Among Friends

[gloriajean]

Hello my friends,  Well, this will be short because I'm not feeling well, I must have caught a cold from the pool, because right away I started sneezing.  I was planning on going along tonight for supper at Darla's but no way will I give her my germs!!  The blessings for today is nice weather for our travels, nice visit my sister's and hopefully tomorrow I'll feel a lot better!!

No troubles that we face are new to this world. Guide and protect

me, Lord, and strengthen my faith and trust in You so that I will

not falter. 

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

"I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who willLen
believe in me through their word,  that they may all be one. As you, Father,
are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may
believe that you have sent me.  The glory that you have given me I have
given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me,
that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you
have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."  ~John 17:20-23

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

I can find the means of coming nearer to God.  That's what really matters. I
can seek the true bread of life, which is communion with God.
I can grasp for the truth at the center of all worship.  This central truth
is all that matters.  My worship can have this communion with God as its
purpose and goal.

P R A Y E R   F O R   T H E   D A Y 

I pray that I may meet God in quiet communion.  I pray that I may partake of
the Bread of Life which God has provided for me.

Lenten Reflections by Bishop Robert Barron

Lent Day 9

Groaning in Labor

No one has to tell us that the world as we know it is a place of suffering, travail, and woe. Just watch the nightly news, or walk through a forest preserve or nature preserve and see the slaughterhouse of the animals. You'll see injustice, violence, and blood everywhere.

In light of that, let us take a look at Paul’s mysterious and wonderful letter to the Romans: “I consider that the sufferings of the present time are as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed for us. For creation was made subject to futility…in the hope that creation itself would be set free… We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now” (Romans 8:18-22).

These are wonderful and yet puzzling words. Paul gives us the magnificent image of groaning in labor. The gestation of a baby is a slow and often uncomfortable process, and the act of giving birth—especially in Biblical times—is often horribly painful.

So the world, in all of its travail and woe, is like a maternity ward where millions of mothers are laboring to give rise to life. Or the world, in all of its travail and woe, is like a garden that stands in constant need of pruning and hoeing and cutting.

Think of an old, gnarled tree whose beauty is largely due to the signs of its struggle with life, or the beauty of an old person’s face, which arises from the twists and turns and agonies of making it through the human journey. These are signs of suffering in the present life.

And yet all of this is in service of God’s deep purposes, even when we can’t clearly see them.

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND
Author Unknown


The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the
finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had
never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many
others had done before.

'Leave me alone,' he growled.

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling --her
even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. 'Are you hungry?' she
asked. 'No,' he answered sarcastically. 'I've just come from dining
with the President. Now go away.' The woman's smile became even
broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

'What are you doing, lady?' the man asked angrily. 'I said to leave me
alone.

Just then a policeman came up. 'Is there any problem, ma'am?' he
asked.

'No problem here, officer,' the woman answered. 'I'm just trying to
get this man to his feet. Will you help me?'

The officer scratched his head. 'That's old Jack. He's been a fixture
around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?'

'See that cafeteria over there?' she asked. 'I'm going to get him
something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile.'

'Are you crazy, lady?' the homeless man resisted. 'I don't want to go
in there!' Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him
up.

'Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything.'

'This is a good deal for you, Jack,' the officer answered. 'Don't blow
it.'

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer
got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.
It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had
already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager
strode across the
cafeteria and stood by his table.

'What's going on here, officer?' he asked. 'What is all this. Is this
man in trouble?'

'This lady brought this man in here to be fed,' the policeman
answered.

'Not in here!' the manager replied angrily. 'Having a person like that
here is bad for business.'

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. 'See, lady. I told you so. Now if
you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place.'

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. 'Sir, are you
familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?'

'Of course I am,' the manager answered impatiently. 'They hold their
weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms.'

'And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these
weekly meetings?'

'What business is that of yours?'

'I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company.'

'Oh'

The woman smiled again. 'I thought that might make a difference' She
glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. 'Would you like to
join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?'

'No thanks, ma'am,' the officer replied. 'I'm on duty.'

'Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?'

'Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice.'

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel . 'I'll get your coffee for
you right away, officer.'

The officer watched him walk away. 'You certainly put him in his
place,' he said.

'That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all
this.'

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She
stared at him intently. 'Jack, do you remember me?'

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes 'I think so - I
mean you do look familiar.'

'I'm a little older perhaps,' she said. 'Maybe I've even filled out
more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through
that very door, cold and hungry.'

'Ma'am?' the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such
a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

'I was just out of college,' the woman began. 'I had come to the city
looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to
my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked
the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly
starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I
could get something to eat.'

Jack lit up with a smile. 'Now I remember,' he said. 'I was behind the
serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for
something to eat. I said that it was against company policy.'

'I know,' the woman continued. 'Then you made me the biggest roast
beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told
me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you
would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the
price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything
would be all right.'

'So you started your own business?' Old Jack said.

'I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I
started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered.' She
opened her purse and pulled out a business card. 'When you are
finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the
personnel director of my
company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something
for you to do around the office.' She smiled. 'I think he might even
find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some
clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.

'If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you.'

There were tears in the old man's eyes. 'How can I ever thank you?' he
said.

'Don't thank me,' the woman answered. 'To God goes the glory. Thank
Jesus... He led me to you.'

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the
entrance before going their separate ways. 'Thank you for all your
help, officer,' she said.

'On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,' he answered.

'Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget.
And... And thank you for the coffee.'

If you have missed knowing me, you have missed nothing. If you have
missed some of my emails, you might have missed a laugh.

But, if you have missed knowing my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, you
have missed everything in the world .

Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You Always. And don't forget that
when you 'cast your bread upon the waters,' you never know how it will
be returned to you.

God is so big He can cover the whole world with His Love and so small
He can curl up inside your heart.

Saint Faustina's Prayer for Trust

O my God, when I look into the future, I am frightened, but why plunge into the future? Only the present moment is precious to me, as the future may never enter my soul at all.
It is no longer in my power to change, correct or add to the past; for neither sages nor prophets could do that, and so, what the past has embraced I must entrust to God.
O present moment, You belong to me, whole and entire.  I desire to use you as best I can, and although I am weak and small, you grant me the grace of your omnipotence.
And so, trusting in Your mercy, I will walk though life like a little child, offering You each day this heart, burning with love for Your greater glory. Amen.

Verse of the Day

"For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace."

James 3:16-18

February 18  - Jesus Calling

I am with you. These four words are like a safety net, protecting you from falling into despair. Because you are human, you will always have ups and downs in your life experience. But the promise of My Presence limits how far down you can go. Sometimes you may feel as if you are in a free fall, when people or things you had counted on let you down. Yet as soon as you remember that I am with you, your perspective changes radically. Instead of bemoaning your circumstances, you can look to Me for help. You recall that not only am I with you; I am holding you by your right hand. I guide you with My counsel, and afterward I will take you into Glory. This is exactly the perspective you need: the reassurance of My Presence, and the glorious hope of heaven.

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”
—Zephaniah 3:17

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
—Psalm 73:23–26

[lovestopaint]

Gloria I hope you will be feeling better for your sisters  visit.

Blessings to all.

Harlene(lovestopaint)

[RetRN]

gloriajean, take care and feel well soon. Rest or at least take it easy today so that you can enjoy your visit.

[Bobbi sue]

Gloria,  I hope you feel better soon.  Tell Darla I am so happy for her and will continue to pray for her and the babies.  Do they know if they are boys or girls yet?  I'm hoping for girls.  I will email you the first of the week.

[gloriajean]

Thanks for your posts, friends!  I am feeling better - praise the Lord!  Bobbiesue, they think they are identical twin girls.