In the dressing room, the visiting hockey team got ready to go out on the ice. The goalkeeper strapped up his wide pads, picked up his glove and blocker, grabbed his goalie stick and started to lead the team into the corridor to the ice surface. Suddenly, he stopped.

'One minute. I forgot something,' he said. He hurried back to the locker and pulled a rabbit foot necklace from his pocket. Stroking it for luck, he hung it around his neck and returned to the waiting team.

'What's that?' One of the team members was puzzled.

'It's my lucky charm,' the goalkeeper told him. 'I always rub it for luck before we play. 'It works, too. We won the last two games.'

'Did you say you always rub it for luck before every game?' the other boy asked. When the goalie nodded, the boy grinned. 'So how come we had a ten-game losing streak before the last two games? A dead rabbit's foot can't do anything for us on the ice. I think if we do our best we can make our own luck.'

The goalie was annoyed. 'So how come you always pray to God before we play,' he shot back.

'Not for luck,' his teammate said. 'I ask God to help me do my best to play hard and fair. Win or lose, I'm happy if I know I've done my best.'

The team went out, played well, and won by three goals. After the game, the goalkeeper took off the rabbit foot necklace and threw it in the garbage. Bowing his head quietly he thanked God for helping him to do his best.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to trust you and do our best in all we do. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Two sisters had a visit from Jesus one day. One of them, Martha, fussed about making sure the house was clean and comfortable for Jesus and getting everything ready so He could have a good meal. Her sister Mary didn't help Martha. Instead, she sat down and listened very carefully to everything Jesus was saying.

It was good that Martha worked hard to make Jesus comfortable. But it was not good that she was upset because Mary didn't help. Martha did two things. First, she complained to Jesus. 'Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?' Then she actually told Jesus what to do. 'Tell Mary to help me.'

It probably made a lot of sense to Martha that she should get help with the cleaning and cooking. But she was not putting the most important thing first.

'Martha, Martha,' Jesus said. 'You are bothered about many things. 'Only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen that good part. It will not be taken away from her.'

There is a proper time for serving Jesus.  But sitting at His feet and listening to Him is always the first and most important thing.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus. Please help me to sit with You and hear Your word. Amen.

Julie was all practiced up to play the piano. Father was ready to read Scripture. Margaret had baked cookies for the Sunday School class. Bobby, five years old, scowled. 'Everybody gets to do something except me,' he complained. 'What can I do for God?

'Listen carefully to the story I will tell your class today,' Mother said.

When the family got to church, Bobby spotted a friend. 'Hi, Gerald,' he called out. 'I never saw you here before.'

'First time,' Gerald said.

Bobby showed Gerald around the church, then the boys went to class. Bobby's mother told a story about how the church organ worked.

'The pipes are all different sizes and they all make a different sound,' Mother explained. 'Yet, the person playing the organ can make all the pipes sound together - the big ones and the small ones - to make beautiful music.'

On the way home, Mother smiled at Bobby. 'You made Gerald feel welcome, Bobby. He wants to come to church again next week.  Just like one of the small organ pipes, you added to the worship today.'

Everybody, even little Bobby, can do something for God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, what can I do for you today? Amen.

One night, Henrietta's co-worker at the Convenience store had to leave a few minutes early. 'Be sure to put the money from the till into the safe before you lock up,' he reminded her. When the store closed, Henrietta counted the money carefully, then moved over to the safe. Before she could deposit the money, somebody came behind her and pulled a bag over her head. She just caught a glimpse of her attacker's feet. It was a man and he wore the kind of shoes her co-worker wore.

When the police came, Henrietta told them everything. The coworker denied going back to the store - and Henrietta was sure the owner would think she took the money. But the owner said, 'Did anybody check the surveillance cameras?'

The cameras told the whole story. They showed the co-worker sneaking into a dark part of the store and then attacking Henrietta from behind.

'You forgot about the cameras, didn't you?' the policeman said as he arrested the co-worker.

Many people forget that God doesn't even need cameras. He sees everything we do. Nothing is hidden from Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You see everything. Help me to please You in all that I do. Amen.

A lady once invited an expert in old furniture to come and see a bedroom set which had been in her family for many years. She thought the set could be worth a lot of money.

The man saw the bedroom set and told her, 'Yes, it is old - but it is not unique. You wouldn't be able to sell it for very much.'

The lady was disappointed until the man said, 'However, I would like to have a closer look at that bedroom lamp.'

'That's just an old pottery jar my grandfather brought from China long ago,' she said. 'I painted it green to cover up the flower design because the colors clashed with my curtains. I stuck in a light bulb holder so I could read in bed.'

The expert examined the jar closely. He turned it upside down. He held it up to the sunlight. He took out a magnifying glass and peered at some small marks on the base.

'It is what I thought,' he said. 'This is a vase from the Ming dynasty.'

'Is that good?' the lady asked. The man smiled.

'I'm pretty sure that in a good auction it may be worth more than two million dollars.'

The lady had no idea and was very surprised. Just as many people are surprised when they learn that God Himself lives in the lives of those humble people who follow Jesus.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You that You live in me. Amen.