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    <title>topic Tuesday's Positive Thread in Community Chat</title>
    <link>https://community.qvc.com/t5/Community-Chat/Tuesday-s-Positive-Thread/m-p/241631#M107364</link>
    <description>&lt;P&gt;When we give in to fears and worries they will take charge of our lives.&lt;BR /&gt; Lord, I place my trust in You so that I may experience every opportunity&lt;BR /&gt; and not miss in life that which is meant for me.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Scripture for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; "Jesus straightened up and said to the woman caught in adultery, 'Woman,&lt;BR /&gt; where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, sir.' And&lt;BR /&gt; Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not&lt;BR /&gt; sin again.'" ~John 8:10-11&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Meditation for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; I can start a new life each day. I can put away the old mistakes and start&lt;BR /&gt; anew each day. God always offers me a fresh start. I need not be burdened&lt;BR /&gt; or anxious. If God's forgiveness were only for the righteous and those who&lt;BR /&gt; had not sinned, where would be its need? I believe that God forgives us all&lt;BR /&gt; our sins. We can honestly try to live today the way God wants us to live.&lt;BR /&gt; God forgives us much and we can be very grateful.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Prayer for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; I pray that my life may not be spoiled by worry and fear and selfishness.&lt;BR /&gt; I pray that I may have a glad, thankful and humble heart.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Hello my friends! Today was beautiful out - not hot, just right! Very&lt;BR /&gt; pleasurable picking raspberries, and I thank God for little blessings that&lt;BR /&gt; the bees leave me alone there!! I was real close to a bee when picking, but&lt;BR /&gt; he was ok - but that was a bit scary. If I pick later on the mosquitoes get&lt;BR /&gt; me. Our raspberries are doing good again now. Today was filled with&lt;BR /&gt; ordinary blessings - but they are wonderful and so needed! Today is my&lt;BR /&gt; Sammy's 8th birthday! Just as cute as ever!! He still plays the piano.&lt;BR /&gt; Praying for all of you for your needs and the needs of your loved ones, and&lt;BR /&gt; thank you for your prayers for us.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY ONE THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; Jul 21, 2009&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, t heir&lt;BR /&gt; conversational skills will be as important as any other.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you&lt;BR /&gt; want.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams&lt;BR /&gt; don't have much.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the&lt;BR /&gt; only way to live life completely.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; THIRTEEN! .... When someone asks you a question you don't want to&lt;BR /&gt; answer,&lt;BR /&gt; smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve&lt;BR /&gt; great&lt;BR /&gt; risk.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for&lt;BR /&gt; others; and Responsibility for all your actions.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps&lt;BR /&gt; to correct it.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in&lt;BR /&gt; your voice.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; HOLDING PATTERN&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful&lt;BR /&gt; circumstance in our life to "swallow us up." This season in our&lt;BR /&gt; spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or&lt;BR /&gt; the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that&lt;BR /&gt; great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us.&lt;BR /&gt; God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his&lt;BR /&gt; heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no&lt;BR /&gt; colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no&lt;BR /&gt; interference, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit,&lt;BR /&gt; think, meditate, and pray.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can&lt;BR /&gt; talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things&lt;BR /&gt; about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; A Few of God's Holding Patterns:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed but God&lt;BR /&gt; has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put&lt;BR /&gt; them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a&lt;BR /&gt; holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 3. When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and&lt;BR /&gt; they have not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to&lt;BR /&gt; God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a&lt;BR /&gt; holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no&lt;BR /&gt; interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit,&lt;BR /&gt; think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no&lt;BR /&gt; Mountains that are high enough, valleys low enough, rooms that are&lt;BR /&gt; dark enough, or places that are hidden enough from Him. We must&lt;BR /&gt; remember to praise Him while we're waiting and remember three things:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 1. The pattern has a purpose.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 2. The pattern has a plan.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 3. The pattern has a process.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll&lt;BR /&gt; keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I&lt;BR /&gt; love you."&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know You Love me and will turn&lt;BR /&gt; anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but&lt;BR /&gt; victories and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult&lt;BR /&gt; the path. Amen&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance&lt;BR /&gt; between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can&lt;BR /&gt; stand up to anything.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Tomorrow Is Not Promised&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were&lt;BR /&gt; meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose; teach you a lesson, or&lt;BR /&gt; help figure out who you are, and who you want to become.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; You never know who these people may be: your neighbor, child, long lost&lt;BR /&gt; friend, or even a stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know at&lt;BR /&gt; that very moment that they will affect your life, in some profound way.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; And sometimes things happen to you, and at the time they seem painful and&lt;BR /&gt; unfair, but in reflection you realize, that without overcoming those&lt;BR /&gt; obstacles, you would have never realized your potential strength, or your&lt;BR /&gt; hearts desire.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of&lt;BR /&gt; good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, as&lt;BR /&gt; well as experiencing sheer stupidity; all occur to test the limits of your&lt;BR /&gt; soul.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Without these small tests, whether they be events, illnesses or&lt;BR /&gt; relationships, life would be like a paved straight flat road to nowhere,&lt;BR /&gt; safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The people you meet who affect your life, and the successes and downfalls&lt;BR /&gt; you experience, create who you are, and even the bad experiences can be&lt;BR /&gt; learned from; in fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them; for&lt;BR /&gt; they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious&lt;BR /&gt; to whom you open your heart...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they&lt;BR /&gt; love you, but because they are teaching you to love, and opening your heart&lt;BR /&gt; and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Make every day count. Appreciate every moment, and take from it everything&lt;BR /&gt; that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let&lt;BR /&gt; yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Hold your head up, because you have every right too. Tell yourself you're a&lt;BR /&gt; great person and believe in yourself... for if you don't believe in&lt;BR /&gt; yourself, no one else will believe in you either.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Create your own life and then go out and live in it! "Live Each Day As If It&lt;BR /&gt; Were Your Last... Tomorrow is Not Promised."&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; IT'S IN YOUR FACE&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; You don't have to tell how you live each day,&lt;BR /&gt; You don't have to say if you work or play,&lt;BR /&gt; A tried, true barometer serves in the place;&lt;BR /&gt; however you live, it will show in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The false, the deceit you bear in your heart&lt;BR /&gt; Will not stay inside, where it first got a start.&lt;BR /&gt; For sin and blood are a thin veil of lace;&lt;BR /&gt; what you wear in your heart you wear in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If your life is unselfish,&lt;BR /&gt; if for others you live,&lt;BR /&gt; for not what you get,&lt;BR /&gt; but for how much you can give;&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If you live close to God,&lt;BR /&gt; in His infinite grace,&lt;BR /&gt; you don't have to tell it,&lt;BR /&gt; it shows in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; (I hope it shows in my typing too!!)&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Bless me, heavenly Father -&lt;BR /&gt; forgive my erring ways.&lt;BR /&gt; Grant me strength to serve Thee,&lt;BR /&gt; put purpose in my days.&lt;BR /&gt; Give me understanding,&lt;BR /&gt; enough to make me kind.&lt;BR /&gt; So I may judge all people&lt;BR /&gt; with my heart not my mind.&lt;BR /&gt; Teach me to be patient&lt;BR /&gt; in everything I do,&lt;BR /&gt; Content to trust Your wisdom&lt;BR /&gt; and to follow after You.&lt;BR /&gt; Help me when I falter&lt;BR /&gt; and hear me when I pray,&lt;BR /&gt; And receive me in Thy kingdom&lt;BR /&gt; to dwell with Thee someday.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Amen.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Helen Steiner Rice&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Value and Reward&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; A quality you should always look for in the people you allow to join you on&lt;BR /&gt; your journey is loyalty. Although this alone does not ensure success in&lt;BR /&gt; another person, a lack of loyalty is sure to ruin your relationship with&lt;BR /&gt; him/her.&lt;BR /&gt; Think of it this way: When you're looking for someone with a potential to&lt;BR /&gt; lead, you want them to be loyal, and if someone you are considering taking&lt;BR /&gt; on the&lt;BR /&gt; journey with you does not posses loyalty don't even consider taking them&lt;BR /&gt; with you&lt;BR /&gt; because in the end they'll hurt you more than they'll help you. So what does&lt;BR /&gt; it mean for others to be loyal to you?&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They love you unconditionally. They accept you with all your strengths and&lt;BR /&gt; all your weaknesses intact. They genuinely care for you, not just for what&lt;BR /&gt; you can do for them.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They represent you well to others. Loyal people always paint a positive&lt;BR /&gt; picture of you with others. They may take you to task privately or hold you&lt;BR /&gt; accountable, but they never criticize you to others.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They are able to laugh and cry with you as you travel together. Loyal people&lt;BR /&gt; are willing and able to share your joys and sorrows. They make the trip less&lt;BR /&gt; lonely.&lt;BR /&gt; They make your dreams their dreams. Some people will undoubtedly share the&lt;BR /&gt; journey with you only briefly. You help one another for a while and then go&lt;BR /&gt; your separate ways. But a few a Special Few---will want to come alongside&lt;BR /&gt; you and&lt;BR /&gt; help you for the rest of the journey. Cherish these people for they are the&lt;BR /&gt; ones&lt;BR /&gt; that make your dreams their dreams for a life time. If you find people like&lt;BR /&gt; that take good care of them because they are marked on your road map for&lt;BR /&gt; success.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Do you inspire loyalty anyone? Show gratitude to the loyal people in your&lt;BR /&gt; inner circle today. Have a wonderful weekend and cherish the loyal people&lt;BR /&gt; that are in your life today. Be blessed!&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Invocation of the Blessed Virgin in Time of Temptation&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Haste, my Mother, run to help me;&lt;BR /&gt; Mother, haste, do not delay;&lt;BR /&gt; See from H ell the envious serpent&lt;BR /&gt; Comes my troubling soul to slay.&lt;BR /&gt; Ah! his very look affrights me,&lt;BR /&gt; And his cruel rage I fear;&lt;BR /&gt; Whither fly, if he attacks me?&lt;BR /&gt; See him, see him coming near!&lt;BR /&gt; Lo! I faint away with terror,&lt;BR /&gt; For if yet thou dost delay,&lt;BR /&gt; He will dart at me his venom;&lt;BR /&gt; Then, alas! I am his prey.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Cries and tears have nought availed me,&lt;BR /&gt; Spite of all, I see him there;&lt;BR /&gt; Saints I call till I am weary,&lt;BR /&gt; Still he stands with threat'ning air.&lt;BR /&gt; Now his mighty jaws are open,&lt;BR /&gt; And his forked tongue I see;&lt;BR /&gt; Ah! he coils to spring upon me.&lt;BR /&gt; -----Mother! hasten, make him flee.&lt;BR /&gt; Mary! yes, the name of Mary&lt;BR /&gt; Strikes with dread my cruel foe,&lt;BR /&gt; Straight he flees, as from the sunbeam&lt;BR /&gt; Swiftly melts the winter's snow.&lt;BR /&gt; Now he's gone, but do thou ever&lt;BR /&gt; Stay beside me, Mother dear;&lt;BR /&gt; Then the h ellish fiend to tempt me&lt;BR /&gt; Nevermore will venture near.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Amen.&lt;/P&gt;</description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:04:23 GMT</pubDate>
    <dc:creator>gloriajean</dc:creator>
    <dc:date>2012-08-14T01:04:23Z</dc:date>
    <item>
      <title>Tuesday's Positive Thread</title>
      <link>https://community.qvc.com/t5/Community-Chat/Tuesday-s-Positive-Thread/m-p/241631#M107364</link>
      <description>&lt;P&gt;When we give in to fears and worries they will take charge of our lives.&lt;BR /&gt; Lord, I place my trust in You so that I may experience every opportunity&lt;BR /&gt; and not miss in life that which is meant for me.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Scripture for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; "Jesus straightened up and said to the woman caught in adultery, 'Woman,&lt;BR /&gt; where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, sir.' And&lt;BR /&gt; Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not&lt;BR /&gt; sin again.'" ~John 8:10-11&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Meditation for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; I can start a new life each day. I can put away the old mistakes and start&lt;BR /&gt; anew each day. God always offers me a fresh start. I need not be burdened&lt;BR /&gt; or anxious. If God's forgiveness were only for the righteous and those who&lt;BR /&gt; had not sinned, where would be its need? I believe that God forgives us all&lt;BR /&gt; our sins. We can honestly try to live today the way God wants us to live.&lt;BR /&gt; God forgives us much and we can be very grateful.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Prayer for the day:&lt;BR /&gt; I pray that my life may not be spoiled by worry and fear and selfishness.&lt;BR /&gt; I pray that I may have a glad, thankful and humble heart.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Hello my friends! Today was beautiful out - not hot, just right! Very&lt;BR /&gt; pleasurable picking raspberries, and I thank God for little blessings that&lt;BR /&gt; the bees leave me alone there!! I was real close to a bee when picking, but&lt;BR /&gt; he was ok - but that was a bit scary. If I pick later on the mosquitoes get&lt;BR /&gt; me. Our raspberries are doing good again now. Today was filled with&lt;BR /&gt; ordinary blessings - but they are wonderful and so needed! Today is my&lt;BR /&gt; Sammy's 8th birthday! Just as cute as ever!! He still plays the piano.&lt;BR /&gt; Praying for all of you for your needs and the needs of your loved ones, and&lt;BR /&gt; thank you for your prayers for us.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY ONE THOUGHTS TO LIVE BY&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; Jul 21, 2009&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, t heir&lt;BR /&gt; conversational skills will be as important as any other.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you&lt;BR /&gt; want.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FOUR. When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FIVE. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams&lt;BR /&gt; don't have much.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the&lt;BR /&gt; only way to live life completely.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; THIRTEEN! .... When someone asks you a question you don't want to&lt;BR /&gt; answer,&lt;BR /&gt; smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve&lt;BR /&gt; great&lt;BR /&gt; risk.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; FIFTEEN. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for&lt;BR /&gt; others; and Responsibility for all your actions.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps&lt;BR /&gt; to correct it.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in&lt;BR /&gt; your voice.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; TWENTY- ONE. Spend some time alone.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; HOLDING PATTERN&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Many times God will allow a painful situation or a painful&lt;BR /&gt; circumstance in our life to "swallow us up." This season in our&lt;BR /&gt; spiritual growth is a holding pattern. We can't move to the left or&lt;BR /&gt; the right. All we can do is sit, like Jonah sat in the belly of that&lt;BR /&gt; great fish, so God can have our undivided attention and speak to us.&lt;BR /&gt; God put Jonah in a holding pattern because He needed to speak to his&lt;BR /&gt; heart. Jonah was all alone. There were no friends to call, no&lt;BR /&gt; colleagues to drop by, no books to read, no food to eat, no&lt;BR /&gt; interference, and no interruptions. He had plenty of time to sit,&lt;BR /&gt; think, meditate, and pray.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; When we're deep down in the midst of a difficult situation, God can&lt;BR /&gt; talk to us. When He has our undivided attention, He can show us things&lt;BR /&gt; about ourselves that we might not otherwise have seen.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; A Few of God's Holding Patterns:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 1. When you are sick in your physical body and you have prayed but God&lt;BR /&gt; has not healed you yet, you are in a holding pattern&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 2. When you are having problems with your children and you have put&lt;BR /&gt; them on the altar, but God has not delivered them yet, you are in a&lt;BR /&gt; holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 3. When you have been praying for the salvation of a loved one and&lt;BR /&gt; they have not been saved yet, you are in a holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 4. When you are in a broken relationship and you have given it over to&lt;BR /&gt; God, but it has not been restored yet, you are in a holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 5. When the doors slam shut before you can knock on them, you are in a&lt;BR /&gt; holding pattern.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; When we are deep in the belly of a difficult situation, there are no&lt;BR /&gt; interruptions. God has our undivided attention. All we can do is sit,&lt;BR /&gt; think, meditate, and pray. We cannot run from God because there are no&lt;BR /&gt; Mountains that are high enough, valleys low enough, rooms that are&lt;BR /&gt; dark enough, or places that are hidden enough from Him. We must&lt;BR /&gt; remember to praise Him while we're waiting and remember three things:&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 1. The pattern has a purpose.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 2. The pattern has a plan.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; 3. The pattern has a process.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; So stop struggling and start listening, praying and trusting. He'll&lt;BR /&gt; keep you right where you are until you can clearly hear Him say, "I&lt;BR /&gt; love you."&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Prayer: Father, forgive my unbelief. I know You Love me and will turn&lt;BR /&gt; anything around to benefit me. You have planned nothing for me but&lt;BR /&gt; victories and I am ready to receive them regardless of how difficult&lt;BR /&gt; the path. Amen&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance&lt;BR /&gt; between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can&lt;BR /&gt; stand up to anything.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Tomorrow Is Not Promised&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were&lt;BR /&gt; meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose; teach you a lesson, or&lt;BR /&gt; help figure out who you are, and who you want to become.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; You never know who these people may be: your neighbor, child, long lost&lt;BR /&gt; friend, or even a stranger who, when you lock eyes with them, you know at&lt;BR /&gt; that very moment that they will affect your life, in some profound way.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; And sometimes things happen to you, and at the time they seem painful and&lt;BR /&gt; unfair, but in reflection you realize, that without overcoming those&lt;BR /&gt; obstacles, you would have never realized your potential strength, or your&lt;BR /&gt; hearts desire.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of&lt;BR /&gt; good or bad luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, as&lt;BR /&gt; well as experiencing sheer stupidity; all occur to test the limits of your&lt;BR /&gt; soul.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Without these small tests, whether they be events, illnesses or&lt;BR /&gt; relationships, life would be like a paved straight flat road to nowhere,&lt;BR /&gt; safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The people you meet who affect your life, and the successes and downfalls&lt;BR /&gt; you experience, create who you are, and even the bad experiences can be&lt;BR /&gt; learned from; in fact, they are probably the poignant and important ones.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them; for&lt;BR /&gt; they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious&lt;BR /&gt; to whom you open your heart...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they&lt;BR /&gt; love you, but because they are teaching you to love, and opening your heart&lt;BR /&gt; and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Make every day count. Appreciate every moment, and take from it everything&lt;BR /&gt; that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let&lt;BR /&gt; yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high...&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Hold your head up, because you have every right too. Tell yourself you're a&lt;BR /&gt; great person and believe in yourself... for if you don't believe in&lt;BR /&gt; yourself, no one else will believe in you either.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Create your own life and then go out and live in it! "Live Each Day As If It&lt;BR /&gt; Were Your Last... Tomorrow is Not Promised."&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; IT'S IN YOUR FACE&lt;BR /&gt; Author Unknown&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; You don't have to tell how you live each day,&lt;BR /&gt; You don't have to say if you work or play,&lt;BR /&gt; A tried, true barometer serves in the place;&lt;BR /&gt; however you live, it will show in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; The false, the deceit you bear in your heart&lt;BR /&gt; Will not stay inside, where it first got a start.&lt;BR /&gt; For sin and blood are a thin veil of lace;&lt;BR /&gt; what you wear in your heart you wear in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If your life is unselfish,&lt;BR /&gt; if for others you live,&lt;BR /&gt; for not what you get,&lt;BR /&gt; but for how much you can give;&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; If you live close to God,&lt;BR /&gt; in His infinite grace,&lt;BR /&gt; you don't have to tell it,&lt;BR /&gt; it shows in your face.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; (I hope it shows in my typing too!!)&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Bless me, heavenly Father -&lt;BR /&gt; forgive my erring ways.&lt;BR /&gt; Grant me strength to serve Thee,&lt;BR /&gt; put purpose in my days.&lt;BR /&gt; Give me understanding,&lt;BR /&gt; enough to make me kind.&lt;BR /&gt; So I may judge all people&lt;BR /&gt; with my heart not my mind.&lt;BR /&gt; Teach me to be patient&lt;BR /&gt; in everything I do,&lt;BR /&gt; Content to trust Your wisdom&lt;BR /&gt; and to follow after You.&lt;BR /&gt; Help me when I falter&lt;BR /&gt; and hear me when I pray,&lt;BR /&gt; And receive me in Thy kingdom&lt;BR /&gt; to dwell with Thee someday.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Amen.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Helen Steiner Rice&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Value and Reward&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; A quality you should always look for in the people you allow to join you on&lt;BR /&gt; your journey is loyalty. Although this alone does not ensure success in&lt;BR /&gt; another person, a lack of loyalty is sure to ruin your relationship with&lt;BR /&gt; him/her.&lt;BR /&gt; Think of it this way: When you're looking for someone with a potential to&lt;BR /&gt; lead, you want them to be loyal, and if someone you are considering taking&lt;BR /&gt; on the&lt;BR /&gt; journey with you does not posses loyalty don't even consider taking them&lt;BR /&gt; with you&lt;BR /&gt; because in the end they'll hurt you more than they'll help you. So what does&lt;BR /&gt; it mean for others to be loyal to you?&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They love you unconditionally. They accept you with all your strengths and&lt;BR /&gt; all your weaknesses intact. They genuinely care for you, not just for what&lt;BR /&gt; you can do for them.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They represent you well to others. Loyal people always paint a positive&lt;BR /&gt; picture of you with others. They may take you to task privately or hold you&lt;BR /&gt; accountable, but they never criticize you to others.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; They are able to laugh and cry with you as you travel together. Loyal people&lt;BR /&gt; are willing and able to share your joys and sorrows. They make the trip less&lt;BR /&gt; lonely.&lt;BR /&gt; They make your dreams their dreams. Some people will undoubtedly share the&lt;BR /&gt; journey with you only briefly. You help one another for a while and then go&lt;BR /&gt; your separate ways. But a few a Special Few---will want to come alongside&lt;BR /&gt; you and&lt;BR /&gt; help you for the rest of the journey. Cherish these people for they are the&lt;BR /&gt; ones&lt;BR /&gt; that make your dreams their dreams for a life time. If you find people like&lt;BR /&gt; that take good care of them because they are marked on your road map for&lt;BR /&gt; success.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Do you inspire loyalty anyone? Show gratitude to the loyal people in your&lt;BR /&gt; inner circle today. Have a wonderful weekend and cherish the loyal people&lt;BR /&gt; that are in your life today. Be blessed!&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Invocation of the Blessed Virgin in Time of Temptation&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Haste, my Mother, run to help me;&lt;BR /&gt; Mother, haste, do not delay;&lt;BR /&gt; See from H ell the envious serpent&lt;BR /&gt; Comes my troubling soul to slay.&lt;BR /&gt; Ah! his very look affrights me,&lt;BR /&gt; And his cruel rage I fear;&lt;BR /&gt; Whither fly, if he attacks me?&lt;BR /&gt; See him, see him coming near!&lt;BR /&gt; Lo! I faint away with terror,&lt;BR /&gt; For if yet thou dost delay,&lt;BR /&gt; He will dart at me his venom;&lt;BR /&gt; Then, alas! I am his prey.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Cries and tears have nought availed me,&lt;BR /&gt; Spite of all, I see him there;&lt;BR /&gt; Saints I call till I am weary,&lt;BR /&gt; Still he stands with threat'ning air.&lt;BR /&gt; Now his mighty jaws are open,&lt;BR /&gt; And his forked tongue I see;&lt;BR /&gt; Ah! he coils to spring upon me.&lt;BR /&gt; -----Mother! hasten, make him flee.&lt;BR /&gt; Mary! yes, the name of Mary&lt;BR /&gt; Strikes with dread my cruel foe,&lt;BR /&gt; Straight he flees, as from the sunbeam&lt;BR /&gt; Swiftly melts the winter's snow.&lt;BR /&gt; Now he's gone, but do thou ever&lt;BR /&gt; Stay beside me, Mother dear;&lt;BR /&gt; Then the h ellish fiend to tempt me&lt;BR /&gt; Nevermore will venture near.&lt;BR /&gt; &lt;BR /&gt; Amen.&lt;/P&gt;</description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 14 Aug 2012 01:04:23 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://community.qvc.com/t5/Community-Chat/Tuesday-s-Positive-Thread/m-p/241631#M107364</guid>
      <dc:creator>gloriajean</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2012-08-14T01:04:23Z</dc:date>
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