Hello my friends! Today's blessings was when Nadine, who helps me with my list which I post here, sent me what I typed years ago for my list on Mother Teresa's book "No Greater Love", I typed out chapter by chapter and it's very good. I'd like to post it on Among Friends if they let me. It's too long for this thread, so will have to be separate. If they won't let me, I can't help it, maybe I'd have to put it here somehow, we'll see. Just got back from having supper at Lori's - stuffed pork chops and they were yummy! She invited Linus' brother and wife also and after supper she lit a bon fire and we spent the rest of our visit at the bon fire - it was perfect for it, no misquitoes were out, no wind, just a nice time out there. Another blessing!! Thanks be to God.
When you can't fall asleep, spend the time talking with God and in prayer
you will soon be sleeping. Lord, next to Your heart, what a safe and restful
place to sleep.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
~Matthew 18:20
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
"Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."
The spirit of God can come upon God's followers when they are all together
at one time, in one place, and with one accord. When two or three
consecrated souls are together at a meeting place, the spirit of God is there to
help and guide them. Where any sincere group of people are together,
reverently seeking the help of God, God's power and God's spirit are there to
inspire them.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may be in accord with the members of my group. I pray
that I may feel the strength of a consecrated group.
A PRAYER TO JESUS
Lord Jesus, help me to accept your rule in every corner in my life. May I have in me the same values and outlook as are in you.
Let me imitate you in my conduct and love my neighbour as you love them. Make me sensitive to the sorrowful and unfortunate, and generous in helping others where possible.
Banish from my life every allegiance which is contrary to your gentle rule. Amen.
Teachings
of
Pope John Paul II
From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others.
This is the wonderful truth, my dear friends: the Word, which became flesh two thousand years ago, is present today in the Eucharist.
In the Mass and in Eucharistic Adoration we meet the merciful love of God that passes through the Heart of Jesus Christ.
I encourage Christians regularly to visit Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament, for we are all called to abide in the presence of God.
My Morning Prayer
I come before You, Lord, In the newness of this day
To ask Your grace upon me, Your love to guide my way.
May I face this day with strength, A gift from You above,
And may I show to others The mercies of your love.
May I don my Christian faith Best to wear at its best,
So when temptations come to taunt I'm ready for their test.
Then when at last it's evening And I come again in prayer
May I not forget to thank You For this tender, loving care.
By Mary Leonard
IMAGINE HEARING THIS
Author Unknown
Imagine praying and hearing this:
"Thank you for calling My Father's House. Please select one of the
following four options:
* Press 1 for requests.
* Press 2 for thanksgiving.
* Press 3 for complaints.
* For all other inquiries, Press 4."
What if God used the familiar excuse:
"All of the angels are helping other customers right now. Please stay
on the line. Your call will be answered in the order it was received."
Can you imagine getting these kinds of responses as you call on God
in prayer?
* "If you'd like to speak with Gabriel, press 1.
* For Michael, press 2.
* For any other angel, press 3."
* "If you want King David to sing you a psalm, press 6."
"For reservations at My Father's House, simply press the letters J-O-
H-N on the keypad, followed by the number 3-1-6."
"For answers to nagging questions about dinosaurs, the age of the
earth and where Noah's ark is, wait until you get here!"
"Our computers show that you have called once today already. Please
hang up immediately."
"This office is closed for the weekend. Please call again Monday."
End of message.
Thank God, you can't call Him too often!!! You only need to ring once
and God hears you. Because of Jesus, you never get a busy signal. God
takes each call and knows each caller personally. When you call and
the Lord will
answer; you will cry for help and He will say: "Here am I."
And when you call: Emergency Phone Numbers
* When in sorrow, call John 14
* When men fail you, call Psalm 27
* If you want to be fruitful, call John 15
* When you have sinned, call Psalm 51
* When you worry, call Matthew 6:19-34
* When you are in danger, call Psalm 91
* When God seems far away, call Psalm 139
* When your faith needs stirring, call Hebrews 11
* When you are lonely and fearful, call Psalm 23
* When you grow bitter and critical, call 1 Cor. 13
* For Paul's secret to happiness, call Col. 3:12-17
* For idea of Christianity, call 1 Cor. 5:15-19
* When you feel down and out, call Romans 8:31-39
* When you want peace and rest, call Matt. 11:25-30
* When the world seems bigger than God, call Psalm 90
* When you want Christian assurance, call Romans 8:1-30
* When you leave home for labor or travel, call Psalm 121
* When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call Psalm 67
* For a great invention/opportunity, call Isaiah 55
* When you want courage for a task, call Joshua 1
* How to get along with fellowmen, call Romans 12
* When you think of investments/returns, call Mark 10
* If you are depressed, call Psalm 27
* If your pocketbook is empty, call Psalm 37
* If you're losing confidence in people, call 1 Cor. 13
* If people seem unkind, call John 15
* If discouraged about your work, call Psalm 126
* If you find the world growing small, and yourself great, call Psalm
19
Emergency numbers may be dialed direct. No operator assistance is
necessary. All lines are open to Heaven 24 hours a day!
The best form of spiritual exercise is to touch the floor regularly
with your knees.
The Boy Under The Tree
In the summer recess between freshman and sophomore years in college,
I was invited to be an instructor at a high school leadership camp
hosted by a college in Michigan. I was already highly involved in most
campus activities, and I jumped at the opportunity.
About an hour into the first day of camp, amid the frenzy of icebreakers
and forced interactions, I first noticed the boy under the tree. He was
small and skinny, and his obvious discomfort and shyness made him appear
frail and fragile. Only 50 feet away, 200 eager campers were bumping
bodies, playing, joking and meeting each other, but the boy under the
tree seemed to want to be anywhere other than where he was. The desperate
loneliness he radiated almost stopped me from approaching him, but I
remembered the instructions from the senior staff to stay alert for
campers who might feel left out.
As I walked toward him I said, "Hi, my name is Kevin and I'm one of the
counselors. It's nice to meet you. How are you?" In a shaky, sheepish
voice he reluctantly answered, "Okay, I guess." I calmly asked him if
he wanted to join the activities and meet some new people. He quietly
replied, "No, this is not really my thing."
I could sense that he was in a new world, that this whole experience was
foreign to him. But I somehow knew it wouldn't be right to push him,
either. He didn't need a pep talk, he needed a friend. After several
silent moments, my first interaction with the boy under the tree was over.
At lunch the next day, I found myself leading camp songs at the top of my
lungs for 200 of my new friends. The campers eagerly participated. My
gaze wandered over the mass of noise and movement and was caught by the
image of the boy from under the tree, sitting alone, staring out the
window. I nearly forgot the words to the song I was supposed to be leading.
At my first opportunity, I tried again, with the same questions as before:
"How are you doing? Are you okay?" To which he again replied, "Yeah, I'm
alright. I just don't really get into this stuff". As I left the cafeteria,
I too realized this was going to take more time and effort than I had thought
- if it was even possible to get through to him at all.
That evening at our nightly staff meeting, I made my concerns about him
known. I explained to my fellow staff members my impression of him and asked
them to pay special attention and spend time with him when they could.
The days I spend at camp each year fly by faster than any others I have
known. Thus, before I knew it, mid-week had dissolved into the final night
of camp and I was chaperoning the "last dance". The students were doing
all they could to savor every last moment with their new "best friends"
- friends they would probably never see again.
As I watched the campers share their parting moments, I suddenly saw what
would be one of the most vivid memories of my life. The boy from under the
tree, who stared blankly out the kitchen window, was now a shirtless dancing
wonder. He owned the dance floor as he and two girls danced. I watched as
he shared meaningful, intimate time with people at whom he couldn't even
look just days earlier. I couldn't believe it was him.
In October of my sophomore year, a late-night phone call pulled me away
from my chemistry book. A soft-spoken, unfamiliar voice asked politely,
"Is Kevin there?"
"You're talking to him. Who's this?"
"This is Tom Johnson's mom. Do you remember Tommy from leadership camp?
The boy under the tree. How could I not remember?
"Yes, I do", I said. "He's a very nice young man. How is he?"
An abnormally long pause followed, then Mrs. Johnson said, "My Tommy was
walking home from school this week when he was hit by a car and killed."
Shocked, I offered my condolences.
"I just wanted to call you", she said, "because Tommy mentioned you so many
times. I wanted you to know that he went back to school this fall with
confidence. He made new friends. His grades went up. And he even went out
on a few dates. I just wanted to thank you for making a difference for Tom.
The last few months were the best few months of his life."
In that instant, I realized how easy it is to give a bit of yourself every
day. You may never know how much each gesture may mean to someone else. I
tell this story as often as I can, and when I do, I urge others to look out
for their own "boy under the tree."
By David Coleman and Kevin Randall
HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE
Author Unknown
As I was walking down life's
highway many years ago
I came upon a sign that read
Heavens Grocery Store.
When I got a little closer
the doors swung open wide
And when I came to myself
I was standing inside.
I saw a host of angels.
They were standing everywhere
One handed me a basket and said
"My child, shop with care."
Everything a human needed
was in that grocery store
And what you could not carry
you could come back for more.
First I got some Patience.
Love was in that same row.
Further down was Understanding,
you need that everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom
and Faith a bag or two.
And Charity, of course,
I would need some of that, too.
I couldn't miss the Holy Ghost
It was all over the place.
And then some Strength and Courage
to help me run this race.
My basket was getting full but I remembered I needed Grace,
And then I chose Salvation for
Salvation was for free
I tried to get enough of that to do for you and me.
Then I started to the counter
to pay my grocery bill,
For I thought I had everything
to do the Masters will.
As I went up the aisle I saw
Prayer and put that in,
For I knew when I stepped outside
I would run into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful,
the last things on the shelf.
Song and Praise were hanging near
so I just helped myself.
Then I said to the angel
"How much do I owe?"
He smiled and said
"Just take them everywhere you go."
Again I asked "Really now,
how much do I owe?"
"My child " he said,
"God paid your bill a long, long time ago."
September 10 - Jesus Calling
I am always available to you.Once you have trusted Me as your Savior, I never distance Myself from you. Sometimes you may feel distant from Me. Recognize that as feeling; do not confuse it with reality. The Bible is full of My promises to be with you always. As I assured Jacob, when he was journeying away from home into unknown places, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. My last recorded promise to My followers was: Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Let these assurances of My continual Presence fill you with Joy and Peace. No matter what you may lose in this life, you can never lose your relationship with Me.
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
—Isaiah 54:10
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
—Genesis 28:15
“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
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