Hello my friends! My blessings today was when I was at Darla's, for they had a meeting at the Church about Baptism, Lori came over to take me home as LInus was working, and she polished my toe nails with her polish - a nice pedicure from my daughter! Much cheaper. She stayed and actually made supper for us, another blessing. Tomorrow she will be sponser for both twins, and Greg's brother will be the other sponser. About 20 guests are coming there. It'll be a crowd so Sammy will stay home, otherwise he's always there when I go there. Please would you say a prayer the twins won't be fussy for any reason during Baptism and the service? Thanks.
God bless each and every one of you!!
If you feel the need to get even, try getting even with those that have helped you.
Lord, free me from any thoughts of revenge because this only shuts the door
to my own happiness.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the
mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and
foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. There is a river
whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most
High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will
help it when the morning dawns." ~Psalm 46:1-5
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
In God's strength we can conquer life. Our conquering power is the
grace of God. There can be no complete failure with God. When we want
to make the best of life, then we can live as near as possible to God,
the master and giver of all life. Our reward for depending on God's
strength can be sure. Sometimes the reward can be renewed power to face
life, sometimes wrong thinking overcome, sometimes people brought to a
new way of living. Whatever success comes will not be our own doing, but
largely the working out of the grace of God.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may try to rely more fully on the grace of God. I pray
that I may live a victorious life.
There was a boy named Jason. He was 12 and skipped school most days. On the days he was at school, he picked fights with other school mates and got himself suspended. His parents were nevertheless very caring and loving towards him. Despite his inadequacies, they loved him no less.
His father who was quite a short balding man and who ran an anti-drug medical center, used to plead to Jason to stop fighting at school and taking drugs before things got worse. Still, Jason was unyielding and continued to do what he wanted with his life.
Over the next two years, things continued to spiral downwards for Jason, who moved onto harder drugs and started to hang around with a violent group of drug addicts and dealers, between which, they often had violent disagreements.
His parents, especially his father, were getting more and more concerned with Jason and due to Jason's larger frame, pleaded rather than scolded Jason to stop taking drugs because he knew what would happen to him.
When his sister also pleaded with him to stop, he got angry and yelled back, "I don't really care what happens!" It became a habit of Jason's to find the short way out of drug deals, trying to rip the dealers off with counterfeit money that he had gotten hold of. It was a dangerous game but he had no money and he needed the drugs.
Late one night, Jason's dad was driving home after work when he saw a boy being chased by eight much larger boys wielding chains and baseball bats. He realized that the boy was Jason! He stopped his car on the side of the street and chased after his son, with the men a few paces behind. His son, drugged and dellusioned, slowed down and his father was able to catch up. "Run Jason! They're coming!!" He couldn't help it, he was incapacitated and unable to run any further.
Seeing his son in such a helpless state and the men closely following behind, Jason's father got to Jason and unable to do anything further, he embraced his son tightly, standing between his son and the pursuing boys. The boys reached the two and started beating Jason's father repeatedly with baseball bats and the chains that they had brought along. Over and over they pounded at him, trying to get him to let go of Jason, but he wouldn't, he couldn't allow anything happen to his son.
After only a short while, his grip started to loosen as blood poured out of his head and his body bruising from the blows and seeing what they had done to the man, the boys ran off. Bleeding profusely and convulsing from the blows, his father quietly whispered "I love you, son" as his eyes rolled back and breathed his last breath. Jason, despite being drugged up to his eyes was able to comprehend what had just happened.
Through uncontrollable sobs and incoherent cries, Jason realized his father who was still lying over him - lifeless, died to save him from the drug dealers who were after him. Still crying and hating himself for whom he had become and what he had caused to happen, he made a quiet vow to give up his drugs and his violent lifestyle. If not for himself, then at least for his father who died because of him.
Weeks later, Jason could be found at the medical center training to become what his father used to be, and continue to fight the fight against drugs. His inexpressible sorrow and shame for his past deeds gave him no other choice but to do whatever he could to be like his father - he felt fully inadequate but he tried anyway, he felt he HAD to at least try.
Think about this story and consider the parallels to Christianity.. God, our father, warning us not to go into sin and not heeding his warnings we entered into sin heading straight towards hell. God had to manifest himself as a pure and sin-free human being, Jesus Christ, and nailed on the cross - bleeding from flesh-tearing whips and stabs in the side from the Roman guards, He died so that we could be saved from the judgment that we deserved for being imperfect humans.
Then imagine the pain Jesus Christ would feel knowing that you, whom he died a slow, humiliating and excruciatingly painful death on the cross for, refuses to acknowledge that he died for you. Christ loves you and it doesn't take a fully conscious human to realize the kind of gratitude that we must therefore show to him. How would he feel when you are in hell pleading for him "Jesus, I now believe, please remove me from here!" With the pain and sadness of a father watching his son being tortured, he can only answer "Thou hour has passed, judgment has been set."
Or maybe if you do acknowledge his death, continue to live your lives, meaning that his death had no impact on you. Don't you feel at least compelled to replicate his life? If this didn't actually happen and was just a story created for another 'religion', Christians all over the world would not risk persecution, humiliation, hate and sometimes loss of friendship for sharing this story to those whom the love.. and don't want to suffer an eternity of regret.
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
I said, " The path is steep."
He said, " I'm at your side."
I said, "But I am weak."
He said, "For you I died."
I said, "Dark valleys come."
He said, "I'll guide you through."
I said, "But I'm not brave."
He said, "I'll walk with you."
I said, "Be light to me,
And strength as I go on."
He said, "I'm more. I'm love,
You'll never walk alone."
~~Author Unknown.~~
GOD'S HOLD IS SURE
There were two brethren who differed on the question of the believer's safety in Christ. They were discussing the question, and one said to the other:
"I'll tell you, a child of God is safe only so long as he stays in the lifeboat. He may jump out, and if he jumps out he is lost."
To this the other replied, saying: "You remind me of an incident in my own life. I took my little son out with me in a boat. I realized, as he did not, the danger of his falling or even jumping into the water. So I sat with him all the time, and all the time I held him fast, so he could neither fall out nor jump out of the boat."
"But," said the first speaker, "He could have wriggled out of his coat and got away in spite of you."
"Oh," said the other, "you misunderstood me if you supposed I was holding his coat; I was holding him."
MAN'S DESIRES
Author Unknown
A young man is getting ready to graduate from college. For many months
he had admired a beautiful sports car is a dealer's showroom, and
knowing that his father could well afford it, he told him that was all
he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young awaited signs that his father
had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his
father called him into his private study. His father told him how
proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved
him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped box. Curious and somewhat
disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-
bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he rose
his voice to his father and said "with all your money, you
give me a Bible? And stormed out of the house."
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.
He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized that his
father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had
not seen him since that graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him
his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his
son. He needed to come home right away and take care of things. When he
arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his
heart.
He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the
still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With
tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father
carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if ye, being evil,
know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your
Heavenly Father who is in Heaven, give to those who ask him?" As he
read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had
a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car
he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the
words PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because we can't see past
our own desires?
AN ACT OF HUMILITY
Help me O Lord that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors' soul and come to their rescue and that I may give heed to his needs, pains and moanings, and above all to have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all. Amen.
Prayer to Saint Monica - Feast Day August 27Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son not with wild threats but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray. Amen.
August 27 - Jesus Calling
"Spend time with Me for the pure pleasure of being in My company. I can brighten up the dullest of gray days; I can add sparkle to the routines of daily life. You have to repeat so many tasks day after day. This monotony can dull your thinking until your mind slips into neutral. A mind that is unfocused is vulnerable to "the world, the flesh, and the devil," all of which exert a downward pull on your thoughts. As your thinking processes deteriorate, you become increasingly confused and directionless. The best remedy is to refocus your mind and heart on Me, your constant Companion.
Even the most confusing day opens up before you as you go step by step with Me. My Presence goes with you wherever you go, providing Light for your path."
{Psalm 63:7-8; Psalm 119:105}
Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
—Psalm 63:7–8
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
—Psalm 119:105
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