truevoo. If you’re quick, you can snag one for free!
I just returned from a quick trip to western Pennsylvania. While trekking through some wooded areas with a friend just above the Allegheny River I noticed quite a number of chipmunks as they would dart into the underbrush. It’s a beautiful area of the country and these humble creatures seem to survive and thrive in the mountain woodlands.
Matching the image of a cute chipmunk with this Psalm seemed appropriate. Humble and meek, the Lord takes care of His creatures, just as He takes care of us.
Satisfied with Gods provision, we should praise God and continue to seek Him in humility. We should also thank God for His work in other lands as “all the kindred of the nations shall worship” God.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 22 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes KJV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

The saying: “Mister can you spare a dime?” typified the poverty and despair during the depression years. My Grandmother told me that young, out of work, men would travel from place to place looking for jobs. Many times they would come to her back door to ask for a bite to eat. Those were difficult years for many Americans.
On Jan. 5, 1934, Will Rogers published this quote in his Syndicated Daily Telegraph column. Well, the numbers have gone up by more than 10 this time. The President looked the country in the eye recently and said: “Mister, can you spare $800 billion?” That $10 billion in 1934 looks like 10 cents today!
What in the world are they going to do with all that TAXPAYER money? Why stimulate the economy, of course.
By the time the government hires millions of administrators for all the programs, accounts for inefficiency and waste, plus fraud, some of the money might create a few jobs. But that comes after bank and union bailouts, even foreign banks we now find out.
Here’s a novel common sense idea! How about if the government cuts its bloated spending, and lets me keep more of my own money that would have gone to taxes. That way I can stimulate the economy with my money, without all the government inefficiency, waste, fraud and bailouts!
Image Information: This picture was taken at the Will Rogers Ranch in Oologah, Oklahoma. The farmhouse where Will Rogers lived has been preserved and is administered by the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in nearby Claremore, Oklahoma. The Museum and Ranch are great places to visit if you are ever in the Tulsa area.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.

Will RogersHow is it that in 1929 Will Rogers could see through all the fancy rhetoric to the reality of what they called “disarmament” in those days, and today we are doing the same thing, but with different names? We call it SALT and START, but it’s all the same. I guess it gives the diplomats and politicians something to do so they can feel good about doing their part to bring about world peace.
Meanwhile, the rest of us wonder why it is that the U.S. is the only signer of the treaty that actually abides by the terms, while the others don’t seem to have any problem violating the terms or lying to us about compliance.
We make a big deal about destroying stockpiles of obsolete weapons, but everybody knows that the new weapons can kill more people more better.
Today, while our politicians and diplomats are feeling good about this great achievement, we have insane lunatics acquiring nuclear weapon capability, openly threatening to blow up their adversaries. Are they signing treaties to disarm? Of course not!
The best analogy I can come up with is two cowboys with guns pointed at each other and fingers on the trigger. They are both mad at each other, but the cowboy dressed in white has the advantage – he is a diplomat! He says: “I know you are mad, but just to show you I am a compassionate and understanding fellow, I’m going to put my weapon down first, and trust you to do the same.” Let’s just hope his negotiations don’t get holes blown in them.
Image Information: In this image, Will Rogers is shown standing in front of an airplane. Rogers was a huge proponent of aviation and flying was his main mode of transportation, even from the days of open cockpit aircraft. If you follow his Daily Telegram datelines, you will find him routinely flying from coast to coast, and everywhere in between.
The image was taken directly from movie stills at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum archive. I apologize for the quality of the image, but this is exactly what the 1920s photo looked like when I scanned it. In the hundreds of images contained in this iPhone application, I wanted to share as many different Will Rogers photos as possible from as wide a variety of times and situations – movies, cowboy, vaudeville, with famous people, and family scenes.
Will Rogers is a man worth remembering, and quoting. His wit, humor and insight into life will amaze and astonish you. His life will inspire you. Watch for new blog posts from my Will Rogers quotes collection.
I hope you have enjoyed this quote from Will Rogers and the accompanying image taken from the Will Rogers iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that might enjoy a bit of wisdom from Will Rogers.
Will Rogers
If God is my rock, is he a pebble, a boulder, or a huge formation, like in the picture? Can I put the rock in my pocket, or is it immovable and unchanging, providing shade and shelter?
The Psalmist here is transparent and honest before God: “Why have you forgotten me?” He sees and feels the oppression of enemy and asks: “Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
It’s good to ask those questions, but notice that the Psalmist always returns to hope and praise to God! The salvation we have in Jesus is so much greater than any oppression we may face.
Dear Lord, When I am cast down, bring me hope so that I may praise you for your great salvation. You are my rock, immovable and unchanging! Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 42 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.


Everyday Act of Valor
I mentioned in an earlier post that I had the honor of meeting a former US Navy SEAL, while waiting for a flight at DFW recently. As we looked through the images in the iPhone App, we came across the one pictured here. He showed me a special emblem on his watch band and told me he was a jump master.
All SEALs know how to handle a parachute, but a jump master has even more jumps and skills when it comes to jumping out of airplanes or helicopters. But the jump master doesn’t just keep the skill to himself. All SEALs are tasked with conveying their special skill to other members of their team.
Watching the movie, “Act of Valor”, I began to consider that it’s not just a single act of valor that makes these Navy SEALs who they are. It’s hundreds of acts of valor. These men risk their lives with each dive, jump and mission. They do it for their country, their comrades in arms, their families, and for each of us. For this, we should thank God each day.
I’ll never jump out of an airplane, but I want to know that God has “set me secure on the heights,” as it says in Psalm 18:33. I need the confidence of a jump master. I need to know that God is my rock, and he has equipped me with strength. The confidence won’t come through one “act of faith.” With God’s help, will come through hundreds of individual acts of faith.
Dear Lord, Help me to acknowledge you in all things, even in the little acts of faith that may seem insignificant. Through the gospels, you performed many miracles that changed peoples lives. It all led to Jesus’ final ultimate act of valor on the cross for all believers. Let it change my life. Amen.
Entire Quote & Image Information
Psalm 18:31 For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?— 32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.
Image info: Soldiers from the First Battalion of First Special Operations Airborne unit on Torii Station, Okinawa, Japan, perform High Altitude, Low Opening (HALO) jumps out of a CH-46E assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron Two Six Two (HMM-262). HMM-262 is assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. – Official US Navy photo by PH3 (NAC) Kaitlyn Rae Vargo.
iPhone App
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 18 and the accompanying image taken from the Navy Psalm Daily Quotes ESV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.

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As I look back across my life, I am continually amazed to see God’s hand in events large and small. God called me out of a life of sin and self-destruction. He has guided my path step-by-step, through dark times and blessings.
In Psalm 78 we understand that God chose David. Had this not happened, David would likely have tended sheep for the rest of his life. There would have been no record of his life because there was nothing remarkable about him. Instead God lifts an unknown and unremarkable young man from obscurity to become one of the major figures in Scripture.
The story of David’s choosing can be found in I Sam 16. From this passage, God makes it clear that the choice of David was His choice alone, and not a choice based on human reasoning, luck or chance. God chose David, David didn’t choose God.
I think the same is true of my life. God chose me, I didn’t choose God. In fact, Had it been up to me, I never would have chosen God. Furthermore, had I made all the choices in my life, it would have been a mess.
Ask God daily for his guidance. Look back and acknowledge God’s day-by-day work in your life. Thank God for the many blessings he has brought your way. It is a great comfort to know God chooses my path and directs my life. If I had to trust in my own choices, I would find no peace, and God would receive no glory.
Dear Lord, Help me to trust in your choosing. Let me earnestly seek your guidance each day, that you might be glorified. Amen.
I hope you have been blessed by Psalm 78 and the accompanying image taken from the Psalm Daily Quotes NIV iPhone app. Please visit our blog, twitter, or Facebook page regularly and pass these posts on to friends that need an encouraging word.
