Be Of Good Cheer

BE OF GOOD CHEER

by HELEN STEINER RICE



CHEERFUL THOUGHTS LIKE SUNBEAMS
LIGHTEN UP THE DARKEST FEARS.
FOR WHEN THE HEART IS HAPPY THERE'S
JUST NO TIME FOR TEARS,
AND WHEN THE FACES IS SMILING
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO FROWN,
AND WHEN YOU ARE HIGH-SPIRITED
YOU CANNOT FEEL LOW- DOWN.
FOR THE NATURE OF OUR ATTITUDES
TOWARD CIRCUMSTANTIAL THINGS
DETERMINES OUR ACCEPTANCE OF
THE PROBLEMS THAT LIFE BRINGS,
AND SINCE FEAR AND DREAD AND
WORRY CANNOT HELP IN ANY WAY,
IT'S MUCH HEALTHIER AND WISER
TO BE CHEERFUL EVERY DAY.
AND IF YOU'LL ONLY TRY IT YOU
WILL FIND, WITHOUT A DOUBT,
A CHEERFUL ATTITUDE'S SOMETHING
NO ONE SHOULD BE WITHOUT.
FOR WHEN THE HEART IS CHEERFUL IT
CANNOT BE FILLED WITH FEAR,
AND WITHOUT FEAR THE WAY AHEAD
SEEMS MORE DISTINCT AND CLEAR,
AND WE REALIZE THERE'S NOTHING
THAT WE MUST FACE ALONE,
FOR OUR HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES US,
AND OUR PROBLEMS ARE HIS OWN.





"AND WHY ARE YOU ANXIOUS ABOUT CLOTHING?
CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD, HOW THEY GROW;
THEY NEITHER TOIL NOR SPIN; YET I TELL YOU,
EVEN SOLOMON IN ALL HIS GLORY WAS NOT
ARRAYED LIKE ONE OF THESE."



MATTHEW 6:28-29







THE LORD IS TRUTHFUL; HE CAN BE TRUSTED.
HE LOVES JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS,
AND HE IS KIND TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE ON EARTH.



PSALM 33:4-5
CEV



THE GOOD MAN DOES NOT ESCAPE ALL
TROUBLES- HE HAS THEM TOO. BUT THE
LORD HELPS HIM IN EACH AND EVERY ONE.



PSALM 34:19
TLB



THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN
ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD:
AND HE DELIGHTETH IN HIS WAY.
THOUGH HE FALL, HE SHALL NOT
BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN:
FOR THE LORD UPHOLDETH
HIM WITH HIS HAND.



PSALM 37:23-24
KJV



I, THE LORD, AM YOUR GOD,
WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EGYPT.
OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND I WILL FEED YOU.



PSALM 81 :10
NCV



THE MIGHTY ONE, GOD THE LORD,
SPEAKS AND SUMMONS THE EARTH
FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN
TO ITS SETTING.



PSALM 50:1
NRSV



I HAVE BEEN YOUNG, AND NOW AM OLD;
YET HAVE I NOT SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN,
NOR HIS SEED BEGGING BREAD.
HE IS EVER MERCIFUL, AND LENDETH;
AND HIS SEED IS BLESSED. DEPART
FROM EVIL, AND DO GOOD; AND DWELL
FOR EVERMORE. FOR THE LORD LOVETH
JUDGMENT, AND FORSAKETH NOT HIS SAINTS.



PSALM 37:25-28
KJV



HONOR AND MAJESTY ARE BEFORE HIM;
STRENGTH AND BEAUTY ARE IN HIS SANCTUARY.



PSALM 96:6
NKJV