Daily Positive Thread for Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 03:33:51 GMT

Hello my friends! Hope your day went well - mine is going too fast! With Angie here, the time flies by fast - and all of a sudden I realized I hadn't gotten this thread out yet so here I am! Tomorrow our other classmate, Shirley who also is Father Jerry's sister, is coming for lunch - looking forward to that. She doesn't live far from here. Tomorrow Linus works so it'll just be us three girls. Then Thursday night Angie is planning on getting together with her nephews and nieces who live around here and that's great! They are meeting at a restaurant. Friday night Lori invited us over for supper. Tomorrow we dog sit for her and she'll be here for supper. So much going on! Today Linus' brothers were here to help put up some cupboards in the garage - it looks so nice!! Lots of blessings by God for today - how about you? Waiting to hear from Bobbiesue and Felicia - maybe Felicia's still in the hospital, she wrote she'll be in there for 8 days following the surgery. Shorelady - how are you? Harlene, how's the foot?

Never let what you can't do get in the way of what you can do. Lord, help

me to recognize my abilities and focus only on my strengths so that each

day I will get nearer to my goals

Scripture for the day:

"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." ~Psalm 46:1-3

Meditation for the day:

"God is our refuge and strength." God is a sanctuary, a refuge from the

cares of life. We can get away from the misunderstandings of others by

retiring into our own place of meditation. But from ourselves, from our

sense of failure, our weakness, our shortcomings, where can we flee?

Only to the eternal God, our refuge, until the immensity of God's spirit

envelopes our spirit and it loses its smallness and weakness and comes

into harmony again with God's.

Prayer for the day:

I pray that I may lose my limitations in the immensity of God's love. I

pray that my spirit may be in harmony with God's spirit.

Here's some food for thought:

CHANGE IS GOOD

Contributed by Melanie Schurr

My life has taken an interesting sudden change. As my children have

both flown the nest, and it is now just my husband and I, I could not

deny I missed that nurturing side of me that still had so much more to

give. I don't recall exactly how the idea of being a "nanny" came upon

me, but

the thought of making a little extra cash at something I knew I'd be

good at was appealing.

It wasn't long before I found someone who was seeking exactly what I

had to offer, but I cannot deny that the first week of taking care of

an eight week old infant was not without its difficulties. Not only

had many facets of child care changed since my own now adult children

were little, but I was also now approaching it as a forty-seven year

old woman, not an energetic twenty-something.

By the end of the day, I was pooped!

However, in a very short time, it all began to come back to me; all

those little tricks and skills us mothers learn by way of hands-on

experience. I also noticed that being around a young child again

caused me to have a rekindled appreciation of new life, along with a

sense of meaning and purpose for my life now as a more mature woman.

"I have the ability to teach this child," I thought. "I hope that I

can become a positive light in her life."

Sometimes change can be frightening or difficult. However, all change

for the better is always a step in the right direction!

What about you?

Is there something in your life you need to change, get rid of, stop

doing or break ties with?

Today is the day to make the change!

Five Ploys of Satan

Doubt - Tempts us to question God's Word and his goodness, forgiveness, and

love

Discouragement - Tempts us to focus intently on our problems rather than

entrusting them to God's care

Diversion - Tempts us to see the wrong things as attractive so that we will

want them more than the right things

Defeat - Tempts us to feel like failure so that we don't even try

Delay - Tempts us to procrastinate so that things never get done

Reflect on these ploys of Satan, and if you find that he has darkened your

life on any of these counts, lift up the situation to Our Lady in prayer.

YOUR LIFE IS JESUS TO SOMEONE

YOUR LIFE is Jesus to someone,

though tattered and torn it may be.

Though often times weak and unstable,

you're all of God someone will see.

YOUR TONGUE is Jesus to someone.

That idle, insensitive word

reflects to at least one searching heart

an idle, insensitive Lord.

YOUR GOALS are Jesus to someone.

What you put first, they believe,

are the goals of God for the Christian.

Your life is all they receive.

YOUR FAITHFULNESS... that's Jesus to someone.

Their judgement of how God is true,

rests unquestionably in the faithfulness

they see day by day in you.

YOUR LOVE is Jesus to someone--

that someone who is seeking to know

that Jesus will follow and guide and

befriend wherever in life they might go.

SO BEWARE lest others blaspheme

God by what you say or do,

for the only Jesus that someone knows

is the Jesus they see in you.

Unknown

Believe what God believes...

Overcoming negative feelings, whether they stem from childhood or current

situation, takes time and effort, but change is possible.

Christian psychologist, Dr. Richard Dickerson, has written a beautiful summary

of how God looks at you. Read this passage aloud to yourself every morning

and evening for the next month, then evaluate how your feelings about

yourself have changed:

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE IS SLOW TO LOSE PATIENCE WITH ME.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE TAKES THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF MY LIFE AND USES THEM IN

A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FOR MY GROWTH.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE DOES NOT TREAT ME AS AN OBJECT TO BE POSSESSED AND

MANIPULATED.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE DOES NOT NEED TO IMPRESS ME WITH HOW GREAT AND

POWERFUL HE IS BECAUSE HE IS GOD. NOR DOES HE BELITTLE ME AS HIS CHILD IN

ORDER TO SHOW ME HOW IMPORTANT HE IS.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE IS FOR ME. HE WANTS TO SEE ME MATURE AND DEVELOP IN

HIS LOVE.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE DOES NOT SEND DOWN HIS WRATH ON EVERY LITTLE

MISTAKE I MAKE, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE DOES NOT KEEP SCORE OF ALL MY SINS AND THEN BEAT ME

OVER THE HEAD WITH THEM WHENEVER HE GETS A CHANCE.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE IS DEEPLY GRIEVED WHEN I DO NOT WALK IN THE WAYS

THAT PLEASE HIM BECAUSE HE SEES THIS AS EVIDENCE THAT I DON'T TRUST HIM AND

LOVE HIM AS I SHOULD.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE KEEPS WORKING PATIENTLY WITH ME EVEN WHEN I FEEL

LIKE GIVING UP.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE KEEPS ON TRUSTING ME WHEN AT TIMES I DON'T EVEN

TRUST MYSELF.

BECAUSE GOD LOVES ME, HE NEVER SAYS THERE IS NO HOPE FOR ME. RATHER, HE

PATIENTLY WORKS WITH ME, LOVES ME, AND DISCIPLINES ME IN SUCH A WAY, THAT IT

IS HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND THE DEPTH OF HIS CONCERN FOR ME.

Prayer When in a Bad Mood

Heavenly Father, I awoke this morning in a bad mood, and I have been unable

to shake it so far. Everything bothers me and everyone rubs me the wrong

way.

I just cannot seem to get my true bearings. Help me to think of your

salvation---

your countless gifts and overwhelming love for me.

Let me relax and forget life's cares by placing myself wholly into your

hands. Grant that this mood will soon pass and I will be able to bask in

your love and communicate it to others. Amen.

God Qualifies

There are many reasons why God would not want

you--but don't worry. You're in good company.

Moses stuttered.

David's armor didn't fit.

John Mark was rejected by Paul.

Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

Jacob was a liar.

David had an affair.

Solomon was too rich.

Abraham was too old.

David was too young.

Timothy had ulcers.

Peter was afraid of death.

Lazarus was dead.

John was self-righteous.

Naomi was a widow.

Paul was a murderer. So was Moses.

Jonah ran from God.

Miriam was a gossip.

Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

Elijah was burned out.

John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

Martha was a worrywart.

Samson had long hair.

Noah got drunk.

Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

So did Peter, Paul--well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn't require a job interview. He doesn't hire and fire like

most bosses, because He's more our dad than our boss. He doesn't look at

financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced nor partial, not judging,

grudging, sassy, nor brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need.

As much as we try, God's gifts are free.

We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be ...

wonderful.

Satan says, "You're not worthy."

Jesus says, "So what? I AM."

Satan looks back and sees our mistakes. God looks back and sees the

Cross. He doesn't calculate what you did in '98. It's not even on the

record.

Sure. There are lots of reasons why God shouldn't want us. But if we are

magically in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next

breath, He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been or what we

look like.

Step out of your limitations into the illimitable nature of who God is.

Author unknown

Remember God knows who you are and He loves you in spite of your short

comings.

Prayer to our Lady of Mount Carmel

"Flos Carmeli" - Prayer of St. Simon Stock

O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, Splendor of Heaven, holy

and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a Pure

Virgin, assist me in this necessity. O Star of the sea, help and protect

me!

Show me that Thou art my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

Remember The Bent Tree

I was lying in bed this morning thanking God for his healing and then

praying for greater healing from some childhood damage I have often

struggled to overcome.

I began thinking about how nice it would be if those events had never

happened. But as I was praying about it, the thought came to me to

"remember the bent tree".

The "bent tree" story is one I heard as a young boy when an elderly

pastor was talking about it to his adult congregation. Being a "young

tree" myself at the time, I didn't then fully understand the story.

From my childhood memory, it goes like this:

A large family with several children had just moved to a home in the

country. The children were delighted to discover that on the property

there was a pond suitable for swimming. On a bank at the side of the

pond a young oak tree was growing. The tree was so young that its trunk

and branches were thin and quite flexible--not capable of supporting

much weight.

The children discovered that with a running start they could make the

thin branches swing and arc over the pond enough to drop in with a

satisfying splash. They spent many happy summer hours playing in the

pond and swinging from the tree. But after a few years they outgrew

the pond and the tree was no longer used.

There was damage to the small tree, however. The branches and trunk had

been bent and twisted and strained so much they were no longer straight

as they had been before. The tree looked like it was crippled forever.

Time passed and 35 years later, the long-since grown children came

together for a reunion in the area of their childhood. They asked the

new owners of the property if they could explore once more the place

they had grown up. And of course, they walked out to the pond.

In their mind's eye, they expected to see a spindly young oak at the

side of the pond.

But things had changed.

What they saw was a large mature oak tree whose trunk and branches had

become thick and massive. But through the solid branches they could still

see the unnatural bend in the trunk they themselves had created--it had

become part of the tree's character.

I think the story might have ended there as the pastor made the point

that "as the twig is bent, so grows the tree". I think he was teaching

that all of us, as parents and neighbors, affect the lives of our

children and people around us in ways that can change their lives for

good or bad forever.

But this morning, as I remembered the tree, I saw there is more to the

story. Yes, the tree had been damaged and bent. But where there had been

damage and weakness there was now massive strength and attractive character.

The curving trunk and branches arching over the pond could no longer be

moved. In fact, the tree now provided stability to the bank on which it

grew and extra shade over the pond for comfort to others. A new rope had

been hung from the now solid branch for a new generation of children to

swing over the water.

It was as if the Lord was telling me that I was praying for the healing

He had started long ago. And the healing He often chooses is turning

weakness and damage into strength and character that may be used by Him

to provide support, comfort and teaching to others. Yet the healing I

had been praying for was to "make it as if it never happened."

Thinking about the bent tree helped me understand a little more what the

Lord has told us before--that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

When I realized that He has been healing me all along, I saw that my prayer

for healing needs to change--not so much that He will make it as though some

pain in life had never happened, but that His strength will be all the more

manifest-- because of it.

Author Unknown

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