topic Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday in Community Chat

Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 02:57:31 GMT

Hello my friends! Tomorrow starts Lent already! Are you all ready? It sure came up fast after Christmas, didn't it? Are you making any resolutions? Always to try to be better and improve ourselves is a good thing, get rid of any bad habits, do more spiritual reading, more praying, offering oneself up to the Lord. Let us pray about it and see what the Holy Spirit puts upon our hearts to do. It's not always about giving up, but doing things more, etc. too. Lord, may my every action be a prayer. This morning I got a bunch of pictures from Lori in Guatemala - some are so hard to see how some of these people have to live, and Lori is seeing all this first hand. My blessings today were getting to see the pictures on Facebook, and at the eye doctor's my right eye is nothing serious, it's a dry eye, and I should try eye drops in it - I'll start tomorrow. Couldn't buy glasses there, too expensive, over $500.00 for one pair. We'll look around. God will lead me to the right place, that I know. Here's wishing you all a Happy and very Blessed Lent!

Treat your family with care. They should always be your biggest blessing

and source of joy. Lord, help me speak with gentleness to my family and

be their trusted teacher of Your ways.

S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y

"He said to them, 'Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest
a while.'" ~Mark 6:31

M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y

I can keep a time apart with God every day. I can be transformed mentally
and spiritually. It is not the praying so much as just being in God's
presence. The strengthening and curative powers of this I cannot
understand, because such knowledge is beyond human understanding, but I can
experience them. The poor, sick world could be cured if every day each soul
waited before God for the inspiration to live aright. My greatest spiritual
growth can occur in this time apart with God.

P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y

I pray that I may faithfully keep a quiet time apart with God. I pray that
I may grow spiritually each day.

<h1>SHROVE TUESDAY PRAYER</h1>

Lord, give us grace to inaugurate with holy fasting the defenses of Christian warfare, so that we who are to fight against spiritual wickedness, may be helped and strengthened by self-denial. Amen

Change Me

Dear Lord change not Thy will in my life,
Or trial and sorrows to be;
Renew my faith and make me strong,
Change not Thy will, change me.

Though teardrops fall when trouble comes,
Like storms on a rolling sea;
Let Thy beacon guide my ship to port,
Change not the storm, change me.

When Thy Holy Word I don't understand
And Thy glory I cannot see;
Teach my eyes, give me sight and wisdom,
Change not Thy Word, change me.

If the fruit Thou hast given me to eat,
Taste bitter and sour, I plea;
Let not my will but Thine be done,
Change not the fruit, change me.

If sometime I murmur and grumble, dear Lord,
About the cross I carry for Thee;
Keep it firm on my shoulders, but hold my hand,
Change not the cross, change me.

If You change Thy ways to please me, dear Lord,
I would soon grow cold and turn from Thee;
That You may hear my prayers, dear Lord,
Change not Thy ways, change me.

There's a valley that I must cross,
Someday Thy face to see;
Lest I forget what power is Thine,
Change not the valley, change me.

- Author Unknown

February 17

I am the Risen One who shines upon you always. You worship a living Deity, not some idolatrous, man-made image. Your relationship with Me is meant to be vibrant and challenging, as I invade more and more areas of your life. Do not fear change, for I am making you a new creation, with old things passing away and new things continually on the horizon. When you cling to old ways and sameness, you resist My work within you. I want you to embrace all that I am doing in your life, finding your security in Me alone.

It is easy to make an idol of routine, finding security within the boundaries you build around your life. Although each day contains twenty-four hours, every single one presents a unique set of circumstances. Don’t try to force-fit today into yesterday’s mold. Instead, ask Me to open your eyes, so you can find all I have prepared for you in this precious day of Life.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
—Matthew 28:5–7

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
—2 Corinthians 5:17 – From Jesus Calling

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 03:00:04 GMT

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 03:01:38 GMT

I'll post another picture from Guatamala from Lori's pictures this morning:

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

lovestopaint — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 14:44:06 GMT

Gloria, that really sounds expensive for the glasses. Were you looking at them in the doctor's office sometimes the doctors have those places right in their offices and the glasses are usually very expensive there, that's why I won't buy mine at my opthamologist's office. I buy mine at Costco's and stay away from the designer frames.

Blessings to all and stay safe and warm.

Harlene(lovestopaint)

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

Bobbi sue — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 15:31:55 GMT

Happy Ash Wed. to all. Blessings to all.

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:06:52 GMT

Harlene, it was in the same place as the doctor's, and I think we'll check Shopko, that's where I got my last pair, but I went thru their doctor too 4 years ago. The price was much better. We are proud of Lori - we never thought she'd consider this.

Bobbiesue - Blessings to you and all this Lenten season.

Here are a couple more pictures for the board to see:

Coffee beans waited to be sorted:

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:09:03 GMT

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Ash Wednesday

gloriajean — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 19:14:57 GMT

That Church I believe is in San Lucas - the mission Lori is at. Isn't it beautiful?

Here is Patrick's Reflection for Ash Wednesday:

Today's readings 2/18/15
Jl.2:12-18; Ps.51:3-6, 12-14, 17; 2Cor.5:20--6:2; Mt.6:1-6, 16-18

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten Season, a special time set aside each year for us to "return to the Lord...with all your heart" and renew our commitment to Christ. What we need to understand however is that it's also a time of year when Christ renews His Commitment to us as well, a special "welcome home party" so to speak, and as members of the Body of Christ we have an sacred duty to become members of the "welcome home committee". This is what St.Paul means when he challenges us to be "Ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us" to our fallen away brothers and sisters, and it will be our actions more than our words that will help all of us, including ourselves, to be "reconciled to God" more than anything else. That, my friends, is the primary goal of Lent, to prepare ourselves and those we love to experience the "welcome home" grace God extends to every "prodigal" son and daughter that He loves unconditionally, a grace our saint encourages us "not to receive in vain". And so as we begin this Lenten Season let us pray that we, like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk.15:11-32), "cause no one to stumble" (2Cor.6:3) but rather "in the wilderness make straight the Way of the Lord" (Is.40:3) and "run out to meet" those who have strayed and want to return Home.

God bless you,
In Jesus - Pat