Hello my friends! Today was spent mostly at Lori's with Deil there helping her all the way with sewing - hemming her new curtains. Was there most of the day, nice visiting, good eating, etc. and after work Linus came too, we had a great supper with pork chops baked in sourkraut - delicious! We washed all the dishes while those two sewed and are still hard at it, but we are home now. After Mass and after a brunch, we take Deil back - Lori and I. Linus can rest at home, and the two dogs can take good care of him. The weather looks good tomorrow - cold but sunny. Darla called me - it's cold in Texas now - 40 degrees!! Had a nice visit with her, they are going dancing tonight. Talking to my two girls today and my oldest sister made my day! Also that Linus got there and helped what he could too. Praise the Lord for all His blessings - little and big! Praying for all you ask prayers for, daily.
Keep yourself young in spirit always by thinking new thoughts
and getting rid of old habits. Lord, may my spirit never become
frail and my abilities never become barren.
Scripture for the day:
"It is God's will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance
of the foolish. As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not
use your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone." ~1 Peter
2:15-17
Meditation for the day:
Each new days brings an opportunity to do some little thing that will
help to make a better world, that will bring God's kingdom a little
nearer to being realized on earth. We can take each day's happenings
as opportunities for something we can do for God. In that spirit, a
blessing will attend all that we do. When we offer this day's service
to God, we are sharing in God's work. We do not have to do great
things.
Prayer for the day:
I pray that today I may do the next thing, the unselfish thing, the
loving thing. I pray that I may be content with doing small things as
long as they are right.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am sometimes afraid of what it means to
die to myself. Help me to use all of my talents for your kingdom. Help me to
realize that I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and to
courageously take steps to love you.
Resolution: I will practice patience with someone who annoys me today to
show my love for Jesus.
Let Go .....
To "LET GO" Does not mean to stop caring, it means I can't do it for someone
else.
To "LET GO" Is not to cut myself off, it's the realization that I can't
control another human being.
To "LET GO" Is not to enable, but to allow someone to learn from their
natural consequences.
To "LET GO" Is to admit powerlessness , which means the outcome is not in my
hands.
To "LET GO" Is not to try to change or blame another, but to make the most
of myself.
To "LET GO" Is not to care for, but to care about.
To "LET GO" Is not to fix, but to be supportive, and not violate my values.
To "LET GO" Is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
To "LET GO" Is not to be in the middle, arranging all the outcomes , but to
allow God to work in the lives of others.
To "LET GO" Is not to be protective, it's to permit another to face reality.
To "LET GO" Is not to deny, but to accept .
To "LET GO" Is not to nag, scold or argue with another person, but instead
to search out my own shortcomings and allow God to correct them.
To "LET GO" Does not mean to deny the shortcomings in others, but to accept
others unconditionally in love.
To "LET GO" Is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to accept each
day as it comes; knowing God offers it to me for growth.
To "LET GO" Is not to criticize or regulate anybody, but to try to become
the person I understand God wants me to be.
To "LET GO" Does not mean to compete against another human being, but
rather, to compete within myself to learn "self- control" through
circumstances God brings into my life.
To "LET GO" Does mean to fear less and love more.
To "LET GO" Means I don't demand my own way, but that I hold firm to my
values and beliefs-- while allowing others the same privilege.
To "LET GO" Doesn't mean that I expect God to do everything for me, but that
I let God show me how to do His will for my life.
THE FOUR CANDLES
Author Unknown
The Four Candles burned slowly. Their Ambiance was so soft you could
hear them speak...
The first candle said, "I Am Peace, but these days, nobody wants to
keep me lit."
Then Peace's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.
The second candle says, "I Am Faith, but these days, I am no longer
indispensable."
Then Faith's flame slowly diminishes and goes out completely.
Sadly the third candle spoke, "I Am Love and I haven't the strength to
stay lit any longer."
"People put me aside and don't understand my importance. They even
forget to love those who are nearest to them."
And waiting no longer, Love goes out completely.
Suddenly...
A child enters the room and sees the three candles no longer burning.
The child begins to cry, "Why are you not burning? You are supposed to
stay lit until the end."
Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, "Don't be
afraid, for I Am Hope, and while I still burn, we can re-light the
other candles."
With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other
three candles.
Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life.
With Hope, no matter how bad things look and are...Peace, Faith and
Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.
CALL TO ME
By Sally I. Kennedy
' Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and
mighty things, which you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3,
We could hear it before we could see it. One lone goose, honking
loudly on his way in. If any other geese had been on the small lake
this beautiful autumn morning, they would have answered the call.
“Hunters know this”, my husband explained. “That’s the reason for the
turkey callers that they use; they can learn where the birds are.”
The goose paddled around, near the water’s muddy edge by the lily
pads, all alone. No answer. No geese were on this lake. Perhaps
they had all flown south for the winter. It was well into fall, and
there’d been one chilly frost already.
I thought, good thing we can call to God ANY time at all, and He is
never gone. Isn’t it amazing? This almighty God of the universe, who
is unchanging, sovereign, steadfast, and ever-faithful, is the same
God who keeps a listening ear out for those calling out- for
companions, for help, for whatever. And, He will answer. It’s a
promise.
That is good news.
God used an important divine inspiration to prove to us that our Holy
Scriptures contains truth... God used prophecy; this is the ability predict
the future. Nobody else can do this, because only God is the creator of
time and only God is above time to know what will happen in the future.
The Old Testament was written hundreds, even thousands, of years before the
time of Jesus.
Arguably, the most important prophecy given to us was the prediction that
Jesus will come to earth to save us. There are hundreds of biblical
predictions concerning the birth, life, and death of Jesus in the Old
Testament and which have been realized and confirmed in the New Testament.
Below are just a few of them which you may find familiar...
In the Old Testament, we read about
a virgin who will become pregnant and it will be a sign that God is with us.
(Isaiah 7:14)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the Virgin Mary, will give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High God.
(Luke 1:31-32)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a star that will announce the birth of a king. (Numbers 24:17)
In the New Testament, we are told that
wise men followed the star that led them to baby Jesus. (Matthew 2:2)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a ruler that will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:4-6)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a King who will be known as the Son of God. (Psalms 2:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
heaven announces Jesus as the Son of God. (Matthew 3:17)
In the Old Testament, we read about
one being betrayed by a close friend for 30 silver coins. (Psalms 41:9 and
Zechariah 11:9,12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was betrayed by one of His apostles, Judas, for 30 silver coins.
(Matthew 26:14-15 and Matthew 27:4)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a servant who is treated harshly and yet remaining silent. (Isaiah 53:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus kept quiet during harsh accusations. (Matthew 26:63)
In the Old Testament, we read about
one being rejected by one's own people. (Isaiah 53:3)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the crowds chanted for the death of Jesus. (Luke 23:18)
In the Old Testament, we read about
the cry and anguish of a man and the pains of his hands and feet. (Psalms
22:16)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus had his hands pierced by nails. (John 20:25)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a man calling out for God and being humiliated by other people who shook
their heads at him. (Psalms 22:7)
In the New Testament, we are told that
people hurled insults, shook their heads at Jesus, and humiliated him.
(Matthew 27:39 and Luke 23:35)
In the Old Testament, we read about
God's servant who is numbered amongst the criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was crucified with bandits. (Mark 15:27)
In the Old Testament, we read about
God's servant who is being harshly treated and yet still praying that they
might be forgiven. (Isaiah 53:12)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus prays for forgiveness to those who are killing Him. (Luke 23:34)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a victim whose clothes were gambled for and divided up amongst evil men.
(Psalms 22:18)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the soldiers who killed Jesus threw dice and gambled for Jesus' clothes.
(Luke 23:34)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a suffering man who is felt forsaken by his father. (Psalms 22:1)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus felt abandoned by God. (Matthew 27:46)
In the Old Testament, we read about
the good man whom the Lord preserves completely and none of his bones will
be broken. (Psalms 34:20)
In the New Testament, we are told that
the soldiers did not break the legs of Jesus, as they did to the others who
were crucified. (John 19:33)
In the Old Testament, we read about
the one who was stabbed to death and they mourn for him like those who mourn
for an only child. (Zechariah 12:10)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus, the only Son of God, had his side pierced by a soldier's spear. (1
John 4:9 and John 19:34)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a devoted servant who would bear the punishment of many. (Isaiah 53:11)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus died for our sins. (1 Corinthians 15:3)
In the Old Testament, we read about
an innocent man who was buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus was taken by a rich man to be buried in the rich man's tomb. (Matthew
27:59-60)
In the Old Testament, we read about
a wise man who is saved from the power of death. (Psalms 49:15)
In the New Testament, we are told that
Jesus rises from the dead. (Luke 24:34)
Prophecy is God's signature on the scriptures. So Christians can rejoice,
because God came to earth to save us. And we knew He would... We knew a
thousand years before it happened.
No other book in the history of the world can approach the impact of the
Bible. It has transformed countless lives. It has inspired great works of
art, music and literature. The very wealthy have drawn success secrets from
its pages; the most poor have found comfort and challenge in its words. And
it is the basis for much of "civil" society in many parts of the globe.
Praise Don't Complain
There is no mistaking, Lord. You've made it clear that I'm to be
joyful in each and every day and task that I encounter. The Next
time I'm tempted to complain about the mounds of work I have,
remind me to turn the murmuring into praise.
Whether any particular day shall bring you more happiness or suffering
is largely beyond your power to determine. Whether each day of your
life shall give happiness or suffering rests within yourself.
Blogs & Forums
