Community Chat

[gloriajean]

God's blessings come in packages both large and small. Sometimes

they are expected and sometimes not. Sometimes they are recognized

and sometimes not. Lord, thank you for the joy You light in me, even

in times of sorrow. Please use me to bless someone else.

Scripture for the day:

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and

tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you--you of

little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you

are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world

that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need

them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to

you as well." ~Luke 12:28-31

Meditation for the day:

When we seek to follow the way of the spirit, it frequently means a complete

reversal of the way of the world which we had previously followed. But it

can be a reversal that leads to happiness and peace.

Do the aims and ambitions that a person usually strives for bring peace?

Do the world's awards bring heart-rest and happiness? Or do they turn to

ashes in the mouth?

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may not be weary, disillusioned or disappointed. I pray that

I may not put my trust in the ways of the world, but in the way of the

spirit.

Hello my friends! Today was the first day back to work for Linus for a

week, and he's so sore again, so this job is so hard on him, tomorrow he

works there again but then no more until next Monday. Then he'll just have

5 hour days instead of 6. He's waiting for his training for Lighthouse -

then he can get started selling it. If you look up Lighthouse Catholic

Media on Google, you'll see everything he'll be selling. Tomorrow Lori

leaves on her Seminar which will be in Sedona, and won't get home until late

Sunday night. We will have her dog, Ollie, here all that time and that will

keep us busy. He is so energetic. I'm going to try to teach him to relax

more. Lori was here for lunch today -that was a blessing, as it's been a

long time since she was here for lunch. She needed to pick up a suitcase.

She gave me a canned squash soup that her friend canned last summer, and we

had it for supper tonight and it was very good. I'll have to try canning

our squash and making soup out of it. It was quite tasty. Praying for you

all and thanks for your prayers for us.

APPLES

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in

Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of

time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and brief-cases, one of these salesmen

inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of baskets of apples.

Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed

to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. All but one. He

paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced

a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to

call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his

taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples

were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running

down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for

her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping, and no

one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them

into the baskets, and helped set the display up once more. As he did this,

he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set

aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here,

please take this $20 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"

She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil

your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out

to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind

eyes.

She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to

catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his

soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot

tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to

His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing

Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually

living the Word as life unfolds day to day. You are the apple of His eye

even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was

doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for

our damaged fruit.

Let us live like we are worth the price He paid.

-- Author Unknown

Big Feet and Big Heart

It was an unseasonably hot day. Everybody it seemed, was looking for some

kind of relief, so an ice cream store was a natural place to stop.

A little girl, clutching her money tightly, entered the store. Before she

could say a word, the store clerk sharply told her to get outside and read

the sign on the door, and stay out until she put on some shoes. She left

slowly, and a big man followed her out of the store.

He watched as she stood in front of the store and read the sign: 'No Bare

Feet'. Tears started rolling down her cheeks as she turned and started to

walked away. Just then the big man called to her. Sitting down on the curb,

he took off his size-12 shoes, and set them in front of the girl saying,

"Here, you won't be able to walk in these, but if you sort of slide along,

you can get your ice cream cone."

Then he lifted the little girl up and set her feet into the shoes. "Take

your time," he said, "I get tired of moving them around, and it'll feel good

to just sit here and eat my ice cream." The shining eyes of the little girl

could not be missed as she shuffled up to the counter and ordered her ice

cream cone.

He was a big man, all right. Big belly, big shoes, but most of all, he had a

big heart.

Prayers to our Guardian Angel

O angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from heaven, enlighten me this

day, and save me from all evil. Instruct me in doing good deeds, and set me

on the path of salvation. Amen.

O angel of Christ, holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive

me everything wherein I have offended you every day of my life, and protect

me from all influence and temptation of the Evil One. May I never again

anger God by my sins. Pray for me to the Lord, that He may make me worthy of

the grace of the Holy Trinity, and of the blessed Mother of God, and of all

the saints. Amen.

HEALING PRAYER:

"Beloved Mother, I come to you with prayers for healing of mind, body and

spirit. I ask you to

hear my special concern (state petition) and to place my needs before your

Son who you nurtured

and cared for with all your heart. Help me to release all fears and doubts

that cause me anxiety and bring

me peace and comfort through your blessed intercession.

Let me be receptive of God's will and help me to learn compassion through my

suffering. Teach me

to love others as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Give me the strength and understanding to forgive and to receive others'

forgiveness. Blessed Mother,

help me to grow closer to your Son in everything I do. Renew my spirit and

restore my soul through your intercession.

I seek your guidance and protection, remembering these words: "Create in me

a clean heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me." PS 51:10 All this I pray in Jesus'

name. Amen"

THE GIRL IN THE PINK DRESS

Author Unknown

There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park. Everyone

passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad. Dressed

in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and

watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a

word. Many people passed by her, but no one would stop.

The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if

the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the

very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in

her eyes.

Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl. For

as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place for young

children to play alone. As I got closer I could see the back of the

little girl's dress was grotesquely shaped. I figured that was the

reason people just passed by and made no effort to speak to her.

As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my

intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back

more clear She was grotesquely shaped in a humped-over form.

I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk. I

sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello." The little girl

acted shocked, and stammered a "hi," after a long stare into my eyes.

I smiled and she shyly smiled back.

We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty. I

asked the girl why she was so sad. The little girl looked at me with a

sad face said, "Because I'm different." I immediately said, "That you

are!" and smiled. The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I

know."

"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and

innocent." She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her

feet and said, "Really?"

"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all those

people walking by." She nodded her head yes, and smiled. With that she

opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread,

then she said "I am. I'm your Guardian Angel," with a twinkle in her

eye. I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things.

She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job

here is done."

I got to my feet and said, "Wait, why did no one stop to help an

angel?" She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You are the only one that

could see me," and then she was gone. And with that, my life was

changed dramatically. So, when you think you're all you have,

remember, your angel is always watching over you.