The AC Phoenix
January 2004
Page 15
By Wanda Reid
'imia/d
Wanda Reid
Seasons Greetings to each and every one of you. Hoping that each one of you
had a wonderful and blessed holiday...Blessed with all the physical gifts you
desired and ail the spiritual gifts you need.
Fruit for Thought is here once again desiring to encourage and inspire each
one of you. The poem for the month is “The Gifted Stranger”. May it minister to
your hearts and cause each one of us to look within ourselves and seek to be
better than the individual we see in the mirror.
The Gifted Stranger...
by Wanda S. Reid
One day there was a man... walking around the park...
I noticed him when he passed me... from the start...
He had a hat on his head... that said I believe...
But his clothes were dirty as if he hadn’t received.
He walked around the park... speaking to everyone...
As he smiled he appeared ...to be a special one...
His clothes were dirty... and torn you see...
But the smile he wore... was magnified by Thee.
He looked as if he... could use a bath....
But the sound in his voice... carried joy when he laughed...
He was such a peaceful... looking man you see...
I wondered if those around me... could see what I see.
He appeared to have... no place to go...
As he walked around the park... with such a glow...
He looked like he had not... eaten for some time...
But these were just the thoughts... that entered my mind.
i remember thinking... I wish I could help...
As I looked at him...my heart began to melt...
I had been sitting in the park... for an hour or so...
Contemplating how... I thought my life should go.
I had thought about what... I thought I needed....
And all it would take... for me to achieve it...
And how important... achieving it seemed...
But this man walking... reminded me what life brings.
As I sat and thought... a little more this time...
All kinds of thoughts... entered my mind...
I thought of how... I had been blessed....
And how God delivered me... from my mess.
I thought of the times... he had comforted me so...
And encouraged me even... when I felt I couldn’t go...
I thought of the joy... that I use to feel...
And how I missed it... for it was so real.
As this man passed by me... for a third or fourth time...
I said, Can I talk to you... if you don’t mind?
He said he didn’t mind... and sat down beside me...
He turned and looked and said... how can I help thee?
I began to tell why... I came to the park today...
And how I had noticed him... walking along the way...
I told him I was not... pleased with my life...
For I had worked so hard...but received so much strife.
The strife had begun...to overtake my will...
My will for life... and my zeal....
I told him I noticed him... because of his smile...
And it seemed he had no problems... and no trials.
It seemed he owned nothing... but the smile on his face...
Yet he appeared so peaceful... and had so much grace...
I told him I had been sitting... thinking about myself...
And looking at him reminded me... of the joy I once felt.
The joy I felt... was no longer there...
But now I realized... I desired it beyond compare...
Beyond my dreams... of success you see...
For the inner joy was... what would please me.
He told me I... could have the joy again....
If I would only heed...heed to God’s commands...
He told me God couldn’t... be second in my life...
No matter what situations... nor what strife.
If I desired to have... the joy once more...
I must seek God first... more and more....
God would not settle... for being second best...
For He could deliver me... from all my mess.
He said the smile he had... was not his own...
For God walked with him...for he wasn’t alone...
And the hat he wore on his head... said he believed...
For it was given to him...once he received.
He knew people judged him... and didn’t understand...
But yet he was following...following God’s commands...
He was allowing God to use him... in a special way...
And he knew he would have... this conversation this day.
He told me to look up... and not look down...
For if I truly seeked God... He was around....
He told me I had left God... but He never left me...
Trust in God .. .the power that be.
And then he said to me... now give me your hand...
I gave it to him... yet I didn’t understand...
He said to me now... close your eyes....
It was at that point... I realized.
He began to pray... for me that day...
Asking God to help me...all along the way...
He asked God to strengthen me... and give comfort too...
When faced with life’s challenges...not knowing what to do.
He asked God to renew... the joy I once had...
And fix my heart... so I wouldn’t be sad...
He asked God to give me... the peace I desired...
And place in my heart... a burning desire.
He said give her the desire...the desire to succeed...
In this life with Him... I would achieve....
As he finished praying... for me on that day...
I no longer was lost... I knew the way.
The joy had returned... and I was renewed....
My heart felt wonderful... for it had been soothed...
Been soothed by the touch... of God’s hand...
And since that day... I have heeded His commands.
I’ve made Him first... in all that Ido...
My need for success is second... and this is the clue...
The clue to succeeding... in this life...
To keep Him first... for He paid the price.
copyright © 2001
Local artist, Wanda Reid can be reached at P O Box 21584 Winston-
Salem, NC 27120 or emailed at gjkreid@yahoo.com and welcomes any
and all feedback regarding her work and her future plans.
Look for “FRUIT FOR THOUGHT” in the next edition of the
Phoenix!!!!!!