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Posts: 5,176
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Daily Positive Thread for Wednesday

Hello my friends!  Linda downstairs got rid of her almost one year old Siamese cat because it was always biting her because of her chemo, someone who lost her cat came and got it.  She is feeling blue now, but no more cat bites, she just can't have infection.  She us up here when Georgia cut my hair, and we talked about it, and Georgia's daughter wanted a cat since hers died.  Pets do a lot for people. Starting tomorrow she can have Sammy as much as she wants to play with him, just for companionship.  She loves dogs. I told her I'll share him with her.  She also has some cute birds in a cage! A lover of animals.

 

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.
 
 
Lenten Reflections by Bishop Robert Barron
 
o the Desert

The Biblical authors knew all about the desert, for they were desert people.

How often the great heroes of the Biblical revelation have to spend time in the desert: Abraham has to cross it to get to the promised land; Moses and the Israelite people have to go through it to get home; Joseph is sent into Egypt and prison before he is ready for his mission; John the Baptist is a voice crying in the desert; Paul goes into the desert of Arabia after receiving the revelation on the road to Damascus. Even Jesus himself spends forty days and nights in the desert before commencing his ministry.
             
What does the desert symbolize? A number of things: confrontation with one’s own sin, seeing one’s dark side; a deep realization of one’s dependency upon God; an ordering of the priorities of one’s life; a simplification, a getting back to basics. It means any and all of these things. 

But the bottom line is that all of them had to wait through a painful time, living a stripped down life, before they were ready for mission. They were compelled to wait, during a time and in a place where very little life seems to be on offer. 

But it is precisely in such deserts that the flowers bloom. Moses becomes a great leader; Abraham is the father of many nations; Joseph becomes the savior of his people; John the Baptist is the forerunner of the Messiah; Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles. And of course, Jesus becomes our Savior.

This Lent, perhaps God is calling you into the desert—not to punish you, but to prepare you.

St. Louise de Marillac - Feast Day

O Gracious God, Saint Louise devoted her life to helping Saint Vincent de Paul serve the needs of the poor. She often taught: "Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, as you would honor Christ Himself." I lift up to You the programs in my church and community that help the needy, and the people who do the work. Multiply the donations. Teach me how to think generously. Give me a heart that desires to care for the poor as if I were serving Jesus directly, and help me to see Jesus in each person that begs on the street corner or church door. Saint Louise, pray for us. Amen.

 

A Prayer for Lent

Lord our God, you formed man from the clay of the earth
and breathed into him the spirit of life,
but he turned from your face and sinned.
In this time of repentance we call out for your mercy.
Bring us back to you and to the life your Son won for us
by his death on the cross,
for he lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
 

Verse of the Day

"When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you. Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me with honor. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:23-24

 

The Cross

The Cross is that beneficent water that not only purifies me, but provides the nourishment for the virtues in me. It makes them grow in me. And then it leaves me, when it brings me back to Eternal Life.

 

T H E    B E A U T I F U L    H E A R T

One day a young man was standing in the middle of town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared - how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? 

The young man looked at the old man's heart and saw its state and laughed.

"You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears." "Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love - I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart.

It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.

 

How sad it must be to go through life with a whole heart.

 

WASH DAY

Monday

Wash Day

Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity, so I may serve you
with perfect humility through the week ahead.

Tuesday

Ironing Day

Dear Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected
through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

Wednesday

Mending Day

O God, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for others.

Thursday

Cleaning Day

Lord Jesus, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in
the secret corners of my heart.

Friday

Shopping Day

O God, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal happiness
for myself and all others in need of love.

Saturday

Cooking Day

Help me, my Savior, to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with
clean, sweet bread of human kindness.

Sunday

The Lord's Day

O God, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so I may
spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence. 

-- Author Unknown

 

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass gives boundless honor to the Most Blessed Trinity because it represents the passion of Jesus Christ and because through the Mass we offer God the merits of Our Lord's obedience, of His sufferings and of His Precious Blood.  The whole of the heavenly court also receives an accidental joy from the Mass. 
 

 

Several doctors of the Church—together with St. Thomas Aquinas—tell us that, for the same reason, all the blessed in Heaven rejoice in the communion of the faithful because the Blessed Sacrament is a memorial of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and that by means of it men share in its fruits and work out their salvation" (St. Louis de Montfort).
 
 

March 15 - Jesus Calling

Listen to the love song that I am continually singing to you. I take great delight in you. I rejoice over you with singing. The voices of the world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling you this way and that. Don’t listen to those voices; challenge them with My Word. Learn to take mini breaks from the world, finding a place to be still in My Presence and listen to My voice.

There is immense hidden treasure to be found through listening to Me. Though I pour out blessings upon you always, some of My richest blessings have to be actively sought. I love to reveal Myself to you, and your seeking heart opens you up to receive more of My disclosure. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

“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

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
—Matthew 7:7 

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Posts: 1,947
Registered: ‎04-25-2010

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Wednesday

Hello ladies....Blessings to all.  May you all have a good day.  I bought my corn beef and cabbage for St. Paddy's Day.  How is Darla feeling?

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,176
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Daily Positive Thread for Wednesday

Hello Bobbiesue - we never get that for St. Patricks's day, and hope you enjoy yours.  Darla is doing fine.  We are planning a baby shower for her on April 16th.  

 

Just heard from Pinky Ann  - glad she could reach me again.  Her husband is doing better, day by day, and will probably come home from the hospital this weekend.  Thanks for your prayers.