Just Checking In
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>
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> A minister passing through his church
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> in the middle of the day,
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> Decided to pause by the altar
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> and see who had come to pray.
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>
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> Just then the back door opened,
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> a man came down the aisle,
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> The minister frowned as he saw
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> the man hadn't shaved in a while.
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>
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> His shirt was kind of shabby
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> and his coat was worn and frayed,
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> the man knelt, he bowed his head,
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> Then rose and walked away.
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>
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> In the days that followed,
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> each noon time cam! e this chap,
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> each time he knelt just for a moment,
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> A lunch pail in his lap.
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>
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> Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
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> with robbery a main fear,
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> He decided to stop the man and ask him,
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> "What are you doing here?"
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>
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> The old man said, he worked down the road.
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> Lunch was half an hour.
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> Lunchtime was his prayer time,
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> For finding strength and power.
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>
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> "I stay only moments, see,
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> because the factory is so far away;
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> as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
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> This is kind of what I say:
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>
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> "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
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> HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
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> SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
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> AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
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> DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
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> BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
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> SO, JESUS! , THIS IS JIM
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> CHECKING IN TODAY."
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>
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> The minister feeling foolish,
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> told Jim, that was fine.
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> He told the man he was welcome
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> To come and pray just anytime.
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>
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> Time to go, Jim smiled, said "Thanks."
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> He hurried to the door.
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> The minister knelt at the altar,
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> he'd never done it before.
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>
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> His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
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> and met with Jesus there.
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> As the tears flowed, in his heart,
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> he repeated old Jim's prayer:
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>
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> "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
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> HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
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> SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
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> AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
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> I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I
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> THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
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> SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY."
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>
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> Past noon one day, the minister noticed
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> that old Jim hadn't come.
> !
> As more days passed without Jim,
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> he began to worry some.
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>
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> At the factory, he asked about him,
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> learning he was ill.
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> The hospital staff was worried,
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> But he'd given them a thrill.
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>
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> The week that Jim was with them,
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> Brought changes in the ward.
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> His smiles, a joy contagious.
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> Changed people, were his reward.
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>
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> The head nurse couldn't understand
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> why Jim was so glad,
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> when no flowers, calls or cards came,
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> Not a visitor he had.
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>
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> The minister stayed by his bed,
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> He voiced the nurse's concern:
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> No friends came to show they cared.
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> He had nowhere to turn.
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>
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> Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up and with a
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> winsome smile;
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> "the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
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> that ! in here all the while everyday at noon
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> He's here, a dear friend of mine, you see,
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> He sits right down, takes my hand,
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> Leans over and says to me:
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>
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> "I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,
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> HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
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> SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
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> AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
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> ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
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> I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
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> AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
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> CHECKING IN TODAY."
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>
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> If this blesses you, pass it on...
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> Many people will walk in and out of your life,
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> but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
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>
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> May God hold you in the palm of His hand and
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> Angels watch over you.
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> ~Author Unknown~
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>
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> But for those of us who are already His, He not
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> only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has
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> engraved our names there, and we are continually in
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> His sight (Isaiah 49:16)
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>
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> If you aren't ashamed to do this, please follow
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> the directions. Jesus said, " If you are ashamed of me," I will be
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> ashamed of you before my Father."
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>
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> If you are not ashamed Pass this on . . . only if you mean it. Yes, I do
>love God.
> He is my sour! ce of existence and Savoir.
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>
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> He keeps me functioning each and everyday.
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> Without Him, I will be nothing.
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> Without him, I am nothing but with Him "I can do all things through
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>
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> Christ that strengthens me." Phil 4:13


>

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Romans 1:11-12

John Trevino