Daily Positive Thread for Sunday

gloriajean — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:59:54 GMT

God gives abundantly to those who pass His gifts on to others. Lord, let
Your blessings flow in to me and then out from me. I will neither be
selfish
nor let my gifts stagnate.

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 day 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.

Peace to you all! How was your day? We got about about six inches of snow
today! He was working until after six, I don't do the snowblower, but I
thought I could shovel the driveway, all I did was shovel a path to the
mailbox, and that was plenty! But when he got home, he was able to get the
car in the garage, and tomorrow morning before Church, he'll blow out the
driveway. It should melt though before Thanksgiving as it will get warmer -
that would be great! Lori's neighbor cleaned her driveway out with his
snow-blower. Just an ordinary day today - but lots of blessings - phone
call from a friend, heard from my sister about Sister LaDonna, she needs her
pain meds, then she's alright, but when they wear off she's in pain. She
can take her extra strength tyl. herself - but hard narcotics need to be
with the nurses and only given when needed. The part where she is in there
is no Sisters that work there, only nurses. Money has been stolen and her
camera right out of her purse. It was reported - let us pray she gets her
camera back! It really does no one any good to have it when she has the
charger! It's hard to know who to trust! I've heard of stealing in Nursing
homes too already. It's another blessing to be in contact with my sisters
so often!

Homily of the Day

November 19, 2011

They Are Us!
by Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Ez 34:11-12, 15-17 / 1 Cor 15:20-26, 28 / Mt 25:31-46

There was a brand new president at the local university and he was known as
a brilliant scholar and intellectual. When he started appearing at one of
the local churches on Sundays, the pastor was anxious to impress him in
hopes that he’d join the parish. And so, week after week the pastor worked
for hours preparing brilliant sermons replete with scholarly quotations and
important insights. Eventually, the president joined the parish, and the
pastor just couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Sir, could you tell me which
one of my sermons finally persuaded you to join our parish.”

With a puzzled expression, the president replied, “I really don’t know what
you’re talking about. A little old lady in the back row made me feel so much
at home by telling me how she missed me when I wasn’t here. That’s why I
joined the parish.”

+ + +

The little things, done with love, make all the difference. Laid end to end,
they can add up to a powerfully good life. If you doubt that, look at Mother
Teresa.

That’s what Jesus is telling us today. He’s summing up all his teaching and
giving us the bottom line: “If you want to have life now and in the
hereafter,” he says, “you’ve got to use what God has given you, and use it
to take care of his people. Nothing else makes matters. Nothing less will
do.

“Staying out of trouble is good,” he says, “but it isn’t enough. You’ve got
to DO something for God’s people: Feed the hungry, comfort the sick, welcome
the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit those in prison.”

Those are Jesus’ ultimate criteria for success or failure in life. So how
are we doing? With the folks far away, many of us are doing fairly well:
with generous checks, volunteer work, and prayers. But have we noticed the
prisoners, the sick, the hungry, and the naked who are closer at hand? They’re
right here, in this church, in our families and schools. They’re across the
bridge table from us and across the desk from us: God’s hurting, hungry
people, whose spirits are starving, or trapped, or stripped naked by life’s
cruel turns.

They’re all around us. As Pogo would say, they are us! And each one of us
has something to give them, some part of our selves that they need, to be
healed, to break free, to grow up, or just to survive another day. They are
right here, and they need us now.

And so we need to pray: May God give us hearts as tender as his own, to see
his hurting people, to embrace them, and not to turn away. May God give us
great hearts that give our all and hold nothing back!

LUCKY
Author Unknown

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you
don't and may decide you need one. Mary and her husband Jim had a dog,
Lucky.
Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for
a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage
open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy.
Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing.
Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there
the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always
stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys
stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told
her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders.

The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky.
A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-
year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die Lucky
will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to
leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had
anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for
his
evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But
finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home,
Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom.
Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky stood
watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad
but
sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong.
She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. Panic soon
gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered,
literally blanketed in every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept
the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back
bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered
her with
his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living
again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still
steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his
greatest treasure.

Live everyday to the fullest...because every day is a blessing from
God! He covers you with His treasures and His love!

Hugs,

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Be Inspired

May you be inspired today...

May you be encouraged to travel your path
with sure feet, confident in your direction.

May you be spurred on to explore,
to face the challenge, to go to the next level.

May you experience many moments
when you want to stand up and shout, “Huzzah! How grand this life is and I
want more of it!”

May you fall asleep exhausted
but giddy with anticipation for what is to come,
as though you cannot wait until the morning to continue the adventure,
to see what glorious miracles are going to occur.

And finally, may you realize that you do not have the power to create such a
day
and such a life for yourself, but that it has been given to you by a higher
power for you possess it.

I've Wondered, Lord

I've wondered, Lord, how it can be
You hear me when I call?
I'm only one of millions, and
Your love is over all.

How can it be Your Holy ear
Is tuned to hear my cries?
How can You know what troubles me
And see tears in my eyes?

Do I presume too much when I
Approach Your sacred throne,
And dare to think that I can spend
Some time with You alone?

Sometimes I am so weary
I don't even want to pray.
I feel confused; things look wrong;
I don't know what to say.

In quietness and confidence,
I seek a place apart,
And rest until I feel Your Spirit
Touch my trembling heart.

Although I cannot understand,
Somehow, I know You've heard,
Like lovers who communicate
Without a single word.

You are so great! I am so small.
I'm glad it is this way.
All things are possible with You;
You hear me when I pray.

Great God of all the universe,
In joy or in distress,
I rest myself in all You are,
For you are limitless!

Author Unknown

Let us continue to pray for one another for all of our needs and the needs
of our loved ones.

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Daily Positive Thread for Sunday