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http://www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com/

Bear's Inspirations, 1820 Wynnton Road, Columbus, GA (2025)

12/11/2025

No Christmas This Year

We won't have a Christmas this year, you say

For now the children have all gone away;

And the house is so lonely, so quiet and so bare

We couldn’t have a Christmas that they didn’t share.

We won’t have a Christmas this year, you sigh,

For Christmas means things that money must buy.

Misfortunes and illness have robbed us we fear

Of the things that we’d need to make Christmas this year.

We won't have a Christmas this year you weep,

For a loved one is gone, and our grief is too deep;

It will be a long time before our harts heal,

And the spirit of Christmas again we can feel.

But if you lose Christmas when troubles befall,

Your never have really had Christmas at all.

For once you have had it, it cannot depart

When you learn that true Christmas is Christ in you heart.

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

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12/10/2025

Ruth And The Visitor

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.

She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again.

There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.

She read the letter:

"Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I'd like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus"

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me?

I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.

"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.

"Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk...leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us,lady?"

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.

A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

"Look lady, I ain't got a job, ya know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it's getting cold and we're getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both.

They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."

The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

"Sir, wait!"

The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.

"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."

She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering .

"You know, I've got another coat at home.

Here, why don't you take this one."

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street...without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

"Thank you lady!

Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too.

The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.

She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."

"Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again. Thank you for the lovely meal. And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always, Jesus"

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

Send a message to learn more

12/09/2025

A Letter to My Son

Dear Son,

Well Christmas time is here once again, I’ve put the tree up as I do each year, and your stocking has been hung with care. Oh yes Christmas is in the air, but this year is different for you’ve grown up and taken a wife, you’ve started your grown up life. As I go through the Christmas decorations I see the ones you make when you were my little boy. Oh how my heart swelled with pride joy and love when you brought these trinkets home saying “I made this just for you and of course your new Christmas ornament went right on the tree at once, you’ll never know how much joy you brought into my life the day you were born, I must admit I miss those days when you were mommy’s little boy. I close my eyes and I can still smell your baby lotion, oh my the diapers I did change! Excuse me while I dry my tears. Oh where did the time go? It was only yesterday that we went to see Santa remember you always told Santa “ I just want too much”. Did I rush through life working late so you could have more toys, more clothes and more of everything I never had as a child. Oh where did the time go you should still be playing doctor with the cat and dog you grew up with. And we should still be playing chase out in the yard and through the house I should still be the room mom baking cookies for you to take to school, I should still be, walking you to your first grade class- oh I miss those years so! Did I take them and you for granted? Oh I hope not! I think sometimes if I could only have you little once more I’d do things differently! But then I realize- that a single mom and her small son did OK! After all you’ve grown up to be a fine young man with values and morals that makes my heart once again swell with love pride, and joy. For I know that you’ll always be my little boy! Merry Christmas son.

Love,

Your Mom

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

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12/09/2025

My First Christmas In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below with tiny

light, like Heavens, reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular, please wipe away the tear,

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear.

But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas Choir up here.

I have no words to tell you, the joy the voices bring,

For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,

I see the pain inside your heart.

But I am not so far away,

We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,

You know I hold you dear,

And be glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other, as my Father said to do.

For I can't count the blessings or love he has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and wipe away that tear,

Remember I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

** This poem was written by a 13 year old Ben to his mother before he

died of a brain tumor. He died in 1997, and that year his spent his

first Christmas with Jesus.

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

Send a message to learn more

12/07/2025

Dear Santa, Love Mom

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned, and cuddled my two children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my daughter's girl scout sash with staples and a glue gun.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache after a day of chasing kid s (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to carry a screaming toddler out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like a car with fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking daughter doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with one potty-trained toddler, two kids who don't fight, and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, "Don't eat in the living room" and 'Take your hands off your brother,' because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog. And please don't forget the Playdoh Travel Pack, the hottest stocking stuffer this year for mothers of preschoolers. It comes in three fluorescent colors and is guaranteed to crumble on any carpet making the In-laws' house seem just like mine. If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children

to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family; or if my toddler didn't look so cute sneaking downstairs to eat contraband ice cream in h is pajamas at midnight.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the chimney and come in and dry off by the fire so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always...Mom.

PS One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa!!!

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

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12/04/2025

The Walk

One night six years ago I arrived at the hospital to work an overnight shift, Mr. Milne a kind elderly gentleman was one of my assigned patients that night. When I entered his room, I introduced myself and ask him if there was anything, I could do for him before I got busy with other duties. No, he told me, I don’t really need anything but there is something I’d like for you to do for me. No problem, I said What’s that? Sometime tonight while you’re here I’d like for you to come an get me up out of this bed, I’d like to take a little walk around this place you know to just get up and move around for a while. I assured him that could be done as soon as I got things rolling and found a lull in the schedule, I would take him for a walk. I promised him that.

It was a promise I would soon almost regret. The further I got into my shift the more chaotic things seem to get. One thing after another sprang up to demand my attention. The constant flow of just nuisances and details were interrupted my Mr. Milne’s call button. When I arrived at his room he asked if I’d found a little time for that walk yet? Looking at my watch I realized that the two hours of my shift had flown by already. I talked with him for a moment and I reassured him that we would get to it. There were just a few more details I had to clear up first, but I’d be back. Then I was off like a flash down the corridor. An hour later one of the nurse’s aides came to me and said that she had answered another call from Mr. Milne and that he was asking for me. I sent back the message that I’d be there soon. Seemed that the only thing that was greater than Mr. Milne’s persistence was his patients.

He really hadn’t complained he just continued his request. An hour later another one came and finally shortly before 5am when I answered Mr. Milne’s 5th call of the night, I entered his room and he was serious but pleasant. Could we PLEASE go on that walk now? I began to apologize and try to explain how typical a night it had been and all the things that had happened. That’s fine, it’s not a problem it’s just that the walk is important, and I’d like for you to help me, could we do it right now? The tone in is voice and the look in his eyes said something I didn’t understand.

Mr. Milne, what is it? You see, I’m going into surgery this morning in about an hour and their going to amputate both my legs just above the knee and I’d kind of like to take a walk on them one last time. It would mean a lot to me. I swallowed hard and held back tears as I helped him from his bed. We walked him around the unit until it was time for his surgery.

Mr. Milne’s story teaches up an important lesson. Don’t get caught up in the living that you forget the people around you that need love and care.

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

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12/03/2025

Just For This Day

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers And fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day.............

©1999 Sally Meyer

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page

wonderful Inspirational poems and stories as told on the morning radio at Rooster 106 in Columbus, Gerogia

12/02/2025

Forgiveness
Three years ago, a friend said something to me that hurt very deeply. I was speechless. I could not believe she could say that and mean it. When I had no response, she said, "I love you and don't want to see you hurt." My thought was, 'if you love me, how could you say such a terrible thing about someone I love dearly'. But I was still speechless and just couldn't respond.
Days and weeks passed and it still bothered me. I prayed about it a lot and I thought I had forgiven her, but I couldn't forget. Weeks and months went by. I didn't dwell on this, but occasionally after my prayers at bedtime, I would think about it and couldn't seem to clear this from my thoughts. Therefore, I would have a restless night.
Two years passed and I began to doubt that I had forgiven her. I decided I would talk to her about it and tell her how much her words had hurt. Before I could talk to her, I wanted to think about what I would say that wouldn't hurt her. (I'm not really sure she would even remember what she had said to me.)
I prayed about this and asked God to give me the right words to say. After four days of praying about this, I began thinking God wasn't listening to me. Then suddenly it became clear. God had heard and had answered my prayers. The answer was to say NOTHING. JUST FORGIVE. I did -- and a sense of peace came to me. I have had no more restless nights over this.
We all do and say things at time that hurt someone. We need forgiveness and we need to be able to forgive. Let us all pray for those who hurt us and ask God to give us the Grace to forgive them. Forgiving them gives us relief from our hurt. When we can truly forgive, it allows healing to take place in our spiritual lives.
God knows He has to forgive us a lot.

- WRITTEN BY ROBBIE JO

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11/20/2025

Judge Me By The Footprints I Leave Behind

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought in Viet Nam. He called his parents from San Francisco. ”Mom and Dad, I'm coming home, but I've a favor to ask. I have a friend I'd like to bring home with me.”

“Sure”, they replied, “we'd love to meet him”.

“There's something you should know”, the son continued ... “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost aft arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us.”

“I'm sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”

“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us”.

“Son,” said the father, “you don't know what you're asking, someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't lot things like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He'll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco Police, their son had died after falling from a building. They believed it was su***de. The grief -stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they didn't know, their son had only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don't like people who inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable, We would rather stay away from people who aren't as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are.

Thankfully, there's someone who won't treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.

Tonight, before you tuck yourself in fox the night, say a little prayer that God will give you the strength you need to accept people as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those who are different from use!
There’s a miracle called Friendship that dwells it the heart. You don't know how it happens or when it gets started. But you know the special lift it always brings. And you realize that Friendship is God's most precious gift!

Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you too. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

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11/18/2025

Pumpkin
A woman was asked by a coworker, 'What is it like to be a Christian?'
The coworker replied, 'It's like being a pumpkin.
God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.
Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.
He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed.
Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for the entire world to see.
This was passed on to me by another pumpkin. I liked this enough to send it to the pumpkins in my pumpkin patch.

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11/18/2025

Why go to Church?
A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: "I've been married for 30 years now.
In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this they all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are DOWN to nothing God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the >incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

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08/19/2025

Jim and Jesus

A minister passing through his church

in the middle of the day,

Decided to pause by the altar

and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,

a man came down the aisle,

The minister frowned as he saw

the man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kind of shabby

and his coat was worn and frayed,

the man knelt, he bowed his head,

then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,

each noon time came this chap,

each time he knelt just for a moment,

a lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,

with robbery a main fear,

He decided to stop the man and ask him,

"What are you doing here?"

The old man said, he worked down the road.

Lunch was half an hour.

Lunchtime was his prayer time,

for finding strength and power.

"I stay only moments, see,

because the factory is so far away;

as I kneel here talking to the Lord,

this is kind of what I say:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,

HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,

SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP

AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.

DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I

THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.

SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY."

The minister feeling foolish,

told Jim, that was fine.

He told the man he was welcome

to come and pray just anytime.

Time to go, Jim smiled, said

"Thanks." He hurried to the door.

The minister knelt at the altar,

he'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,

and met with Jesus there.

As the tears flowed, in his heart,

he repeated old Jim's prayer:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,

HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,

SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP

AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT I

THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.

SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY."

Past noon one day, the minister noticed

that old Jim hadn't come.

As more days passed without Jim,

he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,

learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried,

but he'd given them a thrill.

One week that Jim was with them,

brought changes in the ward.

His smiles, a joy contagious.

Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand

why Jim was so glad,

when no flowers, calls or cards came,

not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,

he voiced the nurse's concern:

No friends came to show they cared.

He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke up

and with a winsome smile;

"the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,

that in here all the while

everyday at noon He's here,

a dear friend of mine, you see,

He sits right down, takes my hand,

Leans over and says to me:

"I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,

HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,

SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,

AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.

ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,

I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,

AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS

CHECKING IN TODAY."

Author Unknown

Mandi Collier
Bear's Inspiration Page
www.bearsinspirations.homestead.com

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Bear's Inspirations

12/11/2025

12/10/2025

12/09/2025

12/09/2025

12/07/2025

12/04/2025

12/03/2025

12/02/2025

11/20/2025

11/18/2025

11/18/2025

08/19/2025

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