Greetings my friends! We're having our friends, Ray and Ann over for supper tonight so thought I'd get this thread out earlier rather than later. Ray and Ann are such good friends and a great blessing for us! I thank God for bringing them into our lives. LInus will make turkey on the grill, I'll be cooking our potatoes and beans, starting with a good lettuce salad, with just about everything from the garden, lettuce, kale, collard, beet leaves (the last three things I put in the food processor and they are in small pieces, good to throw in for soups, salads, or anything else), also our own tomatoes and cukes! Our last garden - and God has blessed us with so much! Tomorrow I'll make some turkey soup with garden veggies too. Our carrots are ready also. Thanks to all who are praying for Darla - I so appreciate all prayers. Praying for you all in return.
It is much harder to see today if you are looking at yesterday. Lord, help
to live and appreciate each moment as I am experiencing it so that I am
prepared more fully for the next moment.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and
slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God." ~Ephesians 4:31-5:2
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
We cannot believe in God and keep our selfish ways. When we believe
more strongly in God, we begin to abandon our selfish ways. The old
self can shrivel up and die, and God's image can become much clearer.
The gradual elimination of selfishness in the growth of love for God and
our fellow human beings is a wonderful goal in our lives. As the
picture grows, we can reveal more and more of the likeness of God until
those who see us can see in us the power of God's grace at work in a
human life.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may grow in my likeness to God. I pray that others may see in
me some of the power of God's grace at work.
Make a DifferenceA man was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along he began to see another man in the distance.
As he grew nearer he noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking something up, and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he kept hurling things out into the ocean.
As our friend approached even closer he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had washed up onto the beach, and one at a time, he was throwing them back into the ocean.
The first man was puzzled. He approached the man and said, "Good Evening Friend, I was wondering what are you doing?" And he replied, "I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide right now and all these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they will die from the lack of oxygen."
"I understand," my friend replied "but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach and you couldn't possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many and don't you realize that this is happening on hundreds of beaches up and down this coast ... can't you see that that you can't possibly make a difference?
The local native smiled, bent down, picked up yet another starfish ... and as he threw it back out into the sea, he replied, "It made a difference to that one!"
You may feel like you cannot make a difference in the world today, but you CAN make a difference in one life at a time.
GOD'S WILL FOR OUR LIVES
-- Author Unknown
A young, new preacher was walking with an older, more seasoned preacher in the garden one day and feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do, he was inquiring of the older preacher. The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the WILL OF GOD for his life and for his ministry. Because of his high respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to TRY to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal in tact...It wasn't long before he realized how it was impossible to do so.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud while keeping it in tact, the older preacher began to tell the following poem...
UNFOLDING THE ROSEBUD
It is only a tiny rosebud,
A flower of GOD's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly,
When in my hands they fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of GOD's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day.
I will look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me,
Only my heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments,
Just as He unfolds the rose.
Dedication to Jesus - by St. Ignatius of Loyola -- Today's his Feast Day!
Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your grace and your love and wealth are enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.
July 31 - Jesus Calling
Trust Me in the depths of your being. It is there that I live in constant communion with you. When you feel flustered and frazzled on the outside, do not get upset with yourself. You are only human, and the swirl of events going on all around you will sometimes feel overwhelming. Rather than scolding yourself for your humanness, remind yourself that I am both with you and within you.
I am with you at all times, encouraging and supportive rather than condemning. I know that deep within you, where I live, My Peace is your continual experience. Slow down your pace of living for a time. Quiet your mind in My Presence. Then you will be able to hear Me bestowing the resurrection blessing: Peace be with you.
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
—Colossians 1:27
“ … and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
—Matthew 28:20
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
—John 20:19
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