Greetings to you all! Well I posted on the Pope thread today, had company all afternoon, went to see if anyone posted after me, and it's gone! Anyone see it? Gosh! I only posted that there have been false teachings on the Catholic Church there and I just wanted to correct that. I couldn't stand what was being said, that the Pope wasn't living according to the Bible? Oh well, we all know that's so wrong. Anyway on the positive side, I invited our former neighbors here to see our place and we had a very nice visit all afternoon. Next time we'll play cards! They are so wonderful, and always were there for you when needed. Always!! I told them, they were good neighbors, now good friends! They agree. She gave me a little gift that I will treasure - an embroidered white kitchen towel that she did, beautiful! I am so excited to have two of my four sisters over tomorrow until Monday! I praise God for them! We all have many talents God gave us. Hope you can name some of yours here.
Use your talents. The world would be silent if only the birds that sing
the best would sing. Lord, I will use Your gifts because You chose
them especially for me.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is
not healthy, your body is full of darkness." ~Luke 11:34
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
"If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is
not healthy, your body is full of darkness." The eye of the soul is the
will. If our will is to do the will of God, to serve God with our lives,
to serve God by helping others, then truly shall our whole body be full
of light. The important thing is to strive that our will be attuned to
the will of God, a single eye to God's purpose, desiring nothing less
than that God's purposes be fulfilled. We can try to seek in all things
the advance of God's kingdom, seek the spiritual values of honesty and
purity, unselfishness and love, and earnestly desire spiritual growth.
Then our life will emerge from the darkness of futility into the light
of victory.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that my eye may be healthy. I pray that my life may be lived in
the light of the best that I know.
Story of Edie
Some years ago, a tiny Korean orphan arrived in the United States to join
her adoptive family. She was nine months old and weighed only 9 ½ pounds.
She grew and blossomed in her new home, but remained a diminutive size.
Her new name was Edie.
One day when Edie was in second grade, she ran home from school, crying. She
was frightened. That day, three new girls had been enrolled in her class.
During the first recess, they picked the smallest girl in the class as the
object of their anger and frustration. They pinched, poked, and pushed tiny
Edie and threatened to beat her up.
Edie had spent an hour in the principal's office with the three girls and
was assured the teachers would be watching. The girls were given a warning.
Edie's mother held her little one and comforted her. She learned later,
after speaking with the principal, that the girls had been troublemakers at
several other schools. They were being given one more chance at anew
beginning.
"These girls must have been very hurt in their young lives to be so angry.
Her mother said. "The Bible tells us, "Be kind to your enemies, and pray for
those who persecute you. Edie, let's pray."
Then they prayed for the girls and asked the Lord for a plan of action.
A plan began to take shape. "I can't go to school with you everyday, so you
will need to stay close to a teacher when you are at recess or in line to go
into school." said Edie's mom.
"If the girls start to pick on you, tell them, "I'd really like to be your
friend Are you brave enough to do that?" Edie's mother asked. "The Lord
asks us to be kind to our enemies, let's see what happens, okay?
The tiny girl perked up, and with a smile, looked at her mother and said,
"Yes, Mom, I'll try."
The next morning, and everyday before Edie left for school, she and her mom
prayed for her to be safe and brave, and for the girls to be open to God's
love. Everyday, the girls shoved into line behind Edie and called her
names and tried to get in a poke or two.
Each time, Edie looked up at them and said, "I'd really like to be your
friend." She did have to look up at them since they were so much taller
than she was.
The teachers kept an eye on the proceedings, but did not need to interfere
as the girls were not hurting her.
After about two weeks, Edie came home looking so discouraged. She told her
mother that she didn't think it was working. After they talked about it
some more and prayed, she decided to keep trying and continued to faithfully
tell them, "I'd really like to be your friend."
One day the following week, Edie ran home as fast as she could and ran into
the house shouting, "Mom, Mom, guess what happened today? Just like I
always did, I said I'd really like to be your friend, and one of the girls
said, "Okay, Edie, we give up, we'll be your friend."
Edie and her mom thanked the Lord for His faithfulness.
A short time later, as the girls were trying to become friends, Edie asked
the teacher if she could sit at a table with these girls in the classroom.
She had noticed that they were disruptive because they didn't understand the
lessons. Edie became their tutor.
Toward the end of the school year, when Edie's parents went to school for a
parent teacher conference, the teacher told them, "Because of Edie's
kindness, those girl's have completely turned around and are productive
members of the class." She felt she had witnessed a miracle. And so did
Edie's mom and dad.
How many people go through life never experiencing kindness? They don't see
it in strangers, and some don't even find it in their own families.
Without experiencing kindness, it becomes impossible to express kindness
toward others. The result of this tragic lack is seen everywhere.
What a different society this would be if everyone who has received kindness
would be kind to others, especially the unlovely.
- Author Unknown
SPIRITUAL HOUSEKEEPING
Author Unknown
I do not know about you but I don't like cockroaches. We had them in a
house that we bought in Long Island. I did not know anything about
hiring exterminators so I decided to get rid of them myself. I bought
a sprayer and bought some chemicals to kill them. To measure the
chemicals I took a measuring spoon and wired it to the outside of the
sprayer. I did this to make sure that I didn't make a mistake and use
the measuring spoon again in the house. How could I ever clean it well
enough to use it again safely for cooking?
Imagine going in your china closet, getting one of your best crystal
glasses, and then using it to measure chemicals to kill the bugs
around your house. Then let's imagine that you take it in the house
and wash it. Would
you dare to use it again? Of course not! It would be contaminated with
a toxic film invisible to your eye that might poison anyone who used
this glass.
Now imagine that your soul and mine are like this glass. It has been
so easy for me to fall victim to the attractive but false temptations
of our contemporary world. For example, power, money, liquor, sex, and
possessing more and more material possessions are alluring. These are
played up so seductively on television and in the media. These can
become our golden calves, our false idols! Who has time for God or
Church? Perhaps unwittingly or even deliberately I have filled up my
glass with these toxins that may kill my soul and potentially others
whom I know and love. We call these toxins sin. This mix more
importantly is toxic to God and poisons our relationship with Him. The
worst of these is so strong that it totally poisons our relationship
with God.
Imagine that we determine to do better and try to rid ourselves of
these toxins. Can you or I wash the glass of our soul clean enough by
ourselves? It would be like trying to wash the lethal chemicals out of
our glass with
household soap.
Let's assume, however, that we turn to Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and
ask Him with a contrite heart to wash our glass. Is there a sin that
He cannot forgive? His Mercy is boundless. He died to redeem us of our
sins and is prepared always to forgive us.
How can we avoid refilling the glass to the brim with another toxic
brew? This also is very difficult to do by ourselves. No matter how I
have tried to do this the devil always seems to find a way to slip a
temptation in my
life when I am weak. My glass, you see, is terribly weak and fragile.
The toxins once again begin to fill my glass.
Imagine that Christ not only cleans our glass but also puts a
protective substance in the glass that makes it difficult for the
devil to introduce any more toxins. Is this possible? The answer is
yes. We call this protection grace. The Sacraments are the greatest
source of this protection. The more grace that we have in our glass
the stronger that this protection is. The greatest of the Sacraments
is the Communion. We have the blessing and privilege to be able to
receive Our Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, Body and Blood, Soul and
Divinity, in Communion. The grace that He brings surpasses all human
understanding. Communion is the food of Eternal Life. Jesus Himself,
who suffered and died for us on the Cross, gives Himself willingly,
joyfully, lovingly, mercifully, to us. This protection increases the
more frequently that we receive Communion. The devil, compared to
Christ, is a grain of sand. When Christ fills our soul there is no
room for the toxins that the devil seeks to tempt us with. May we get
in
the habit of receiving Jesus in the Communion as often as we can to
take full advantage of this protection.
When Christ has cleaned and filled the glass of our soul whom do you
imagine others see when they look at us? May we pray that they no
longer see us - - but only see Jesus Christ Himself!
Healed and WholeOne day I dug a little hole
and put my hurt inside
I thought that I could just forget
I'd put it there to hide.
But that little hurt began to grow
I covered it every day
I couldn't leave it and go on
It seemed the price I had to pay.
My joy was gone, my heart was sad
Pain was all I knew.
My wounded soul enveloped me
Loving seemed too hard to do.
One day, while standing by my hole
I cried to God above
And said, "If You are really there --
They say, You're a God of love!"
And just like that -- He was right there
And just put His arms around me
He wiped my tears, His hurting child
There was no safer place to be.
I told Him all about my hurt
I opened up my heart
He listened to each and every word
To every sordid part.
I dug down deep and got my hurt
I brushed the dirt away
And placed it in the Master's hand
And healing came that day.
He took the blackness of my soul
And set my spirit FREE!
Something beautiful began to grow
Where the hurt used to be.
And when I look at what has grown
Out of my tears and pain
I remember every day to give my hurts to Him
And never bury them again.
Author Unknown
October 1 - Jesus Calling
Worship Me only. I am King of kings and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light. I am taking care of you! I am not only committed to caring for you, but I am also absolutely capable of doing so. Rest in Me, My weary one, for this is a form of worship.
Though self-flagellation has gone out of style, many of My children drive themselves like racehorses. They whip themselves into action, ignoring how exhausted they are. They forget that I am sovereign and that My ways are higher than theirs. Underneath their driven service, they may secretly resent Me as a harsh taskmaster. Their worship of Me is lukewarm, because I am no longer their First Love.
My invitation never changes: Come to Me, all you who are weary, and I will give you rest. Worship Me by resting peacefully in My Presence.
Which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. -1 Timothy6:15–16
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” —Isaiah 55:8–9
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” —Revelation 2:4
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew11:28
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